In the past, Android devices used to automatically mount as storage devices/file transfer once you connected them to a computer.
Your phone’s internal storage would pop up as soon as you made a USB connection, and you could start transferring files immediately.
However, the later Android versions do not let this connection happen automatically for security reasons.
Once you connect your phone to a computer, it’ll usually say something close to “No data transfer.”
When you check your notification bar, you’ll see several options before you can transfer files across the two devices.
If you always use the same computer alone and trust it with your phone data, you may want to set it to file transfer mode as the default USB connection for convenience. Here’s how to go about it.
Turn On Developer Options
To set your phone’s default setting to file transfer mode, you’ll have to enable Developer options from the settings menu.
This setting is usually hidden in the About phone section if you’ve never used it.
Devices from different manufacturers vary slightly in the settings section, but there is nothing to worry about.
Go to Settings>About phone>Software information and then tap Build number seven times quickly (sounds weird, but this is how it should be done!).
Depending on your security settings, you may need to enter your security PIN or password before enabling Developer options.
Once you complete the process, you should see the prompt “You are now a developer” at the bottom of your screen. Developer options are now enabled.
Enable File Transfer Mode
The Developer options menu should be at or near the bottom of your Settings menu.
If you cannot find the menu—go to Settings>System>Advanced—you should find Developer options here.
Once you get to Developer options, scroll down until you find the Default USB configuration option and click.
You should see all the available USB connection options. Select the Transferring files or File transfer option.
You can leave the settings menu and plug your Android phone into your PC. After establishing a connection, your phone should connect to file transfer mode automatically.
Remember to check your phone in case it requires you to Allow access from your PC.
Wrapping Up
As explained above, setting up file transfer mode as the default connection when connecting your phone to a PC is quite simple.
Also, the procedure is identical if you’d like other options, such as USB tethering as your default setting. All you have to do is specify the type of connection you want.
7 Comments
OK, but how to always allow? That message asking to allow shows every time I connect the USB. Can it be disabled and set to always allow? On Android 11 I don’t see the option “system apps”.
Hey Liviu. Thanks for the question.
1. Go to Developer Options and search for ‘USB debugging’ and turn it on.
2. When you connect to your computer, your phone will ask you something like “do you trust this device”.
3. Allow access and any time you connect your phone to the same computer, it’ll open automatically without the ‘Allow’ prompt.
Lemme know how it goes. Cheers!
How can I set my Android (infinix X650) to display options to either charge my phone with the PC or to
transfer files , cuz anytime I connect the Android device to my PC , it just starts charging
automatically and I haven’t been able to transfer files from my phone to my PC for months now….pls help me cuz I don’t know if it’s the fault of my PC or the Android phone 😭😫
Hi Destiny,
First, try the tips in the post. They may be a little different on your phone but not so much. You can easily figure it out.
Second, in case you followed all the instructions and you still have the problem, try a different USB cable.
Some cables don’t have file transfer capability.
Working ones can also lose this ability due to damage or aging.
If it persists, try a different PC. If it works, check your PC drivers.
Cheers.
None of this works, I have tried all the Developer options setting it to File Transfer and MTP mode and it still asks me each time I connect – I have spent hours follwoing advice and guidance and noe of them work. I’m currently on Android 11 but I had the same problem with Android 9. Amn I still fpdon’t know if the fault is with the phone settings or the PC
Have you tried turning on USB debugging? You can see my instructions for making it work on Android 11 in the other comment on this post. Let me know if it works.
Android 12 does not show default usb configuration. I followed steps you mentioned. Honor x7a.