Why won't my mobile connect to my laptop?

Papyrus · June 12, 2025, 01:12:50 PM

I'm after some advice again.

My wife has been trying to copy some files from her mobile (Android) to her laptop (Windows 11), but we can't get the two to talk to each other. The laptop gives us this message:

We've tried different cables. We've tried her phone with my laptop without success. We have tried my phone in her laptop, same result, and a similar message. Finally, I tried my phone with my laptop and it still doesn't work, even though it has done so in the past. Normally, I drag down the notification bar and tap where it says 'Charging the device via USB' which normally gives me the option of transferring files, but not now.

We originally thought there was a fault with her phone, but it's obviously more complicated than that. Anybody got any ideas?

Cheers,

Chris

Tank · June 12, 2025, 02:29:05 PM

Firstly, do both phones and laptops have the latest software? There may be security updates that need to be installed.

Strange that both phones and both laptops are having trouble.

Papyrus · June 12, 2025, 02:46:21 PM

So far as I know they are both up to date. We run updates whenever we are notified of them.

keithfre · June 12, 2025, 03:02:13 PM

I've had the same problem trying to copy photos from my Android to my Windows 10 desktop. The computer connects to the phone initially and I can view the contents of the phone on the computer, but if I select a lot of files to copy and then try to paste, the connection breaks down. I was able to reconnect and copy a smaller number of files though.

Steven B · June 13, 2025, 09:01:54 AM

Does the laptop have Bluetooth - if so you should be able to do the file transfer that way.

Papyrus · June 13, 2025, 10:02:27 AM

That's a thought. I'll give it a go. Thanks.

Chris

kelstonlad · June 13, 2025, 11:22:05 AM

Apologies if you've already considered this . . .

I use my Google account (other companies are available) to automatically receive any photos I take on my phone camera. I can then use the Google photos app on any computer to view the pictures, sort them into albums, create links for sending to people . . . If you're worried about using your data allowance on your phone, you can tell it to upload only using wifi.

It avoids the need to do any kind of device connections.

- Andy

Newportnobby · June 13, 2025, 12:15:01 PM

Anything I don't want to lose is saved to an SD card in my phone so, in an emergency e.g. can't connect by cable, I can always take the SD card out and put it in my laptop (with adaptor, of course)

Malc-c · June 13, 2025, 01:10:54 PM

I use Microsoft Phone Link app on the PC. Can read / write texts, browse and copy photo's between devices and has an option for sharing any document on the phone with the PC.

Papyrus · June 13, 2025, 03:19:08 PM

Quote from: Steven B on June 13, 2025, 09:01:54 AMDoes the laptop have Bluetooth - if so you should be able to do the file transfer that way.

Yes, yes, yes!! After the expenditure of a good deal of blood, sweat and tears, I've managed to transfer some photos from my phone to my laptop via Bluetooth. The system works. It is slow, but I can live with that. Thank you Steven.

Quote from: Newportnobby on June 13, 2025, 12:15:01 PMAnything I don't want to lose is saved to an SD card in my phone so, in an emergency e.g. can't connect by cable, I can always take the SD card out and put it in my laptop (with adaptor, of course)

In an ideal world I would do the same but unfortunately my phone doesn't take an SD card. (Free hand-me-down Google Pixel from my stepson, can't complain...) However, Mrs P's Samsung does have an SD card and she is going to move everything across to it, then, as you say, plug it directly into the 'pooter.

Thanks for all the other ingenious solutions, but I've found something that works now so I'll stick with what I know.

Cheers,

Chris