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How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8

Connecting your Android device to a Windows computer can be very convenient, whether you are sharing files between your phone and your computer or simply charging your phone. While connecting the phone is very easy and convenient, at...
Method 1 of 3:

Connecting to your PC

  1. How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 1How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 1
    Turn on your Android device. They say power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, but without power what would you do with your phone?
    1. Press the power button to turn on your Android device.
  2. How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 2How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 2
    Connect the USB cable. While sharing files may also be accomplished through cloud-based services such as DropBox, the standard USB cable can also charge your phone while you are working and does not require an internet connection (should one not be available).
    1. Plug the micro-USB-to-USB cable into your Android device port and the USB port on your computer.
  3. How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 3How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 3
    Select your connection type.[1] You may connect just to charge your phone, to add or delete files, or to share files between your Android device and your Windows computer.
    1. Use your finger to swipe from the top of the screen down on your Android device. This will open the notification tray.
    2. Make the appropriate selection (Connected as a media device option, USB Storage, or Charge Only). These, or other, options may exist depending on the manufacturer of your Android device.
  4. How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 4How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 4
    Connect to share files. Now that your computer and Android device are successfully connected you can share, add or delete files.
    1. Navigate to your Android Device by opening Devices and Files on your Windows computer, selecting your Android device from the list and begin to share, add or delete files.
Method 2 of 3:

Troubleshooting Your Connection

  1. How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 5How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 5
    Check the obvious. Often it is the most obvious issue that is overlooked, there's a reason telephone tech support always asks if your computer is plugged in and your internet service provider asks you to reboot your modem.
    1. Confirm that your Android device is powered on and the micro-USB to USB cable is connected to both your Android device and your Windows computer.
  2. How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 6How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 6
    Check your Android device settings.[2] If it's not the cable, it might be a simple set-up issue.
    1. On your Android device open Settings.
    2. Navigate to Storage.
    3. Tap the USB computer connection in the upper right corner to open the USB Computer Connection options.
    4. Check that Media device (MTP) is selected.
  3. How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 7How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 7
    Check for a computer driver issue. If it's not the cable, and it's not a setting, it might be an out-of-date driver.
    1. On your Windows computer navigate to Printers and Devices control panel.[3]
    2. If your device appears here as an 'Unspecified' device, select the safely remove hardware and eject media button on the system tray to eject your device and proceed to Method 3 – Updating Your Windows Driver.
Method 3 of 3:

Updating Your Windows Driver

  1. How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 8How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 8
    Open Device Manager. Device Manager allows you to view and control the hardware attached to your computer.
    1. On your Windows computer, navigate to the Device Manager within the Control Panel and double-click to open.
  2. How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 9How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 9
    Locate your Device. This is your Android device that your computer 'sees' but does not recognize.
    1. Within Device Manager[4] search for the device with the 'ADB' designation.
  3. How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 10How to Connect Your Android to Windows 8 Picture 10
    Update the Driver.[5] A device driver is a piece of software that controls the communication between your computer and a device, such as your Android.
    1. Once you have located your device, expand the group by clicking the little arrow to the left of the device name.
    2. Now right click on the device and select Update Driver Software. The Update Driver Software window will open.
    3. When prompted to 'search or browse for driver software' select browse, which will advance you to the next step.
    4. When prompted, select 'Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer' and proceed to the next step.
    5. Select 'MTP USB Device' from the available options and click Next.
    6. The updated Device driver will install and your Android device will be recognized as a multimedia device on your Windows computer.
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