From time to time you may need to connect your smartphone to your computer. For example, to transfer photos or other files. Also almost never without a connection to a PC when flashing the device. Usually a standard cable is used to pair the phone, which is used for charging. Let's assume that you have connected the two devices, but nothing happens. The question immediately arises: what to do if the Android does not connect to the computer via USB (only charging goes)? The answer is to check each of the components, from the cable itself to the software.
Causes of the error and their elimination
Initially, it may seem that the computer does not see the phone because of a damaged USB cable. Is it really so? Yes, such a reason can be considered, but you can not forget about the technical part. After all, drivers play an important role, as well as the settings of the port and the smartphone itself. We have compiled a list of the main causes of the problem with detailed solutions.
Technical problems
By technical problems we mean, first of all, some mechanical damage to one of the components. To put it simply, the cable or the connector itself could have failed, and that's why the phone can't be seen on the computer.
USB cable malfunction
First of all, we suggest that you carefully inspect the cable used to connect your smartphone to the PC. It is important that it does not have any external defects or obvious damage. It is not uncommon for active people to encounter a problem when the cord itself at the base is frayed, as a result of which the signal stops transmitting. And if you also have pets living in your apartment, then all the wires need to be closely monitored.
We also recommend that you use only original cables that come with your smartphone. If you have purchased a cheap cable from some little-known company, it may not be designed for data transfer at all. It simply lacks the necessary contacts, and you can't see it outwardly.
We offer you a universal solution: just take another cable and try to connect your smartphone to the PC. If even after that the computer doesn't see the phone, then obviously the cause of the problem lies in something else. Or maybe the second cord was damaged too.
USB port
Now let's move on to checking an equally important component: the USB port itself, to which the cable is connected. It can also be susceptible to various mechanical damages, ranging from the usual failure of the motherboard's South Bridge to a broken USB controller. It is quite difficult to find the cause of the problem by yourself, especially if you have almost no knowledge in this area.
You can only realize that the computer does not see the smartphone when connected because of a faulty port. How to do this? Very simple: try to connect another device, such as a mouse or keyboard, to the selected port. If everything works, then the problem is definitely not in the USB port.
Alternatively, try plugging the cable into a different port on the computer. For a desktop PC, the ports are located both on the front and the back of the system unit. Remember that they come in different versions. Try to connect your phone to the USB 2.0 port, which is not normally illuminated in blue.
Problems with the software
But technical problems are not always the main reasons why the phone does not connect to the computer via USB. We shouldn't forget about software bugs, because they can also interfere with the normal pairing of your smartphone with your PC. For example, the drivers could have been installed incorrectly, or even worse - absent at all. We'll tell you about each possible reason and solution options below.
Drivers
As you probably know, when you connect any device to your computer, drivers are automatically installed for it. This is special software that is needed to work correctly with your connected smartphone, tablet, or just a mouse. But sometimes unforeseen errors occur, affecting the software installation process. As a result, the necessary drivers are not installed, and the connected device is not displayed on the computer.
Is it possible to fix this error? Yes, and all you need to do is just update or install the missing software. So, to do this on a Windows PC, open the "Device Manager". It can be found through "Control Panel"or the search box next to the icon "Start".
Before you start, be sure to connect your smartphone to the PC. As a result, in the section with all components should appear the item "Unknown device". This is our phone, which the system flatly refuses to see. Well, let's try to correct this misunderstanding. To do this, right-click on this line, and in the window that appears, select "Update the driver". As I recall, this option is called exactly the same in Windows 7.
A new window will appear on the screen, where you need to click on "Automatically search for updated drivers". The system will try to find the most suitable software for the connected smartphone on the Internet. After that you will have to confirm the installation of the selected driver.
It should be noted that you can download the necessary drivers for the device yourself. To do this, simply enter the name of your smartphone in the search box of your browser with the notation "USB Drivers". Go to your favorite site from the output and download the archive to your computer. We recommend using the famous 4PDA forum for this purpose.
And to install, go to "Device Manager"and click again "Update drivers". Only this time we already check the item "Search for drivers on this computer". Specify the path to the folder with the software and perform a simple installation. You can find more detailed instructions on the Internet in case you don't understand something. After all, this topic is about Windows, not Android.
Usually after performing these actions, the computer finally detects the connected smartphone.
USB port settings
If the Android phone does not connect to the computer via USB, but only charges, then the reason for this error can be hidden in the wrong configuration of the port itself. Presumably, there was a system failure that affected the driver or controller malfunction. To fix the problem we suggest updating the hardware configuration. All actions are performed from the computer, and the first thing to do is to go to "Device Manager".
Here we open the tab "Controllers USB". The list must necessarily include equipment with the name "Intel(R) 6 Series/C216 Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller". Depending on the manufacturer, the series number may be different, but the prefix "USB Enhanced Host Controller" will always be displayed. Right-click on the controller and select "Remove the device". The same procedure is performed with the second equipment.
At the end, close the programs and restart the computer. This is to ensure that the system automatically configures the USB ports correctly the next time it starts up.
Timeout parameter
This method is suitable mainly for laptops. Who doesn't know, the option to temporarily disable the USB port is a special option built into the Windows 10 operating system, aimed at increasing the duration of the PC on a single charge. Simply put, it turns off power to all connectors for a while, thereby consuming less battery power. This may be the main reason why the PC stops seeing the phone.
To set the correct settings, you first need to open the program "Parameters". This is done through the menu "Start". Then go to "Power and sleep mode"and select "Additional power settings".
At the selected computer performance option click "Power supply circuit settings". And in the window that appears, select "Change advanced power settings". If you have done everything correctly, you will see a page with all the options.
Find the line "Parameters USB"and click on the plus sign next to it to open an additional menu. In this menu there is only one item "Timeout parameter USB port", which should be clicked. In the drop-down list with the settings set the value "Prohibited". And as in the line "From the battery", and "From the network".
To save the changes, select "Apply". For the settings to take effect, it is recommended to restart the PC. And after that it is left to try to connect the phone to the computer via USB cable. If you've followed all the steps from the instructions, the error should disappear.
Connecting an Android phone to a computer
To avoid mistakes when connecting your smartphone to the computer, we suggest you pay attention to the step-by-step instructions. We'll take a detailed look at pairing via USB, as well as using alternatives.
Via USB
First, prepare a cable with which you will connect the phone to the PC. It is desirable to use the factory cord supplied with the device.
Checking Android phone settings
Avoid problems when your smartphone charges but doesn't connect to your computer, the right course of action will help. Initially, we suggest you check the settings of your smartphone, and if necessary, disable certain parameters. Here is a step-by-step instruction, which explains everything in detail:
- Open the phone settings.
- Go to "Connection and sharing". Note that the name may be different depending on the model of the device.
- Near the item "USB modem"Make sure to move the slider to the left. As a result, this option should become inactive.
And now let's move on to the most interesting part. First of all, let's note that you can connect your smartphone to the computer in different modes. For example, when there is only charging and no files are transferred. When selecting this option, it is not possible to view the storage of the smartphone and, therefore, to control it through different programs. To avoid such an error, you just need to choose the right type of connection:
- Connect the smartphone to the PC.
- Open the notification curtain.
- Click on "Charging the device via USB".
- A window will appear on the screen, where you need to select the appropriate connection format for you. Normally, in all cases, it is set to "Transferring files".
Save the changes and minimize the notification curtain. And if even after that the smartphone does not want to connect to the PC, then we suggest to try to enable USB debugging, sometimes it helps. Here is a step by step instruction:
- Go to settings.
- Go to menu "Advanced settings".
- Open tab "For developers". If this option is not displayed, to activate it, go to "About the phone"and repeatedly tap on the firmware version or build number of the device.
- Next to the line "Debugging by USB"Move the slider to the right.
- Confirm the activation of the option by selecting in the window that appears "Ok".
By the way, you can read more about enabling USB debugging here.
Many of these settings can be left unchanged. But if you plan to work with the smartphone in different programs, and even more so to perform firmware - you can not do without debugging via USB.
Checking PC settings
Correct PC settings affect the connection of the phone through the USB port. Initially, after pairing with your smartphone, a notification should appear on your PC indicating that the device is ready for use. Usually it appears in the bottom corner of the screen and is accompanied by a beeping sound.
When you click on the alert, an additional window opens with possible actions. For example, you can go to File Explorer to view files from the device, or you can do no manipulation at all.
To learn more information about a connected smartphone, you need to open "Device Manager"and go to "Handheld devices". The name of the phone will be there. Double-click on it to open the properties window. Here you can see the device type, information about installed drivers and recent events.
Your smartphone may not appear in the list of connected devices. In this case, try to find the cause of the error and fix it using the previously mentioned methods. Usually, you don't need to make any major adjustments to the connected phone. Computers with Windows 7 and 10 even automatically install the necessary drivers for correct operation.
Without USB
Sometimes the problem of connecting your smartphone via USB cannot be solved in any way. The device just flatly refuses to display on the computer. What to do in this situation? The answer - to use alternative ways! We recommend to try to connect the phone to your computer via Wi-Fi, using the built-in Windows utility "Your Phone".
This program is only available in the latest versions of Windows 10.
So, here are the step-by-step instructions for working with this add-on:
- Open the menu "Start"and among the list of utilities find the application "Your phone" or "Your Phone". The name may vary depending on the language selected in the settings.
- The system asks what operating system our smartphone has. Here, of course, we choose "Android" and press "Continue the work".
Now we take your phone and install the application "Your Phone Manager" on it. You can easily download it from Play Market by entering the name of the utility in the search box.
Open the program and log in through the Microsoft account used on your computer. It is also possible to take a simpler way - scan the QR code in the application on the PC. When the pairing is done, provide the requested permissions.
As a result, if the program is set up successfully, you can use it to view notifications, view photos, and even respond to messages.
And with other options for connecting your smartphone to your computer you can read here.
Video tutorial
Answers to popular questions
Q: Why doesn't the name of my smartphone appear on my computer?
This is because the drivers required for the device to work properly have not been installed. To fix this, update the drivers for the connected phone. Automatically search for the correct software or specify the path to it on your computer.
Q: How else can I transfer files from my phone to my PC?
You can simply send the documents or photos you want via a convenient messenger. For example, Telegram supports the ability to add important files to your Favorites section.
Question: Why does the USB cable only charge?
Because you selected this type of connection on your phone. If you want to transfer files from one device to another, open the notification screen on your smartphone and set "Transfer Files".
As a conclusion we would like to note that if the Android phone does not connect to the computer via USB (only charging goes), the problem can be both technical and software. To fix it is not difficult, the main thing is to find the cause of the problem!