Android phone connection [solved]

[7leagues]

First off, I will admit I know almost nothing about smartphones because I never use it for anything other than taking photos/videos and 2FA. Now let me get to the point.

I needed to transfer a 2.6 Gb file to my PC so connected it via cable. My son set up the phone so it would transfer files in both directions but X2 could not see the phone. My son thought that the cable was the problem so he tried disconnecting and reconnecting several times but although Windows kept making the sound confirming a new drive had been added, X2 would not see my phone. Then my son suggested I open Windows Explorer and there it was!

My question is therefore, what setting do I need to alter in X2 so that it can see the phone, please?

[nikos]

do you have the latest xplorer2 version?
in general your phone appears inside THISPC folder
see here for more information www.zabkat.com/blog/extract-android-phone-pictures.htm

[7leagues]

I didn't have the latest version. I just updated but am unable to activate the license. It says my lifetime license has expired.
It's Ok, I found the relevant section on upgrading a lifetime license on your site and it is now registered. Furthermore, it can now see my phone although for some reason the folder is empty. It is the same on Windows Explorer so there's clearly something I need to do for the folder to be populated. I will ask my son how to do that.

[nikos]

I don't use smartphones either
there's some setting on your phone to allow access to your files, that needs to be turned on (somehow)

[7leagues]

My son turned that on earlier and I could see everything in Windows Explorer. Now I can't so it appears to have deactivated that setting. I will ask him how to do it when I see him next.

[Gandolf]

I don't use smartphones either ...

Neither do I, so there are at least three "normal" people

[7leagues]

Neither do I, so there are at least three "normal" people

I think that perhaps it's more a case of us showing our age. After all, with age comes wisdom.

[Gandolf]

It's also how useful I think something is, I find a mobile 'phone very convenient. I had a Motorola "brick" many years ago, long before most people had ever heard of mobile 'phones.

[Robert2]

My son turned that on earlier and I could see everything in Windows Explorer. Now I can't so it appears to have deactivated that setting. I will ask him how to do it when I see him next.

Here is how.
Connect your USB cable to your phone and PC.
Bring up the notification area.
You should see “Andoid system – Charging this device through USB”.
Tap to access more options.
Tap to activate “Media device (MTP) File transfer”
The file system of your phone should be visible in xplorer² under “This PC” or “My computer”.
Note that there is another option to use the smartphone as a virtual USB drive. You can then use it as a regular USB drive. For details, have a look at How To Use Your Android Phone as a USB Drive
HTH

[7leagues]

Cheers Robert.
That's just what I needed.