How to connect a phone to a computer with USB

A USB cable lets your computer see the files on your phone, so you can copy photos, music and documents without the internet. Android phones and iPhones with Windows and Mac computers are covered, along with what to do when the phone does not appear.

What you need

• Your phone, unlocked, with a screen you can read.
• A USB cable that carries data. Some cables only charge the phone and cannot move files. A cable that came with a phone is usually a data cable.
• A free USB port on the computer. Plug straight into the computer, not into a hub or a display, while you are testing.
• A different plug shape, if needed. Phones use USB-C or Lightning, and computers may use the larger rectangular USB-A port or a USB-C port. See USB-C docks, hubs and cables explained if your plugs do not match.

The whole job takes a few minutes. The only part that differs between phones is the message on the phone's screen, so watch it.

Connect an Android phone

To a Windows PC (Windows 11 or Windows 10)

1. Unlock the phone.
2. Plug the cable into the phone and the PC.
3. On the phone, tap the notification that says Charging this device via USB. Menu names vary by maker, but the notification is usually near the top of the screen.
4. Under Use USB for, choose File Transfer. Some phones word this Transferring files or File transfer / Android Auto.
5. On the PC, a file transfer window opens, or the phone appears in File Explorer. If neither happens, open File Explorer and look for the phone under This PC.
6. Open the phone's storage, then drag files in or out of the window.
7. When you finish, eject the phone in Windows, then unplug the cable.

To a Mac

A Mac does not show an Android phone on its own. The usual tool is Google's Android File Transfer app, which is older software and may not work with every Mac or phone. Get it only from Google's own Android pages, never from a search ad or a download portal. Google's USB help page covers Windows and Chromebook, not Mac, so these steps are general.

1. Open Android File Transfer on the Mac.
2. Unlock the phone and plug it in.
3. On the phone, tap the USB notification and choose File Transfer.
4. The phone's folders appear in the app window. Drag files across.

Some newer Macs and phones behave differently. If the app cannot see the phone, see the section on problems below.

Connect an iPhone

To a Mac

1. Connect the iPhone with the USB cable. If the Mac asks, click Allow.
2. If the iPhone asks for its passcode, enter it.
3. On the iPhone, tap Trust when it asks whether to trust this computer.
4. Open Photos on the Mac. The Import screen appears, or you can click the iPhone's name in the sidebar.

To copy photos, see how to transfer photos from your phone to a computer.

To a Windows PC

1. Install the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store.
2. Connect the iPhone with the USB cable and unlock it.
3. On the iPhone, tap Trust or Allow when it asks about this computer.
4. Use the Microsoft Photos app to import pictures. Windows can only show the photos that are stored on the iPhone itself, so photos kept only in iCloud will not appear.

If the phone does not appear

Try these in order. Each is quick and none of them erases anything.

1. Unlock the phone and look for the USB message. Many phones default to charging only until you choose File Transfer or tap Trust.
2. Try a different cable. Google notes that not all USB cables can transfer files.
3. Try a different USB port on the computer, directly and not through a hub.
4. Restart the phone, then the computer.
5. Test the phone on another computer, and test another device in this computer's port. This shows which side is at fault.
6. Make sure the phone's system software is up to date.
7. On Windows, if the computer says a device is not recognized, see USB device not recognized.

Check that it worked

On Windows, the phone shows in File Explorer or in the Photos import list, and you can open folders such as DCIM (camera pictures) on an Android phone. On a Mac with an iPhone, the Photos app shows an Import screen. If you can see folders or thumbnails, the link works.

Always eject the phone before you pull the cable. This avoids a half-finished copy. Before you delete anything from the phone after copying, open a few copied files on the computer to make sure they open. For a safety copy of important files, see how to back up files.

If you want a cable-free link for notifications and recent photos, read how to link your phone to a Windows PC.

Frequently asked questions