The integration between Windows and Android is becoming more and more noticeable. You can now make calls from the PC if you synchronize it with your mobile, and Windows 11 will even allow you to run apps natively. But let’s not kid ourselves, getting Windows to recognize an Android device can be a very cumbersome process. Especially when something goes wrong, and you don’t know why.
In theory, connecting an Android smartphone to a Windows PC is very simple. We are talking about Plug & Play connections. Once the USB connection is established, the PC will automatically install the necessary drivers so that you can access the phone’s storage from the Windows file explorer. Just as you would with a USB memory or an external hard drive.
What to do if your Windows PC doesn’t recognize an Android device
When Windows does not recognize an Android phone or tablet, the error usually appears in two different ways:
- The smartphone does not appear in the list of connected devices of “This Equipment.”
- When you connect the mobile, Windows 10 shows a message indicating that it does not recognize the USB or has an error.
Preliminary checks
Before we dive into testing solutions, make sure you’ve reviewed these things:
- The phone is unlocked when you connect to the PC.
- Plug the device into another USB port. If it is an older Android system, try using a USB 2.0 port.
- Change the USB cable and try another one. It is recommended that it be the original cable that came with the device (or that it is at least of quality and in good condition).
- Turn off the phone completely and restart it. Also, don’t forget to restart your PC as well.
Activate the “File Transfer” connection mode on Android
When Android connects to a PC via USB, it can do it in several ways: in “Battery charge” mode, as if it were a USB modem, in “Image transfer” mode, or in “File transfer” mode.
Once the device is connected to the PC, display the upper Android notification bar, click on the “Android System” notification, and ensure that the “File transfer” mode is activated.
Wait a few seconds for Windows to recognize the device and install the relevant drivers. In a moment, you should see the device accessible from “This Computer” in Windows Explorer.
Enable USB debugging
USB debugging is typically used to launch ADB, fastboot, and ultimately developer-oriented tweaks. However, when you activate USB debugging in Android, the Windows operating system downloads additional drivers. Some drivers that in some cases may be necessary for the PC to recognize the Android device that you have just connected.
You can activate USB debugging by entering the Android “ Settings ” menu and navigating to the section dedicated to “Phone information.” Press 7 times in a row on the build number until a message appears on the screen indicating that the developer options have been activated.
Finally, go to ” System -> Developer options ” and activate the ” USB debugging ” tab.
Now connect the phone to the PC again using a USB cable and give Windows a few seconds to install the corresponding drivers.
Uninstall and reinstall the Android device drivers
Sometimes Windows does not manage to install the drivers correctly, which means that it cannot identify the phone properly when you connect it. To solve it, you have to uninstall and reinstall the Android phone in Windows step by step.
- Connect Android device to PC.
- Open Device Manager. To do this, press the Win + R key combination and execute the command ” devmgmt.msc ” (without quotes).
- Locate the section ” Portable devices ” and open the drop-down. Right-click on the Android phone and select ” Uninstall device .”
After doing this, disconnect the phone from the PC, restart Windows, and connect the device again. Give it a few seconds for Windows to download and install the drivers again, and if everything goes well, it should recognize the device now, without problems.
Connect the phone in Fastboot mode
In the same way that when you activate USB debugging in Android, the Windows system has to download new drivers. The same happens when the mobile is in Fastboot mode.
If these additional drivers are all that Windows needs to recognize your Android device correctly, you will have to force said download.
- Make a long press on the power button of the phone to turn it off completely.
- With the mobile off, press the power button + volume button down. This button combination may be different depending on the brand and manufacturer of the phone. You can see more information HERE.
- This will take you to the phone’s bootloader. Something like the BIOS of Android devices. Select the “Fastboot” option.
- Now connect your Android device to the PC via USB cable.
- Wait a few seconds for the system to download the additional drivers.
- Check if the PC recognizes the smartphone.
Activate airplane mode
This would be the last method to try. It is not very clear what the reason is, but it seems that activating the airplane mode in some phones makes it easier to recognize it in Windows.
Remove the USB cable, disconnect the mobile from the PC, activate the phone’s airplane mode from the Android top menu, and reconnect it to the PC. If luck is on your side at that time, Windows will recognize the Android device, and you will be able to access it without problems.
