Every once in a while we come across a situation where we have to transfer files from Android to PC or vice-versa.
Situations like backing up the data on your Android device or where you have to quickly transfer a photo/video to edit on Photoshop, demands that you transfer those files from your Android device to your computer.
Luckily, there is ample of options available to transfer files from Android to Windows PC.
Broadly, it can be categorized as Wired transfer and Wireless transfer.
Let’s first start with Wireless Transfer.
Transfer Files from Android to PC
Wirelessly (With Third-Party Apps)
There is a good number of apps available on the Google Play Store which can come really handy in transferring files from Android to PC.
Some of the best apps are:
1. Pushbullet
Pushbullet provides a seamless experience between your Android Smartphone/Tablet and your Computer.
You need to download the app on your Android Smartphone and your Windows PC and configure it. Once done with the setup you are good to go.
You can transfer files wirelessly from your Android to Computer and back.
File transfer is made easy with this app but Pushbullet is not just limited to file transfer. When connected, you can receive and view notifications of your phone on your PC.
Suppose you are working on your computer and a friend of yours texted you, you’ll be notified about that message on your PC too. Not just the notification, you can also send the reply from your PC without even touching your phone.
Pushbullet works with major messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Kik Messenger.
Transferring files through Pushbullet is very easy. Once both of your Phone and Computer are connected, you can share your files with just one tap.
2. Send Anywhere
Send Anywhere is yet another decent app when it comes to transferring files from Android to Computer or vice-versa.
You can download the app on your Android device and on your Windows PC and can transfer files back and forth through WiFi Direct.
The app is free and comes without any file transferring limit. The user-interface of the app for both, mobile and desktop version, is pretty much the same and is very easy to understand.
To connect your Android device and your PC, all you’ve got to do is select whether you want to send or receive a file on any of the devices. An ‘Input Key’ will then be generated which can be used to pair the devices.
3. AirDroid
AirDroid is the best alternative to Pushbullet.
Just like Pushbullet, AirDroid lets you transfer files from Android to PC and back. It supports file transfer on all the platforms be it Windows or Mac.
With AirDroid, you also get access to your phone’s notifications on your Computer. You can receive messages, reply them, receive a call or discard a notification right from your PC without even glancing at your phone.
The one thing which differentiates AirDroid from Pushbullet is the ability to access your phone remotely on your computer. It won’t be wrong to say that it also works like an Android Emulator.
4. Xender
Xender is being used mostly for transferring apps and files from an Android to another Android device. And it works like a charm, no doubt.
But through Xender, you can even transfer files to your PC. All you’ve got to do is visit web.xender.com on your computer and scan the QR code on the website using the app on your phone. Now both of your devices are connected. It’s that simple.
Xender is amongst the fastest when it comes to transferring files from one device to another.
The plus point of using Xender to transfer files is that you don’t require to install any application on your computer to get the job done. The file transfer happens through the web.
5. SHAREit
Last, but not the least, is SHAREit.
SHAREit works exactly like Xender. It is also used mostly for transferring files from Android device to another Android device. But, it can be also used to transfer files Android to PC and PC to Android.
However, you need to have a SHAREit application installed on your PC. Unlike Xender, it doesn’t support file transfer through the web.
SHAREit uses WiFi Direct to transfer files between devices which is considered as the fastest method to transfer files from one device to another.
Transfer Files from Android to PC
Wirelessly (Without Third-Party Apps)
As far as transferring files wirelessly without third-party apps is concerned, we do not have a variety of options.
1. Bluetooth File Transfer
Bluetooth has become an old-school method of transferring files from a Bluetooth-enabled device to another Bluetooth-enabled device.
There is no doubt that during earlier days Bluetooth file transferring was regarded as the best way to transfer files. But with the introduction of WiFi Direct, the trend of transferring files through Bluetooth faded away.
And it faded away for a reason. File Transfer through WiFi Direct was way more speedier than Bluetooth File Transfer. Hence, saving a lot of our times.
But that doesn’t mean that you can not transfer files using Bluetooth. It might not be fast but it gets the job done, at least.
2. E-Mail
It may sound a bit absurd but many people are still using email to get a file from one device to another.
This way of transferring files is not suitable for large files, I know. But in case you want to quickly share a file (which is smaller in size) and you do not have a third-party app to do that, you can use email. It is easy and fast (depending on the speed of your Internet Connection).
You might argue that to send/receive an email on our phones we still need apps like Gmail or Inbox. But since an email client is a very basic app, I am considering it as a system app rather a third-party app.
Transfer Files from Android to PC
using Wires
By wires I mean the standard USB Cables.
Using USB Cables for transferring files is the old-traditional method which is still being followed by almost everyone (including me).
By far, it is the simplest way to move our files from one device to another. You don’t need any app or any connectivity. Just a USB Cable and way she goes.
There you have it! Almost all the possible ways of transferring files from Android to PC. Which one of the above method suits you? Or do you have any other method which you use and which I missed out in this post? Let me know in the Comments!
And don’t forget to share this post with your friends and colleagues on your Social Networks.
Great post.
But is there a way to share files via Wi-Fi direct. Like I use this feature to share files between two android devices without a router or third party apps.
So my question: Is is possible to use Wi-Fi direct to share files between PC and android without installing any app on the android device, so any android device can share files with my PC easily.