Smartphones have evolved to the extent that they can easily replace our PCs for day-to-day tasks such as email, video streaming, and web browsing. Regardless of your primary device, sooner or later, you will need to transfer files from your phone to a PC or vice versa.

There are plenty of different ways to share files from a PC to your Android phone, but the best method depends on the amount of data you need to move. Let's look at how you can easily share files from a PC to an Android mobile phone.

1. Transfer Files From Laptop to Phone Using a USB Cable

If you have to transfer many files between your Android phone and PC, you should opt for the oldest and most reliable transfer method. It's still quick and easy to share files from a phone to a laptop, as long as you've got a compatible cable on hand. Plug your charging cable into the PC and connect it to your phone.

Once you've got it set up, do the following on Windows or a Chromebook:

  1. Connect your phone.
  2. Tap on the notification Android shows labeled Charging this device via USB.
  3. Under USB settings, set Use USB for to Transferring files or File transfer.

That's it. A file transfer window will open on your computer, showing your phone (and SD card if you've got one). Then you can start copying your files across.

The instructions are almost the same on a Mac, but you will need to install the Android File Transfer software first, or you can transfer files using OpenMTP instead.

This method is suitable for copying large amounts of data. Try it when you want to transfer some movies or your entire music collection. And if your phone has an SD card slot, it's a very handy way of getting content onto the card quickly and easily.

2. Share Files Between Laptop and Mobile Without a Cable

The Google account you've set up on your phone gives you access to 15GB of cloud storage space through Google Drive. This gives you a convenient way to move files between your laptop and phone.

You need to install the Google Drive app on your laptop. If you'd rather, you can use Dropbox or Microsoft's OneDrive, as they all work pretty much the same way. You can even access iCloud on Android if you need to.

When you set up Google Drive, you need to sign in first. Then select Back up all file types and click Next.

back up all file types

On the next screen, choose Advanced Settings at the bottom. Select Sync My Drive to this computer, then click OK.

This creates a Google Drive folder on your computer. Everything in this folder will sync to and from your Drive account. So to upload files to your phone, just move them into the Drive folder. Open the app on your phone, and they'll be there after syncing.

This is one of the fastest file transfer methods, but the main caveat to remember is that the files shown in your Drive app are not stored on your phone. If you try to open one, it needs to download first—a gigantic file can take a big bite out of your monthly data allowance.

To get around this, you have two options for downloading the files you need to your phone. Select a file, and from the menu, choose either:

  • Make available offline: This downloads the file for you to view offline within Drive. Any changes you make to it will sync the next time you go online.
    make available offline
  • Download: This saves a new copy of the file to your Downloads folder, and you can open it in any compatible app. However, any edits you make won't sync—you need to re-upload the file to your Drive account.
    download file from drive

A lack of free space is the main limitation of this solution. You can always set up an extra account, though, and it is possible to transfer files from one Google Drive account to another.

3. Share Files From PC to Mobile Using Email

Emailing files to ourselves is hardly the most efficient way of moving data from a laptop to a phone, but we've all done it at one time or another. It works for quick sharing of files when you can't use any of the other methods.

WeTransfer lets you send up to 2GB of files through email

You're limited to 25MB attachments in Gmail. If you need something larger, check out WeTransfer. That allows you to send files up to 2GB for free, with no registration.

Enter your email address on the website, then drag your files into the browser window and send. You'll then receive an email on your phone with a link to the files you may download. For security, files are encrypted and erased after seven days. You'll need a Pro membership if you wish to erase your files sooner or keep them up for longer.

4. Share Files From PC to Mobile With Messaging Apps

Alternatively, another easy way to transfer files between your Android device and PC is to use WhatsApp Web. This is an excellent way to quickly share images, documents, or even videos if you have a fast internet connection.

One popular method for sharing files with WhatsApp is to make a new WhatsApp group with just one contact and remove them as soon as you create the group. Now that you're the only participant, you can use this chat to send and receive files from either device privately.

To send files from your PC, you will first have to log in to WhatsApp Web from your PC and upload the required files in the newly created group chat.

5. How to Transfer Files From Laptop to Mobile Wirelessly

You can share files between your phone and your laptop wirelessly, using either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, or both.

Share Files Using Nearby Share

Nearby Share is the native Android tool for sharing files, and it works with Windows. It's easy to use, you just need to download and install Nearby Share on your Windows PC then follow the onscreen instructions to set it up and connect your PC and phone.

You must make sure that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are set up on both devices, and you can share up to 500 files in one go.

Our guide on using Nearby Share with Windows has more information. You can unofficially use Nearby Share with a Mac as well, although that only allows you to send files from phone to computer, not the other way around.

Share Files Using Bluetooth

When you've got a few smaller files you need to move to your phone, Bluetooth is an excellent way to go. It's pretty easy, too, once you've got it set up.

set up bluetooth device on Windows 10

To send a file over Bluetooth from your Windows 10 or 11 laptop to your phone, you first need to pair the two devices. Go to Settings > Devices and hit the toggle to turn on Bluetooth. Make sure it's also enabled on your phone.

Now go to Add Bluetooth or other device > Bluetooth to start scanning. After a short delay, your phone will show up. Select it, then click Connect on your PC and Pair on your phone to complete the process.

To share a file over Bluetooth, go to Settings > Devices > Send or receive files via Bluetooth > Send files. Then choose the file you want to share.

transfer files over bluetooth

For other platforms, the names of the menu options will be different, but the process is the same. First, you need to pair, and then you can share. Bluetooth is slower than some of the other methods we've listed, and it's best for smaller files and casual use.

Share Files Using Wi-Fi

When you need to regularly move large amounts of data to your phone, you cannot beat Wi-Fi. As long as you connect your phone and laptop to the same Wi-Fi network, you can move files quickly and securely.

To copy files over Wi-Fi, you need a particular app on your phone but nothing extra on your laptop.

We recommend Snapdrop, which is free and requires no signup. It works with any platform—Windows, Mac, Linux, or Chrome OS—but is extremely convenient because you don't need to install it on those devices.

Download and install the Android app from the Google Play Store to begin.

Download: Snapdrop (Free)

snapdrop

Launch the app on your phone, and open the Snapdrop page in a desktop browser. As long as both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, they will detect each other.

To send a file from your phone to your laptop or PC:

  1. Tap anywhere in the app on your phone.
  2. A file manager will open. Find and tap on the file or files you want to send.
  3. They will begin sending instantly.
  4. In the browser on your laptop, click Save when prompted to download and save the file.

To send a file from laptop to mobile:

  1. You'll see an icon for your connected Android device in the middle of the Snapdrop window in your browser. Click this icon.
  2. Select the files you want to share, then click OK or Open.
  3. The files will begin copying over instantly.
  4. Tap Save in the app on your phone to save the files.

More Ways to Move Your Data

There are more methods to share files from mobile to laptop. You can use your SD card or a USB flash drive with an On-The-Go cable if your phone supports them. Or for ultra-techie solutions, try using FTP with the Wi-Fi FTP Server app, or even utilizing Network Attached Storage (NAS). With this option, you share a single hard drive with all the devices connected to your network.

Share Files From PC to Mobile

For most people, the methods outlined above are the best ways to move data from your laptop to your Android phone. Some are better for quickly sharing small files, and some excel at moving huge amounts of data.

If you want to transfer large amounts of data, we recommend using a USB cable to transfer data. Otherwise, it is better to use one of the wireless sharing methods.