Connecting mobile phones to a personal computer using USB does not always go smoothly. We will talk about the main causes of equipment conflicts and their elimination.

Lack of drivers for the mobile device. Usually, the package of smartphones and all-in-one PCs includes a charger, instructions, a warranty card and a disk with software - these are the drivers. Without installing this software, the computer simply does not recognize the connected device. If the disk is lost, do not worry, you can download drivers on the official websites of the manufacturers of your gadget. A similar problem occurs when the system files of the mobile software are damaged. In most cases, when connecting the device to a PC, a recognition error occurs. To resolve the problem, reinstall the driver package. Don't look software for smartphones on third-party sites to avoid failures. Download latest versions updates. Publishers provide the driver absolutely free. Mechanical damage to the USB cable. Unfortunately, USB cables are quite thin and often break. Such damage is invisible to the eye, but is recognized as follows:
  1. Check for drivers and reinstall. If it doesn’t help, then it’s a hardware issue.
  2. Use your fingers to explore every inch of the wire.
  3. If you don’t find any creases, then ask a friend for a phone with the same USB input. Check if the computer recognizes his device.
  4. To finally make sure that the cord is faulty, borrow several of the same USB from friends and check with your phone. Did the computer see the mobile phone? So it's the cable. The solution is to buy a new USB.


Mechanical damage to USB ports. If the computer does not see the gadget, try plugging the cord into another USB port. Did not help? Then the problem is in the phone itself. Examine the USB port for foreign bodies. Perhaps a speck has gotten into the hole and is interfering with signal transmission. If the mobile phone gets into water, then oxidation of the contacts occurs. It is possible to return it to “life” without replacing the port. To do this, soak a cotton swab in 96% ethyl alcohol and thoroughly wipe the entrance. Be careful with such manipulations so as not to aggravate the situation. Do not make strong pressing movements. The computer again does not accept the mobile phone via USB? Then take the device to a service center.


Other problems. Smartphones crash quite often system files, after which the performance of the device is significantly reduced. Most likely, in addition to a non-working USB, you will notice related problems, namely a slow sensor response, lack of sound signals, spontaneous reset of settings. Sometimes a simple reboot of the phone helps. One of the reasons for the conflict between PC and mobile may be viruses. Check your computer for malicious files with an antivirus program.


We have discussed the most common problems connecting laptops/PCs to phones via USB. If our advice did not help you, take the gadget to a service center. In the video, an experienced technician will tell you how to connect Android phones via USB. We wish you success!

Or a tablet connected to USB? You are not the first to be affected by this problem, but do not rush to despair. Today we will try to help by talking about possible reasons why the phone is not detected by the computer. In addition, you will learn how to deal with this common “disease”.

Why doesn't the computer see the phone connected via USB?

So, all problems with connecting your phone to a computer via USB can be divided into two types:

  • hardware;
  • software.

We will talk about each of them, but first, a little advice that very often helps users, saving them from further actions:

We simply reboot both devices (phone and computer). As practice shows, this simple action helps with solving a lot of problems, so we resort to it first.

The computer does not see the phone - hardware problems

First, let's go through hardware problems that are often identified by users.

USB cable is damaged

As a rule, the “victims” include users who decided to save money by choosing a cheap wire from an unknown company. They can work well when paired with a power adapter, but they don’t want to be “friends” with a USB port.

The solution is very simple: try another cable that works.

However, do not rush to call the wire manufacturer bad names - check it for damage. Sometimes they are so small that they are unnoticeable. The wire may be broken at the base, chewed by pets, or otherwise damaged.

Carefully inspect the USB cable for damage. If no problems are found, then try connecting the phone to USB port another computer.

The USB port on the computer is damaged

Less often, but the cause of connection problems is a non-functional USB port on the computer. It is very simple to check whether the connector is functioning: insert any other device into it, for example, a flash drive or an external hard drive.

We just try to connect the phone to a different connector. Some users recommend using USB 2.0 ports (USB 3.0 blue).

Problems with the charging connector on the phone itself

Typically, problems with the phone socket begin after falls, water, dirt or other damage. If any of the above happened to your gadget in Lately, then you will have to visit a service center where specialists can replace the damaged port.

Device battery problems

Another hardware cause could be battery problems. In the best case, you just need to remove the battery from the phone for a few seconds, if possible. At worst, you will have to replace the battery.

The computer does not see the phone - software problems

If you tried changing the wire, connecting the phone to another USB port, but nothing helped, then we move on to software reasons, which in most cases are the culprits of the problem.

Problems with phone settings

Very often, it is precisely because of incorrect settings that the system sets by default that it is impossible to pair a computer and a phone. So:

  • Check connection mode. Smartphones with the latest versions operating system Android devices can be connected to a personal computer in charging mode by default. Therefore, the latter does not react in any way to pairing with a new device, but only powers it through the port.

As a rule, you can select a mode in the notification shade on your smartphone. A system message with the selected mode should appear here. Click on it to see available options. We select the mode that is associated with the transfer or access to phone files (it may be called differently depending on the operating system, manufacturer, and so on).

Sometimes the connection notification does not appear among the notifications, so you will have to find the menu with modes yourself. It is located in the phone settings (USB connection option or something similar), where you can also select desired mode with access to files on the phone.

  • The phone should not be in modem mode. Often, by default, mobile devices, when connecting to a PC, start working in modem mode, which does not make it possible to access files.

You can disable modem mode in the settings wireless networks. You just need to turn the toggle switch to the inactive state opposite the desired item.

  • The phone is infected with viruses. Increasingly, the cause of many problems with the phone are virus attacks, which can really cause a lot of harm. Some users have already determined that their smartphones could not connect to their PC precisely because of malicious software that blocked access.

Remove recent apps that make you suspicious. Use antivirus programs to detect viruses. We recommend the free utility Dr. Web CureIt!, which can be downloaded fromPlay Market .

Problems with the computer and USB ports

Quite often, the culprit of the confusion can be a personal computer, or rather the lack of necessary settings or drivers, as well as various errors.

  • Installing port driversUSB . If USB drivers do not work correctly or do not work at all, then the devices connected to them will not function or will start with errors.

Solved by reinstallation. Drivers must be taken from the disk that came with the motherboard (laptop) or from the manufacturer’s official website. Installation usually does not take much time. When finished, be sure to restart your computer if the system does not do this on its own.

  • USB -ports do not receive power. Some users, experimenting with hardware, accidentally or deliberately turn off the power supply to the USB connectors, which leads to understandable consequences - complete inoperability.

You need to go to the “Nutrition” section. To do this, go to “Control Panel”, “Hardware and Sound”, then “Power Options”. Here we find the item “Setting up a power plan”. We look for and click on “Change advanced power settings”. From the list that appears on the screen, find the “USB Settings” item and click on the plus sign opposite. You will see the “Option to temporarily disable the USB port” and also click on the plus sign located next to it. The “Prohibited” parameter should be set everywhere here. Set it up for everyone and click “Accept” at the bottom.

  • The phone drivers have crashed. Another equally common reason for the phone not being detected by the computer is a problem with the drivers. The cause may be errors, incorrect installation, and so on. The problem is solved by a simple reinstallation.

You need to go to “Device Manager” (can be found through the search bar). Here, all devices that are connected to your computer are listed by subsection. You need to make sure that there is no exclamation mark next to the “Portable Devices” section. If the symbol appears and your device is indicated in the item, then:

  1. right-click on the phone name;
  2. select “Properties”;
  3. go to the “Driver” tab;
  4. At the very bottom, click the “Remove device” button;
  5. we agree with the warning;
  6. disconnect and reconnect the phone to the computer;
  7. We wait until the system reinstalls the driver.

It would be a good idea to visit the website of the mobile device manufacturer, where you can always download the latest drivers for your phone. Some even provide special programs, which help synchronize your PC with your phone and regularly update the driver automatically.

  • Requires update KB3010081 (KB3099229). Some operating versions Windows systems 10 require installation of update KB3010081 for Windows player Media Player. It is directly responsible for the normal operation of the Media Transfer Protocol service, which is activated upon connection.

You can find and download updates on the official websiteWindows . It is distributed free of charge. After installation, do not forget to reboot the system so that the changes work stably.

More problems when connecting your phone to a computer via USB
"Curve" build of Windows

Unofficial Windows, and even poorly assembled, often causes a variety of errors, including problems with connecting the phone. The only solution is to reinstall the system on a personal computer - yes, a tedious and difficult task for many.

Custom firmware with a lot of errors

Many owners of smartphones running Android OS prefer custom firmware from third-party developers. These firmwares bring a lot of useful features, but are often accompanied by an abundance of errors. Custom firmware can also cause problems connecting the phone to a computer via USB.

The solution may be to reinstall or roll back to the stock (native) firmware of the smartphone. Often other users find the cause of the problem in the firmware and share the solution on thematic forums.

Unknown problems and errors

It often happens that the cause of the problem is simply impossible to find. In this case, you have to resort to radical methods:

  • Reset your phone to factory settings. A feature found on most phones and smartphones that restores the device to factory settings. As a result, the process may remove or reset the cause of the problem.

The reset process directly depends on the model of your mobile phone. The required item must be found in the device settings. Save important files in advance, otherwise they will be permanently deleted.

  • Troubleshooting adapter problems using Safe ModeWindows . The developers of the operating system foresaw various problems that a user might encounter while using a personal computer, and therefore provided special tools to combat them. So:
  1. restart your computer;
  2. while turning on, hold down the F key;
  3. a window with various settings will appear (navigation is carried out using the arrows on the keyboard);
  4. go to the additional settings section, where using the “Enter" key select the item " Safe mode with adapter loading."

The system will automatically find all problems with connected devices and try to fix them.

  • Contact the service center. If you have tried all the methods, but none of them helped, then you may need to seek professional help. Employees service center, as a rule, solve most problems and also indicate the cause of their occurrence. True, you will have to pay for it.
Bottom line

As you can see, problems with connecting your phone to a computer can be both software and hardware in nature, and there are a great many reasons for their occurrence. Be that as it may, we are sure that most of those who read today will help. The main thing is not to despair.

Carefully check the cable for damage, restart the devices and, most likely, your problem will be successfully resolved. You should not immediately resort to radical methods, such as reinstalling the operating system or resetting the phone to factory settings. You risk losing personal information and time, and the reason will be a damaged cable. Good luck!



Some users, trying to connect a smartphone to a PC, do not understand why the phone does not see the computer via USB. In this case, the mobile device is charging, but there is no access to the device. There are various reasons why problems of this kind may arise. Sometimes a simple reboot of both devices can help.

Reasons why the PC does not see the smartphone

Let's consider the most common reasons, due to which the computer does not see the Android smartphone via USB.

  • The USB cable is damaged. If the owner of the device uses a cable from little-known manufacturers, it quickly becomes unusable, since it has a small margin of safety. This prevents the PC from recognizing the smartphone. Even cables from reliable manufacturers can be damaged if handled carelessly. For example, it can become easy prey for pets that have the unpleasant habit of chewing wires. If this happens, you need to purchase a new cord.
  • The computer does not see the Android phone via USB if the port itself is damaged, which does not work due to mechanical influences, a malfunction of the controller or elements motherboard. Then you need to use a different port.

  • The Lenovo smartphone socket through which the connection is made is damaged. It may also be faulty due to careless use. If so, it should be replaced.
  • Sometimes, if the phone does not see the computer via USB, this procedure helps: you literally need to take out its battery for 5-10 seconds. After which it should be put back in place and another attempt should be made to connect to the personal computer.

Software damage

None of the previous methods worked and the smartphone still won’t connect to the computer via a USB cable, you need to carefully follow the basic steps:

  • On your mobile device, go to: “Settings” → “Memory” → “USB connection”. Check the box next to USB. Remove it if there is an inscription in the line opposite that the drive is used as a modem.

  • Make sure that the WindowsUpdate service is enabled on the device, which is necessary to download drivers for it. You should connect your phone to your computer by unlocking it prematurely.
  • The laptop does not see the phone via USB as a result of the drivers being removed from the port. To fix the problem, you need to install them from a special “native” disk or download new ones, which can be found on the manufacturer’s website.
  • Some ports do not have power turned on. To correct this situation, you need to take the following steps: find the power supply in the computer, go through start, go to the control panel and find sound and equipment there.

After this, you need to find the power plan, click on the line with the inscription that allows you to make changes to the USB parameters. Click on the “+” icon opposite it. It should also be placed next to a sign that allows the user to temporarily disable the port. Next, make a change about the ban, and then click “OK”.

The phone does not see the PC via USB due to the lack of the necessary driver on the computer. Usually this does not happen if the device has a modern OS. You can fix the problem via the Internet by downloading drivers for a specific smartphone model. The reason may be trivial viruses that block access of the mobile device to the PC. In this case, you need to use an antivirus program and clean your PC. Now knowing why the computer does not see the phone via USB, the user can easily eliminate the reason. If you can’t do it yourself, professionals can help with this

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One of the main reasons why the computer may not see the phone via USB is a problem with the corresponding port on the computer or laptop. Often, due to various problems within the operating system, ports for connecting external devices refuse to work at one time or another. Before attempting to eliminate this, it is important to rule out other possible reasons breakdowns.

Sometimes the situation is the opposite: the problem comes from the USB cable connector on the phone. This is often the case with cheap devices, as well as phones that are handled carelessly. In some cases, it also happens that problems with a mobile device cause a system crash on the computer, which completely eliminates any possibility of identifying the phone.

Further, you should not exclude the possibility of a broken USB cable, which may simply become unusable over time. Additionally, if your computer does not recognize the device you are connecting to, you may need to install special drivers and programs without which the connection does not occur. These are all the main reasons why the ability to exchange data between two gadgets is lost.

What to do if the computer does not see the phone via USB

Having found out why the computer does not see the phone via USB, you should begin to solve the problem. In the first of the previously described situations, disconnect the cable from the connector on the computer. Restart your computer and try connecting the device again. Please note that there are usually several USB connectors, so you should try to check that all of them are working. Also check for any accumulation of dust and dirt in the connectors, which could affect the quality of the connection. They need to be periodically cleaned and purged.

If you hear a signal when you connect the USB cable to your computer, but nothing happens after that, this is probably the second possible situation. Unplug your phone and restart it (turn it off and on again). Additionally, you can restart the computer itself. Reconnect and check if the problem is now resolved. Please note that when connecting your phone for the first time, you will need to wait a few minutes as necessary system services may be installed and configured.

If the computer still does not see the phone via USB, carefully study the included mobile device instructions or read it on the Internet. You may need to download special programs and drivers from the manufacturer's website or from the included CD. For example, to exchange data with iPhone and iPad devices, the iTunes application, etc. is required. To download the necessary services via the Internet, open the “Device Manager” on your computer from the Control Panel, click on the unknown device with a yellow icon and search for drivers.

If, after all of the above, the computer does not begin to detect the phone, the USB cable is most likely damaged. Try replacing it with a new one or simply show your phone to a local service technician to get the best recommendations for your case and repair the device.

It's no secret that Samsung Galaxy there is a connector for microSD cards to increase memory capacity. However, some users still additionally transfer images, music and videos to their computer or laptop. But what to do if the computer does not see the Samsung Galaxy via USB?

Firstly, to recognize a smartphone like the Galaxy S, your computer needs all the necessary drivers. Usually, when a device is connected to a computer, it will immediately find it, but if the necessary drivers are not installed, this may not happen.

Drivers are special programs that help establish interaction between the phone and the computer. Most often they can be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website. If your computer does not recognize your Galaxy S7, immediately head to the Samsung website and download drivers. Here is the link for Galaxy S7/Edge. Mac owners will have to install in order for your Mac to communicate with your phone.

There is an alternative: you can simply download and install the program on your computer, thus making file sharing easier. It comes with all the necessary drivers, so after installation you can rest assured that the computer will recognize your device and file sharing will no longer be a problem.

Those Windows users who have just installed drivers for Samsung may find themselves having to uninstall the device before it is detected. You need to follow these steps:

  1. Hold the button Windows and press R to call the command "Run."
  2. Type “ devmgmt. msc" and press " Enter“.
  3. Select “ Other devices" or " Portable devices”.
  4. If the list contains “ SAMSUNG_ Android" or " Unknown device” with a yellow icon (!), right-click and select “ Uninstall “.
  5. Right-click on the window " device Manager" and select " Scan for hardware changes“.

In principle, after installing the necessary drivers or programs, everything should work. But if the problem is not that the device is not recognized by the computer, you need to look for another method.

More details in the video:

So, what to do if you have installed the drivers, but the computer still does not see the Samsung Galaxy?

Firstly, “does not see” is not the same as “does not recognize”. Therefore, we always ask readers to describe the problem as accurately as possible in order to provide the most appropriate solution. Here, for example, is one of the “confusing” messages on this topic...

“I can no longer transfer photos to my computer because it doesn’t recognize the device. I don’t know what I did or didn’t do, but before that the computer immediately recognized the phone and I immediately dumped files and photos. And now he just doesn’t see him. I connect the phone, but it doesn’t see it. Youyou canhelpto me

You see, first our reader uses the term “recognize”, and then writes that “the computer does not see it,” that is, the computer “does not detect” the connected device. In this case, you should try to correct the fact that the computer does not see the Samsung phone. What I can recommend is to change the USB connection. And here's how...

Why doesn't the computer see Samsung Galaxy via USB?

If the computer does not see the Samsung Galaxy when connected using the included USB cable, then you will have to troubleshoot problems in the computer itself. If you know that other computers can see the phone, the problem may be with the USB port.

If this is not the problem, then the problem may be with the cable or the port for charging the phone has become loose. Taking all this into account, here are a few steps to help fix this problem:

Step 1: Connect your phone to other USB ports on your computer

Simply connect your phone to your computer with a charging or data cable. If your phone remains invisible, try connecting it to a different port. Try one port at a time to see if this is the problem.

Step 2: Restart your computer if no USB ports work

There is also a chance that your computer has system problems that are preventing it from detecting connected devices. While we don't know for sure whether this is a problem, it's worth restarting your computer and seeing if it works. If the problem remains after a reboot, it means that something is wrong not with the computer, but with the cable or phone.

Still, I advise you to try other devices, such as a flash drive that connects via a USB port. If the computer sees all devices except the phone, proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Make sure the USB cable is not damaged

By inspecting the cable, you can check for visible damage. If you don't see any, try charging your phone with it. Inside the cable there are wires responsible for both charging and data transfer.

By charging your phone with it, you can understand whether it works or not. If there is damage, the phone may not charge, especially if some wire has come loose.

Another way to check is to use a different cable. If the phone works with it, then the original cable is simply broken. If this is really the problem, then you need to replace the old cable with a working one.

Step 4: Make sure to connect the device as "storage device"

This is very important since phones are mostly connected to a computer to recharge. If so, then the computer may not see it, since data transfer is temporarily unavailable. Go to notifications and see if there is a selection icon for USB. If yes, then consider the problem already solved.

All you need to do is click on it and select “Data storage device”. If this is the first connection, then installing the drivers will take some time. But if you don’t have such an icon, try this:

  1. Disconnect USB from Samsung.
  2. Turn off your phone.
  3. Wait 20 seconds.
  4. Turn it on.
  5. Connect the cable again.
  6. Check to see if the options icon appears.

If it's not there, go to the next step.

Step 5: Check the charger socket

At a minimum, you need two cables to figure out if there is a problem with it. If your computer still doesn't see Samsung, it's time to check the charger port.

The connection may not be able to be established, or some debris, fiber, or dust may have gotten into the connector. A stream of compressed air will help get rid of the latter, but if the connection is loosened, you need to move on.


If the contacts of the charging socket are in order and there is no dirt, connect the cable and check if the contact has come loose. If the cable fits in properly and the connection is not interrupted when it moves, then everything is fine.

Otherwise, you will have to purchase a cable that fits perfectly under the port. If a new cable does not help, then your device has much more serious problems.

Step 3: Reset your phone if the problem persists after installing KIES or Smart Switch

The second step is aimed at solving the problem with the drivers, but if this does not help, you need to back up all files and information and reset the settings to a working state.

  1. Turn off your Samsung Galaxy.
  2. Press and hold the Home, Volume Up, and Power buttons
  3. When Samsung Galaxy appears on the screen, release "Power" but continue to hold the remaining two.
  4. When will it appear Android logo, release all buttons and wait 30-60 seconds.
  5. Using the Volume Down button, toggle between options and select 'wipe data / factory reset.'
  6. Click "Power" to confirm.
  7. Then select ‘Yes - delete all user data’ using Volume Down and confirm by pressing Power.
  8. Wait until the process is completed. Then select ‘Reboot system now’ and click “Power”.
  9. The phone will take a little longer to reboot than usual.

If after this the problem is not solved, the help of a specialist is required. I hope this instruction will help you in one way or another. If you feel you need further assistance, please contact us.