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Why the pc doesn't recognize the phone. Why the computer does not see the Micro SD memory card

The problem for which many smartphone users with completely different operating systems arise.

In this article, we will, if possible, reveal all the possible and most common causes of this problem, and also help to give necessary advice to eliminate them.

Why the computer does not see the phone via USB, but is charging

After connecting the smartphone to the PC, you expect that a notification window should pop up in front of you, requesting or already confirming the connection of the smartphone to the computer.

If nothing like this is observed, but only automatic battery charging has turned on, then you need to proceed as follows:

  1. A PC system unit or a laptop can have from 3 to 10 USB connectors. Some of them are designed for a mouse, keyboard, modem, flash memory cards and other devices. Quite often, the USB connectors on the front panels do not support mobile devices. Try to plug the cable into another USB input, preferably black (USB0), as it is designed to work with gadgets.
  2. If you have other universal cords at home, then try using them. It is possible that the problem lies in the problem USB cable.
  3. The problem may be related to the socket itself mobile device... If it is too loose or moisture has entered it, malfunctions may occur. Try plugging your phone into a power outlet. If the charge goes, then the problem is not in the socket.
  4. Just in case, connect your smartphone to another PC. Perhaps due to a recent reinstallation of Windows, the settings were lost, or some drivers were not installed. It's unlikely, but one in a million happens.

Ask yourself, do flash drives connect to your computer? If not, then check its settings manually. To do this, go to Control Panel => Troubleshoot => Configure Devices. This is an automatic troubleshooting.

If this method did not help, then try turning off the power saving mode in the Generic USB Hub.

Be sure to check your gadget's default settings. If, however, the charging-only mode is marked, then it is natural that the computer does not see the phone via USB.

You can mark absolutely all the items, except for MIDI, because no one practically uses it anymore.

Why the computer does not see the Android phone via USB and charges

When a problem arises, it is worth analyzing whether your computer always detected the phone, or did it just happen now? The phone has ceased to be visible via USB by itself, or after certain manipulations?

Every day more and more smartphones come out in which the upgraded software is installed. If you are the owner of an old PC by today's standards, then, most likely, the phone is not visible due to the lack of certain plugins. Try installing MTP - Media Transfer Pritocol.

The new generation of Samsung, starting with the model Samsung Galaxy S3 may require this program to be installed. If, on the contrary, your PC is more modern and your phone is not the latest model, it is most likely worth updating the Android version.

Now let's consider the situation when the computer does not see smartphones Windows phone 8.1 and the new Windows phone 10. Remember that smartphones with Android and Windows phone operating systems that have a pattern or digital lock key must be unlocked when connected to a PC, only then will you gain access to all folders.

When connected to a PC, check if a notification appears or the USB icon is displayed. If you don't see any signs on the smartphone screen, open the connection settings, it will describe in detail what kind of device your smartphone is connected to (like a camera, like a memory card, or like a full-fledged gadget).

Windows phones have so many connection modes, so it's always worth checking which one is selected before panicking. The best option- MTP mode, which allows the exchange of all files.

Also, the computer does not see the Android phone via USB, but it charges, in cases where the drivers on the computer are outdated, or they do not fit your phone model. This problem is common for newer phones whose brand names are relatively new to the market.

If you scan the Internet, you can see that the owners of the brand new Xiomi Redmi note3 often face similar situations.

In such cases, you should proceed as follows:


Iphone owners experience great inconvenience when connecting their smartphones to a PC. The IOS operating system is quite complex and specific. If it so happens that when you connect an Iphone or Ipad to a PC, the device is not displayed, then you should try the following methods:

  1. Try to force restart your system. And by doing this without turning off and then turning on the phone, but simultaneously holding down the "Home" button and the lock button. If the PC and smartphone are working properly, this should work.
  2. One common problem is the USB cable itself. It often happens that you have to use a non-original lace. If a cheap low-quality cable was purchased, then the whole point is in it, it simply does not display an external device and is only able to charge the battery.
  3. Your computer may not have had an updated version of iTunes for a long time. Uninstall the existing program and install a new one from the official site.
  4. Many people think that the whole thing is in the firmware, but this is not the case. Do not write off to update the iOS version. If the phone does not glitch, you are not thrown out of the programs, then try resetting geolocation in the settings. This should help.
  5. You may need to update the firmware only if it is broken. The world famous Cidia application, which allows you to install paid content for free, is often the reason for the incompatibility of a smartphone with a PC. At first, this is indicated by the inability to import certain files, and soon the PC stops seeing the phone. By updating the firmware, you uninstall this application and everything should work again.

Note! If, for some reason, you cannot use the standard data exchange using USB, do not get upset, because you can exchange between devices in other ways:

  • Synchronization using virtual storage.
  • Wireless exchange programs - AirDroid.

Sometimes you need to connect Android to your Windows computer to transfer certain files. Sometimes problems arise, and the computer does not see the phone via USB, it charges, but does not provide the ability to move files.

We propose to consider in general terms possible options and then discuss all the solutions to the problems.

Reasons why the computer does not see the phone via USB

This may be due to a software incompatibility or technical issue. From time to time, the cable is damaged, contacts in the smartphone break. In the first case, you need to try another cord, and in the second, contact the service center to replace the connector. A broken port on the computer can also be causing the problem, so switch the wire to a different socket to fix the problem. These are the most common hardware failures.

It is more difficult with software errors, since there are a lot of reasons for failures. These may be missing or outdated drivers, incorrect connection modes (when the computer charges the smart, but blocks the transposition of documentation into folders) and other incompatibilities, which we will discuss in detail below.

What if the computer cannot see the phone?

Listed below are all the methods that can help you solve the cable connection problem.

Check your USB connection settings

The method will help if charging is in progress during pairing, but the information cannot be reset. To transfer documents, you need to connect Android as a media device (MTP). To do this, follow these steps.

Attention!In some cases, you may have to connect your phone to your computer and switch between different options several times before the desktop recognizes your device as multimedia.

If you have older versions of Android, try this.


Connect the device to your computer, it should be recognized.

Install USB MTP driver

It happens that the smartphone is not displayed due to driver problems, so try updating it.


Once the driver is installed, the PC should recognize Android phone... You may need to restart your computer for the update to take effect.

Download and Install Media Feature Pack for Windows 10

We already mentioned that you need to use the MTP protocol to transfer content. It is bundled with Windows Media Player, and some versions of Windows 10 lack Windows Media Player and support for related technologies. If your Windows 10 version doesn't recognize Android, download and install the Media Feature Pack from Microsoft's official website.

Use the supplied USB cable

Uninstall Android Drivers

Sometimes the system does not have the latest drivers or they are not installed correctly. We recommend that you remove them and reinstall them.

It remains to check if the method worked.

Activate USB Debugging

From time to time, a connected gadget is recognized when USB debugging is active. If you are using Android 4.2 or newer, this feature may be hidden. To enable it, follow the steps below.

  1. Go to Settings - About Phone.
  2. 7 times click on "Build number".
  3. Go back.
  4. Open "Settings - For Developers".
  5. There, scroll down and activate "USB Debugging".

Sometimes it is already on, in which case it should be turned off.

Turn on airplane mode

If Windows has stopped seeing your phone, start airplane mode through the quick settings panel in the shutter or by going to the "Settings - More" path. Often the machine is then recognized by the PC. This is an easy way, so feel free to try it out.

Reboot your phone in Recovery or Fastboot mode

Read about how to enter it in our other article, where we described the process for each manufacturer. After you get into Fastboot or recovery mode, connect your smartphone to the PC, wait until the necessary components are installed. After that, a conductor should open in front of you with a proposal on what to do with the connected device. When done, restart your Android.

Install KIES from Samsung

If the Samsung gadget is not recognized by Windows, download the KIES software from the manufacturer's official website and install it on your computer. With it, you can definitely connect your smartphone.

Use USB 2.0 ports

Try switching the cable from USB 3.0 to USB 2.0. Users reported that it worked sometimes for them.

Reinstall ADB

Windows occasionally does not recognize the smartphone due to problems with the Android Composite ADB interface, so you should reinstall it.


This solution works with Android 5.0 and newer OS, but it may also be compatible with older ones. Android versions... Users have reported that it is not always worth downloading the YUSB driver from Google, and often the problem is solved simply by following the first four steps.

Reboot your Android device

At times, this simple solution is the most effective. People have repeatedly reported that after restarting the phone, the computer recognized the mobile phone without any problems.

Connect your phone directly to your computer

Some USB devices may not be recognized if you connect them to a USB hub or extension cable. So if you are using a USB hub, disconnect it and connect your Android directly to your PC to fix the problem.

Clear cache and data for external system storage and storage systems

This solution works on Android 6 and up. But if you have an older system, try this anyway.


After deleting the cache and data, restart the gadget and reconnect it to your computer.

Sync Android to PC using a third-party app

This does not guarantee 100% performance, but it often helps. Just install the sync app from Play Market which will help the computer recognize. Try, for example, Mobile Go for connecting and transferring data from Android and iOS to PC.

There are many reasons why a computer cannot see an Android phone. We hope these solutions are helpful to you and solve your problems.

There are times when the computer does not want to "see" the android connected via usb. Do not despair, there are several options that will help your laptop see the light!

These methods are suitable for phones such as Android, since they are this moment, the most common gadgets, but the same methods will help to cope with the problems that have arisen with other devices and their OS, for example, with a tablet.

So why can't the computer see the phone through usb android only charging?

First, remember: Has this always been the case or has the computer seen the android before? The gadget is not visible after some actions have been performed on it, have programs or antivirus changed on the laptop? Nobody did anything with the devices and this is where such a problem surfaced?

Old model android

Having understood what the situation is, you can begin to solve the problem. So, purchased new android and his laptop on Windows XP sees, while the phone of the old model, for example, connects to the computer easily, like a flash card. You can start by updating the OS to the version that the android will support. Or you can immediately install an MTP (driver for android) on a new device that works with Windows XP.

You can download the MTP from their official website, then install it, then restart the device and after that, the android will be seen by the computer.

Now you can think of a different situation. Why does the computer not see the phone via usb android only charging? For example, the computer does not see the phone in Windows 7, as well as in the 8th and 10th versions. The steps below are suitable for Androd phones 4 and 5.

  1. First, you need to unlock the connected tablet or phone to the computer, which were locked with a password or pattern, and only then, you will be able to see the folders on the monitor and files.
  2. Next, you need to make sure that the smartphone is connected via usb and there is a message about this - "connected", and this does not mean only recharging. You will be able to see such a message either by opening the notifications tab in the android, or by a special icon - USB, where it will be written that the phone is connected and as what device. And this can be an RTR - Camera, or a device for storing data, maybe a usb modem. If you do not see any notification, then you can click on the notification that says that in this case a modem is used and turn it off, or do so - click "Settings", then "Wireless network" and then click "More".

If the question is asked again, why does the computer not see the phone via usb android only charging? This means that it will be visible as a connected camera. You should click on the notification that says this and turn off the MTP mode so that you can transfer files.

If android old version, then there are many times more modes for connecting usb, and the most popular is Data Warehouse. You can switch to this mode if you press the message itself, talking about the connected usb, and then find the mode of interest.

The phone is charging all the time, when connected ...

We try to do the following, such methods ...

  • Try to connect to usb 2.0, not blue, available on the back panel. If this is a laptop, then we are looking for - usb 2.0, not paying attention to the color.
  • Look, or ask your friends, maybe they will borrow some other usb cables, maybe you have a faulty cord in your hands, and others will succeed!
  • The source of the problem may lie in the faulty socket of the smartphone. Maybe it was already being repaired, maybe moisture got in. And in this case, you need to carry the android for repair.
  • It is worth checking the possibility of connecting a smartphone to another laptop, computer, tablet. Perhaps the socket on the laptop is defective? But, this is in the event that on another device, everything worked.

And here it is worth considering, have you ever connected a flash card to this "faulty" computer?

If you have never connected a flash drive to a laptop, then you can do this:

Go to " Control Panel"(Do all steps on the computer where the cable with the phone did not work), then -" Troubleshooting", Further - " Setting up the device”And the problem should evaporate automatically.

Nothing came of it, everything is still. We do this!

We try to go to the tab “ Device Manager”, And then turn off the energy saving. If all else fails, even on other computers, then the problem is: badly, hastily, androde settings were checked; faulty cord; carry your smartphone for repair.

There are several more methods that should help in solving the question - Why does the computer not see the phone via usb android only charging? Trying them ...

If in your hands latest version android, then it is connected to the computer, usb-cable, but only at the time of recharging. In the notifications, you can check whether other modes are available for usb operation, if you have encountered such a model, then you should do this: select the item " USB charging", Well, or try other options.

If, after all the tried methods, it became clear that the reason lies in a problem, say, the cable itself is faulty, or the computer socket is broken, or something else ... The only advice is not to do anything on your own, especially if you have not previously dealt technology.

There is another option. All necessary important files can be transferred from the phone, or to the phone by selecting the following:

  1. Synchronization by choosing one of the cloud storages, for example, OneDrive, or Google Drive, Yandex Disk or Dropbox.
  2. You can try using the following programs, that is, choose one of your favorites. For example, AirDroid. The program is very convenient, simple, understandable to every novice user!
  3. If you create an FTP server on your gadget, or connect it like a network drive in Windows, you can send any files.

But, in any case, whichever method is chosen, it must be tried, but you must also choose the method that you know about, otherwise, both the phone and the laptop can be filled with "garbage" and then a complete reset will be required all settings.

Good day to all! I propose to discuss what to do if the computer does not see the memory card.

Once the son of a friend took his father's flash drive, connected it to a PC, but it could not be read. The teenager did not come up with better solution than formatting the media. The accessory contained important documents. It's good that only copies. In order not to find yourself in such a situation, read what to do when the computer does not see the sd card in this article.

A memory card is connected to a stationary computer through a card reader. The lack of contact between the PC and the flash drive is sometimes explained by a damaged USB or socket.

It is easy to check this assumption: try connecting the media via another cable (if any) or to any device: tablet / laptop.

Also test the jack with another accessory. If both the hole and the adapter are in order, move on.

Problem and solution: identical letters

It happens that the name of the memory card and hard disk denoted by the same Latin letter, for example, F. This is common reason why the computer does not see the removable media.

You can do two things:

  • To see the flash drive, go not to My Computer, but to the Disk Control Panel. In Windows version 7/8, you need to press Win + R, and then enter diskmgmt.msc in the drop-down line. For the "eight" just press Win + X and select "disk management". After that, a window will appear on the monitor displaying all connected devices.
  • Now you need to change the name of the memory card, permanently solving the problem of recognizing the accessory. Click on it right click and select "Change the name or path to the drive."

These tips are relevant for a new PC or flash drive. If a computer that has been in use for a long time suddenly stopped seeing an already familiar drive, most likely the case is in a cunning virus and you need to contact a professional.

Problem: Incompatible Standards

There are many types of memory cards: micro SD, mini SD, SD, xD, MMC, etc. They differ not only in the form factor, but also in the way of reading. Externally, a flash drive may ideally fit the card reader slot, but this does not mean that he will see its contents.

You can understand why the PC does not read the memory card by carefully studying the adapter's instructions. If only the SD standard is specified in its specifications, this means that it will not accept SDHC, although they are the same in size and have the same contacts. The obstacle lies in the addressing mechanism: for SD it is byte-by-byte, while for SDHC it is sector-by-sector.

Most consumers prefer 2-in-1 accessories using SD / MMC adapter. I agree, it's cheap, although not always convenient. Often, when connecting a flash drive of a larger form factor, the contacts are broken and can be significantly damaged. My friend forcibly shoved the card from the camera into the wrong conductor, which is absolutely impossible to do. Do not repeat these mistakes and use compatible card readers.

It's about the drivers

Often when the computer reads incorrectly microSd cards the user does not know what to do and simply formats the medium. You shouldn't rush - a flash drive can store very important information (I recommend using media for backup, not the main storage). Plus, it doesn't always help.

For example, the computer does not see the tablet's memory card (and the iPad itself recognizes it perfectly) - this may indicate outdated drivers or the absence of them. You need to install the drivers from the disk that came with your PC.

If you reinstalled Windows and the disk is formatted, just search in Google for the program for your operating system - better on the official website, where there is a detailed step-by-step instruction on installation.

Problem: BIOS settings

When using this program, there are constant hiccups when reading removable media. But if you like the BIOS and don't want to abandon it, just adjust the settings.

  1. Check if the current version is installed. If it is outdated, update the BIOS.
  2. Make sure the usb controller is ok. Its ports must be enabled and, most importantly, work in version 2.0. The main difference between USB versions is in the level of power supply, in 1.0 it is much lower, which interferes with reading modern maps SDHC standard.

If with cable and software everything is in order, but the memory card is still unreadable, try inserting it into a laptop (there is usually a built-in card reader) of a compatible standard.

Problem: the PC does not see the smartphone

It often happens that when the phone is connected to the computer, the latter performs only the function of a charger, but does not see the memory card.

There may be several reasons:

  • Outdated Windows (XP is not suitable for new Androids, try installing "seven").
  • Set pattern key to protect files on your phone - just enter it when you open a section.
  • The smartphone is connected as another device: for example, as a wifi router or usb modem. Disable this option and you will see the memory card.
  • When connecting an android phone as a camera, the computer may not see the memory card if the file transfer mode is not enabled.

Armed with the knowledge, you can be sure to keep your PC reading problems to a minimum. See you in the vastness of my blog!

Topic - what to do if the tablet does not see the memory card.

If you want to stay informed, I am in instagram, where I post new articles that appear on the site.

Thank you for your attention! Best regards, Rostislav Kuzmin.

Just a few years ago, connecting a mobile phone to a computer presented a whole problem: it required choosing required cable, install a support program from a mobile phone manufacturer, understand the complex menu hierarchy. Now all this is remembered as nightmare, and even the "greenest" beginner can connect two devices. This became possible thanks to the development of this area in line with the requirements of the USB computer standard. Theoretically, for the system to "see" the internal storage media in the smartphone, it is enough just to connect the plug to the corresponding connector. However, even this approach did not completely solve the problem when the computer does not see the Android phone, which users continue to encounter from time to time. Fortunately, such difficulties are often easily overcome, in just a couple of minutes. Today we will consider the reasons why the computer does not see the phone via USB, as well as give recommendations on how to eliminate them.

Communication options

The owner of a smartphone has two ways to organize communication between a mobile device and a computer: via wireless Bluetooth and Wi-Fi networks, or using a regular USB cable. The first is more modern, technologically advanced and flexible in setting, but in terms of reliability it is inferior to the classic wired one. It is advisable to use a connection via radio waves only if it is impossible to connect with a cord.

Quality of conductors

Externally, the aforementioned wire is a cable with a thickness of about 3 mm, on one side of which there is a standard computer universal serial bus plug, and on the other, a corresponding micro-USB plug that is inserted into the connector of a smartphone. One of the reasons why the computer does not see the phone memory is the use of a poor quality cable. Now the market is flooded with cheap products from little-known Chinese manufacturers, including USB cables. It is not known whether such a product will function properly. The fact is that inside the cable there are several thin wires, through which data is exchanged between connected devices. Copper conductors must be of a certain section (thickness) and comply with the requirements of the standard. Otherwise, it is quite possible to encounter problems such as internal kinks of conductive conductors or overestimated resistance. And, what is important, it is impossible to determine the quality by a simple external examination.

Thus, using cheap cords, one should not ask the question of why the computer cannot see the phone. Our advice is simple: whenever possible, you need to connect the devices with the cable that comes with your mobile phone. The exception is smartphones of initially poor quality, in which the USB cable is extremely poor and requires replacement.

Wrong cable

A standard USB cable contains four wires for power and signal transmission. However, some devices get by with only two. A prime example are common PowerBank. The USB cable that comes with them uses only the wires for power, and the signal wires are simply absent. Outwardly, it is impossible to determine the difference. If, when the phone is connected to the port, charging is in progress, but the internal storage cannot be turned on, then the reason is the “wrong” cable.

Ohm's laws have not been canceled

It is known from the physics course that with an increase in the length of the conductor (with the constancy of other characteristics), the resistance of the circuit increases proportionally. This leads to the fact that the voltage values ​​at the source (USB port of the system unit) and the consumer (smartphone) are different. As long as the line length is short, this fact has no effect on the transmission of electrical signals. However, with its increase, significant losses begin to arise. And since the power of the universal bus controller is small (500 mA for the 2.0 standard, and 900 mA for the third version), the resistance can have a huge impact on the data transfer process. Hence, trying to use longer patch cords results in the computer not seeing the phone via USB. Therefore, if the above problem occurs, we recommend replacing the cable with a shorter one.

Transient resistance

If the computer does not see the YUSB phone, and the quality of the cable meets the requirements, then the problem may lie in the wear of the contacts of the plugs and / or connectors. Taking a close look at the inside of the USB plug (from both the micro and the standard side), you can see a comb of copper sliding contacts. They are bent in such a way as to provide a secure hold to the strip of contact pads inside the computer and phone connectors. But since no springs are used, over time, the bending arc decreases, and the contact is broken, provoking an increase in resistance at the point of contact (transition). If the computer does not see the USB phone, but when one of the plugs on the cord is touched, the operating system starts installing drivers, then the problem is in contact. You can try to restore the bends with a needle, but it will be more reliable to simply replace the cable.

Choosing a port

Almost always, the owner of the smartphone connects his device to the computer through the connector on the front panel of the system unit. It is much more convenient than searching with back side the case is a free universal bus port, but in some cases it can lead to the fact that the computer does not see the phone via USB. This failure is explained by the fact that all communication connectors on the front panel are connected to the motherboard by means of a loop of conductors, which, like the cable, have their own resistance. We recommend that if such problems arise, try using the connectors on the back of the system unit for connection, and not on the front panel. Up to the point that during the test, remove the cord of some other device, freeing up the port (if there are no free ones). When using a laptop, this problem is irrelevant.

Internal program of the device

All modern telephones support the ability to replace a set of control and application programs - firmware. In many cases, such an operation can ultimately not only improve the performance of the smartphone, but also add new or improved standard functions. There are two types of firmware: from the manufacturer and custom, created by craftsmen. The latter, as a rule, enable the device to reveal its true potential, limited by the developers for one reason or another. At the same time, a small mistake made during the assembly of the software kit - and the computer does not see the phone via USB. Moreover, even within the framework of one model branch of smartphones, custom firmware may work normally for one user, while for another it may malfunction. The conclusion is simple: if the problems started after flashing, then everything must be returned to a stable state.

We activate access

Although the developers of the popular Android system have done everything to make it as easy as possible for the user to interact with it, some still have a question about why the computer does not see the phone. A common problem is the banal ignorance of newcomers of the necessary order of further actions that follow the connection of the smartphone cable and the port of the system unit. So, having connected the cord, you need to slide your finger from top to bottom on the luminous touch screen of the mobile phone, which will lead to the appearance of a control window - the so-called curtain. If the connection is correct and there are no hardware problems, then the screen should display the words "Connected in charging mode". When you click on this line, options for actions that the phone can perform are opened. To provide access to the flash drive and internal memory, it is necessary to check the box "Enable storage device".

If your computer can't see your Samsung phone

Samsung smartphones use the storage device a little differently. In these models, after connecting the ports with a cable, you must pull down the shutter and select "USB Connection" or disk mode. In some cases, you may need to download and install Samsung Kies on your computer first. This application is completely free and is hosted on the company's website. The result of the installation is prescription in operating system drivers required to support communication with a mobile phone. Newer models work without this program, although it adds new features.