File sharing between your mobile device and your PC
Now you can seamlessly share files between your PC and mobile device when they are connected via Phone Link and the Link to Windows app.
What do I need to share files between my PC and mobile device?
-
A PC running Windows 10 (with the May 2019 update or later) or Windows 11
-
Android device running Android 9.0 or later
-
Link to Windows app version 1.24032.518.0 or later on your Android mobile device
-
Phone Link version 1.24032.156.0 or later
How to share files from your PC to your Android device?
-
Select the file you want to share on your PC
-
Right-click on the file and select “Share.”
-
Find Phone Link in the App Section of the share pop-up window
-
File sharing will start on your mobile device connected to Phone Link .
-
Ensure Windows notifications for Phone Link are enabled to monitor the file sharing process in real-time.
-
A Windows notification will appear once the file has been shared to your mobile device.
Receiving files on your mobile device:
-
A notification from Link to Windows will be shown on your mobile device.
-
Clicking the notification will open the default file manager app to view the received file.
-
All received files will be stored under “Downloads” -> “Sent from your PC.”
Note: Only locally saved files can be shared between devices. When sharing files stored in the cloud, only links to the cloud locations will be shared.
How to share files from your Android device to your PC?
-
Select the file you want to share.
-
Tap the “Share” button.
-
Find Link to Windows – Send to PC in the app section of the system Share Drawer.
-
Enter the device list page and click on the connected device to start sharing.
-
The sharing progress will be shown; please do not leave the page until it completes.
-
The status will be updated to “Sent” once the sharing is completed.
Receiving files on your PC:
-
A notification of Phone Link will be shown on your PC.
-
Click the action button on the notification to open the file or the folder where the file is stored.
-
All file received on your PC will be stored under “Downloads\Phone Link”
-
You can change the default storage directory in Phone Link > Settings.
Cross-device copy and paste (for Surface Duo and select Samsung and HONOR and OPPO and ASUS and vivo and Xiaomi devices)
Let emailing yourself photos and files be a thing of the past — now you can just copy and paste or drag and drop content between your Android device and your PC.
You can copy and paste content using the same shortcuts you normally use on your Android device and PC.
Before using cross-device copy and paste for the first time, you'll need to make sure the feature is turned on. Open the Phone Link on your PC, go to Settings > Features > Cross-device copy and paste, and make sure the toggle is On for Allow this app to access and transfer content I copy and paste between my phone and PC.
Which devices support cross-device copy and paste?
Cross-device copy and paste is supported on Surface Duo and Android devices that are running One UI version 2.1 or above or select HONOR devices (1.22036.14.0 or later) or OPPO devices (1.23093.0 or later) or select ASUS or select vivo devices. On your Android device, go to Settings > About > Software Information. A few examples of devices with this version are: Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G, Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G, Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip devices. Supported HONOR devices: HONOR Magic4 Pro and HONOR Magic6 series. Supported OPPO devices: OnePlus series, OPPO Find series, OPPO Reno series, Realme series. Supported ASUS devices: ROG Phone 8, ROG Phone 8 Pro, ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition Supported vivo device: vivo X Fold3 Pro, supported Xiaomi devices: Xiaomi 14T series.
What can I copy and paste between my Android device and PC?
It is only possible to copy text and images between your devices currently. Images above 1MB in size will be resized.
Note: You can copy content and paste it into a Secure Folder, but you can't copy and paste content from a Secure Folder onto your PC. Copying something from a Secure Folder will still replace any content you have on your PC clipboard.
Does what I copy on one device get added to the other device if I don't paste it here?
Every time you copy something on either device, what you copy will replace the clipboard content on both of your devices.
Why did my copied text lose its formatting?
The apps you may be copying from and to may have different capabilities in how they read copied text, so you may occasionally lose your formatting.
Does copying and pasting between my devices use data?
Cross-device copy and paste requires the exchange of data between your PC and Android device. If you’ve allowed your devices to sync over mobile data, and you’re not connected to a Wi-Fi network, then copy and paste will use data. If this setting is turned off, you’ll only be able to copy and paste when both your Android device or Surface Duo and PC are connected to a Wi-Fi network. If you have the Link to Windows (pre-installed) app on your Android device, you can check this by going to Settings > Advanced Features > Link to Windows and toggle Use mobile data. On some Android devices, go to Settings > Sync over mobile data, and check to see if this is turned on.
If you have the Link to Windows (pre-installed) app on your Surface Duo, you can check this by going to Settings > Link to Windows and toggle Use mobile data.
First, make sure you have this feature turned on. On your PC:
Open the Phone Link, go to Settings > Cross-device copy and paste, and make sure the toggle is On for Allow this app to access and transfer content I copy and paste between my phone and PC. If you tried to copy a large section of text and it didn’t paste on the other device, it’s likely to have exceeded the allowable amount. Try copying and pasting smaller sections between your devices. If the feature is already turned on but you’re still unable to copy and paste content, there may be a connection issue between your Android device and PC. Try closing both the Phone Link on your PC and the Link to Windows (pre-installed) app on your Android device. Reopen both apps — your most recent messages, photos, and notifications should be visible in the Phone Link on your PC if your connection is working normally. You should now be able to successfully copy and paste your content again. As a last resort, restart your PC and try again.
Note: If you're using Microsoft Edge, make sure to update to the latest version of the Edge browser.
File drag and drop (for select Samsung, HONOR, OPPO, ASUS, vivo, and Xiaomi devices)
You can transfer content from your Android device to your PC and from your PC to your Android device. To get started, go to Apps and select Open phone screen or select the app you’d like to drag content from or into.
Note: Using touch or pen to drag and drop files is not currently supported.
If you’re using the multiple apps experience (select Samsung, HONOR, OPPO, ASUS, vivo and Xiaomi devices), you can drag and drop content from and into your mobile apps. Not all apps accept dragging and dropping content, or may not accept the file type you’re transferring. If your content can’t be transferred to the specific app you’ll get a banner notification indicating this. You can open Phone screen instead and drop the file there, it’ll be copied into the Downloads folder on your Android device and you can use it across your mobile apps from there.
Note: You can currently drag from your phone’s Gallery app or from the Samsung My Files app only.
To drag from My Files (version 11.1.00.121 or later):
-
Once you've opened Phone screen in the Phone Link, use your mouse to navigate to a folder in My Files.
-
Long press on the file until a checkmark appears, then release. If you'd like to select additional files, you can do so by tapping on them.
-
Use your mouse to long press again on the file(s) you've selected, and a thumbnail will appear. Drag the files to your desired location on your PC. The cursor will change to indicate when you're able to drop the file(s).
To drag from the Gallery app:
-
Once you've opened Phone screen in the Phone Link, use your mouse to navigate to your Albums and select one.
-
Long press on a photo until a checkmark appears, then release. If you'd like to select additional photos, you can do so by tapping on them.
-
Use your mouse to long press on the photo(s) you've selected, and a thumbnail will appear. Drag the photo(s) to your desired location on your PC. The cursor will change to say Copy when you are able to drop.
By default, content you drag from your PC to your Android device will be saved to your My Files app. Some apps, like OneDrive and Outlook, will allow you to directly drop content into them. If a file can't be dropped into the app you intended, it will be transferred to your My Files app on your Android device instead.
-
Once you've opened Phone screen in the Phone Link, use your mouse to select the file(s) you'd like to transfer and drag them to the phone screen window. The cursor will change to say Copy when you're able to drop.
-
Release the mouse and your file(s) will start transferring. A progress indicator will show for a few seconds.
When a successful file transfer is made, you can either tap the notification that appears on your Android device, navigate to the app you dropped your content into, or go to your Internal Storage > Download folder to view your files.
If you drag and drop the same file again, a duplicate copy will be transferred to your device.
If you have an app open that supports receiving files, the app will prompt you where to drop the file(s), and where they will be stored.
What are the minimum requirements to use file drag and drop?
File drag and drop requires a Samsung device running Link to Windows (pre-installed) version 1.0.52.30 or higher. Your Android device and PC must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
A cable connection between devices is not required.
What types of files can I drag and drop?
File drag and drop supports the transfer of all file types except for folders and files backed up to the cloud. You can transfer up to 100 files at a time, of any type. No single file can be larger than 512MB in size.
Can I drag and drop content into or between apps?
While you can drag content between your phone and your PC, not all apps will accept content you want to transfer. If an app doesn’t accept your content, you can try using phone screen to transfer it instead. You can’t drag and drop files between your mobile apps from your PC.
You may see a red circle when attempting to drag files — this indicates that you can't successfully drag files.
This could happen for several reasons, including:
-
There's already a drag and drop file transfer happening. Right now, you can only complete one drag and drop operation at a time.
-
The item being transferred is not supported. For example, if even just one of the items you are dragging is a folder and not a file, or you try dragging 100 files, your Android device won't allow you to start a transfer.
Note: Minimizing the Phone Link app during drag and drop will cancel the transfer process and you'll have to start over. Keep the app window open while using file drag and drop.
File sharing between your mobile device and your PC
Now you can seamlessly share files between your PC and mobile device when they are connected via Phone Link and the Link to Windows app.
What do I need to share files between my PC and mobile device?
-
A PC running Windows 10 (with the May 2019 update or later) or Windows 11
-
Android device running Android 9.0 or later
-
Link to Windows app version 1.24032.518.0 or later on your Android mobile device
-
Phone Link version 1.24032.156.0 or later
How to share files from your PC to your Android device?
-
Select the file you want to share on your PC
-
Right-click on the file and select “Share.”
-
Find Phone Link in the App Section of the share pop-up window
-
File sharing will start on your mobile device connected to Phone Link .
-
Ensure Windows notifications for Phone Link are enabled to monitor the file sharing process in real-time.
-
A Windows notification will appear once the file has been shared to your mobile device.
Receiving files on your mobile device:
-
A notification from Link to Windows will be shown on your mobile device.
-
Clicking the notification will open the default file manager app to view the received file.
-
All received files will be stored under “Downloads” -> “Sent from your PC.”
Note: Only locally saved files can be shared between devices. When sharing files stored in the cloud, only links to the cloud locations will be shared.
How to share files from your Android device to your PC?
-
Select the file you want to share.
-
Tap the “Share” button.
-
Find Link to Windows – Send to PC in the app section of the system Share Drawer.
-
Enter the device list page and click on the connected device to start sharing.
-
The sharing progress will be shown; please do not leave the page until it completes.
-
The status will be updated to “Sent” once the sharing is completed.
Receiving files on your PC:
-
A notification of Phone Link will be shown on your PC.
-
Click the action button on the notification to open the file or the folder where the file is stored.
-
All file received on your PC will be stored under “Downloads\Phone Link”
-
You can change the default storage directory in Phone Link > Settings.
Cross-device copy and paste (for Surface Duo and select Samsung and OPPO and HONOR and ASUS and vivo and Xiaomi devices)
Let emailing yourself photos and files be a thing of the past — now you can just copy and paste or drag and drop content between your Android device and your PC.
You can copy and paste content using the same shortcuts you normally use on your Android device and PC.
Before using cross-device copy and paste for the first time, you'll need to make sure the feature is turned on. Open the Phone Link on your PC, go to Settings > Features > Cross-device copy and paste, and make sure the toggle is On for Allow this app to access and transfer content I copy and paste between my phone and PC.
Which devices support cross-device copy and paste?
Cross-device copy and paste is supported on Surface Duo and Android devices that are running One UI version 2.1 or above. On your Android device, go to Settings > About > Software Information. Some examples of devices with this version are: Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G, Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G, Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip devices. Supported HONOR devices: HONOR Magic4 Pro and HONOR Magic6 series. OnePlus series, OPPO Find series, OPPO Reno series, Realme series Supported ASUS devices: ROG Phone 8, ROG Phone 8 Pro, ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition and supported vivo device: vivo X Fold3 Pro, Supported Xiaomi devices: Xiaomi 14T series
What can I copy and paste between my Android device and PC?
It is only possible to copy text and images between your devices currently. Images above 1MB in size will be resized.
Note: You can copy content and paste it into a Secure Folder, but you can't copy and paste content from a Secure Folder onto your PC. Copying something from a Secure Folder will replace any content you currently have on your PC clipboard.
Does what I copy on one device get added to the other device if I don't paste it here?
Every time you copy something on either device, what you copy will replace the clipboard content on both of your devices.
Why did my copied text lose its formatting?
The apps you may be copying from and to may have different capabilities in how they read copied text, so you may occasionally lose your formatting.
Does copying and pasting between my devices use data?
Cross-device copy and paste requires the exchange of data between your PC and Android device. If you’ve allowed your devices to sync over mobile data, and you’re not connected to a Wi-Fi network, then copy and paste will use data. If this setting is turned off, you’ll only be able to copy and paste when both your Android device or Surface Duo and PC are connected to a Wi-Fi network. If you have the Link to Windows (pre-installed) app on your Android device, you can check this by going to Settings > Advanced Features > Link to Windows and toggle Use mobile data. On some Android devices, go to Settings > Sync over mobile data and check to see if this is turned on.
If you have the Link to Windows (pre-installed) app on your Surface Duo, you can check this by going to Settings > Link to Windows and toggle Use mobile data.
First, make sure you have this feature turned on. On your PC:
Open the Phone Link, go to Settings > Cross-device copy and paste, and make sure the toggle is On for Allow this app to access and transfer content I copy and paste between my phone and PC. If you tried to copy a large section of text and it didn’t paste on the other device, it’s likely to have exceeded the allowable amount. Try copying and pasting smaller sections between your devices. If the feature is already turned on but you’re still unable to copy and paste content, there may be a connection issue between your Android device and PC. Try closing both the Phone Link on your PC and the Link to Windows (pre-installed) app on your Android device. Reopen both apps — your most recent messages, photos, and notifications should be visible in the Phone Link, on your PC if your connection is working normally. You should now be able to successfully copy and paste your content again. As a last resort, restart your PC and try again.
Note: If you're using Microsoft Edge, please make sure to update to the latest version of the Edge browser.
File drag and drop (for select Samsung and OPPO and HONOR and ASUS and Xiaomi devices)
You can transfer content from your Android device to your PC and from your PC to your Android device. To get started, go to Apps and select Open phone screen or select the app you’d like to drag content from or into.
Note: Using touch or a pen to drag and drop files is not currently supported.
If you’re using the multiple apps experience on select Samsung or HONOR or OPPO or Xiaomi devices, you can drag and drop content from and into your mobile apps. Not all apps accept dragging and dropping content, or may not accept the file type you’re transferring. If your content can’t be transferred to the specific app you’ll get a banner notification indicating this. You can open Phone screen instead and drop the file there, it’ll be copied into the Downloads folder on your Android device and you can use it across your mobile apps from there.
Note: You can currently drag from your phone’s Gallery app or from the Samsung My Files app only.
To drag from My Files (version 11.1.00.121 or later):
-
Once you've opened Phone screen in the Phone Link, use your mouse to navigate to a folder in My Files.
-
Long press on the file until a checkmark appears, then release. If you'd like to select additional files, you can do so by tapping on them.
-
Use your mouse to long press again on the file(s) you've selected, and a thumbnail will appear. Drag the files to your desired location on your PC. The cursor will change to indicate when you're able to drop the file(s).
To drag from the Gallery app:
-
Once you've opened Phone screen in the Phone Link, use your mouse to navigate to your Albums and select one.
-
Long press on a photo until a checkmark appears, then release. If you'd like to select additional photos, you can do so by tapping on them.
-
Use your mouse to long press on the photo(s) you've selected, and a thumbnail will appear. Drag the the photo(s) to your desired location on your PC. The cursor will change to say Copy when you are able to drop.
By default, content you drag from your PC to your Android device will be saved to your My Files app. Some apps, like OneDrive and Outlook, will allow you to directly drop content into them. If a file can't be dropped into the app you intended, it will be transferred to your My Files app on your Android device instead.
-
Once you've opened Phone screen in the Phone Link, use your mouse to select the file(s) you'd like to transfer and drag them to the phone screen window. The cursor will change to say Copy when you're able to drop.
-
Release the mouse and your file(s) will start transferring. A progress indicator will show for a few seconds.
When a successful file transfer is made, you can either tap the notification that appears on your Android device, navigate to the app you dropped your content into, or go to your Internal Storage > Download folder to view your files.
If you drag and drop the same file again, a duplicate copy will be transferred to your device.
If you have an app open that supports receiving files, the app will prompt you where to drop the file(s), and where they will be stored.
What are the minimum requirements to use file drag and drop?
File drag and drop requires a Samsung or OPPO or HONOR or ASUS or vivo or Xiaomi device running Link to Windows (pre-installed) version 1.0.52.30 or later. Your Android device and PC must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
A cable connection between devices is not required.
What types of files can I drag and drop?
File drag and drop supports the transfer of all file types except for folders and files backed up to the cloud. You can transfer up to 100 files at a time, of any type. No single file can be larger than 512MB in size.
Can I drag and drop content into or between apps?
While you can drag content between your phone and your PC, not all apps will accept content you want to transfer. If an app doesn’t accept your content, you can try using phone screen to transfer it instead. You can’t drag and drop files between your mobile apps from your PC.
You may see a red circle when attempting to drag files — this indicates that you can't successfully drag files.
This could happen for several reasons, including:
-
There's already a drag and drop file transfer happening. Right now, you can only complete one drag and drop operation at a time.
-
The item being transferred is not supported. For example, if even just one of the items you are dragging is a folder and not a file, or you try dragging 100 files, your Android device won't allow you to start a transfer.
Note: Minimizing the Phone Link app during drag and drop will cancel the transfer process and you'll have to start over. Keep the app window open while using file drag and drop.
