Easily browse and manage your Android phone’s photos, videos, and documents directly from your Windows PC’s File Explorer.
There are news updates to Windows’ cross-device functionality—now, the Android phone storage integration is available in File Explorer for Windows 11 and Windows 10 users. As reported by Windows Latest, this lets users access and manage their Android phone’s files directly from their Windows PC without a USB connection.
This is part of “Manage mobile devices” and is enabled by the “Cross-Device Experience Host,” which was updated through the Microsoft Store. Users can now see their Android phone’s storage as a shortcut in the File Explorer sidebar.
The integration can browse, open, copy, transfer, rename, move, and delete files from your Android device. Microsoft reports that file transfers can reach speeds up to 1.2GBps over Wi-Fi.
To use this, users need an Android device running Android 11 or later, the Link to Windows app (version 1.24071 or newer), and the latest updates for Windows 11 or Windows 10. The Cross-Device Experience Host must also be updated via the Microsoft Store.
An extra benefit of this is that deleted files from the phone are moved to a Recycle Bin folder on the device and automatically removed after 30 days. Phone storage now appears in Windows Search results, letting you search for files stored on your phones directly from the taskbar.
This feature works independently and does not need the Phone Link app to function. The rollout is being conducted in stages. If your device meets the system requirements, the feature will show up automatically in your File Explorer in the next few days.
In a world where iPhone and Mac users have seamless integration, this Windows-Android partnership looks promising for users of both of these platforms.
