Traditionally, when you share files between android phones and desktop PC, we use Bluetooth or USB cable. USB cable was the old method while Bluetooth is the modern way of transferring files between android and PC. What if your Laptops Bluetooth won’t work and your USB cable is missing? Perhaps you may want to send it online and download your file from there.
That works fine but there is an alternative method you can do and it is easy to set up. In this article, we will cover the step by step guide on how to transfer or share files between android and PC using ES File Explorer App.
Advantages and Disadvantages of using ES File Explorer
Advantages
- 100% FREE
- Pack with lots of features
- All in one File Manager
- Easy to use and user friendly
- Very lightweight of 4.58 MB only(as of writing this)
- Supports 30+ languages
- No need to register your email
- No root required(except for root explorer feature)
Disadvantage(s)
- Need to connect on the same network
- Need a bit of time to set up but after you set it up, it’s just as simple as 1 2 3.
How to share files between Android and PC and vice versa
Step by step guide
1. Setting up your computer
- Click Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center
- On left side, click Change advance sharing settings
- On the Home or Work Network Profile:
- Network Discovery = ON
- File and Printer Sharing = ON
- Public Folder Sharing = ON
- Media Streaming = ON
- File Sharing Connections = Use 128-bit encryption
- Password Protected Sharing
- ON = Will prompt your computer username and password every time you access the file sharing folder
- OFF = Will not prompt password
- I just choose OFF because it’s my Home Network.
- Home Group Connections = Allow windows
- Create a Folder wherever you want and name it whatever you want. For example I created a folder name FILE SHARING on D:\FILE SHARING
- Right Click the FILE SHARING folder and click Properties then go to Sharing tab and click Share.
- Click the drop down arrow, choose Everyone and click Add.
- Change Permission Level to Read/Write and click Share.
2. Setting up your Android Device
- Download ES File Explorer File Manager and install.
- Open ES File Explorer File Manager.
- Go to Settings and Click LAN.
- Now Click Scan and you will see your PC.
- Click on the Computer icon and you will see the FILE SHARING folder that we create earlier.
- That’s it! Now you can drag and drop whatever file you want on that either on PC or on your Android Device.
I hope this will be informative for you. Please feel free to leave a feedback. Thank you!
Hi Ronald,
Trying to share photos between android and my pc. Your instructions are great until I get to “create a folder’, I don’t get that next screen, therefore, I am unable to create a folder. Can you help me with this part, please? I don’t have the File sharing properties menu. Help. Thanks.
Peachie
Hi Peachi, you must create the folder in your PC. For example in Local Disk C. Go to the drive C:\ then create a folder by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+N or right click anywhere in drive C:\ then New > Folder. After that follow the instructions in the article.
Hello,
I followed your steps and it worked like a charm but now when i am trying to connect it says please make sure “server is online”.
Please help me out.
Make sure that both devices are on the same network.