How to transfer files from mobile to PC and programs to do it

Many are the users who, with the advent of smartphones, began to put the PC aside, turning their phone into the only device to do everything. It was then that the term post-PC era was coined, a term that referred to a new era in which smartphones had become the main and only device with which we can do everything, from photos and videos, to consulting bank accounts through creating documents of all kinds, editing videos and photos, checking social networks, sending messages among other things as well as calling, although this is the least of uses.

However, a computer is always necessary, as long as we need, for example, to make a copy of all the photos and videos we take with our smartphone in case we lose it or they are stolen, although we can hire storage space on the cloud to keep a backup away from the device. We can also use it to copy our music library (or part of it) so as not to depend on streaming music platforms, copy large files as if it were a USB drive or hard drive, among other things.

Best programs to transfer files from mobile to PC

Depending on the ecosystem of our smartphone, iOS or Android, to transfer files from the mobile to the PC and vice versa, we can use some of the programs that we show you below.

Transfer files from an Android mobile to a PC

When transferring files from a PC to an Android mobile or vice versa, we can use two methods: using the charging cable connected to the computer (the fastest) or using a Wi-Fi connection. We can also use the Bluetooth connection, however, it is much slower since that is not its main purpose.

With the file explorer the charging cable

The easiest method to transfer data from an Android to a PC, both to the internal storage memory and to the USB card (if you have one) is by connecting the device to the computer using the charging cable. Once connected, we must establish what type of connection we want to make between both devices, a choice that we must make from the smartphone and where we have to select File transfer .

Transferencia datos Android PC

Once we have selected this type of connection, the Windows file explorer will automatically show the device as a drive, which we can access as if it were an internal or external hard drive.

We like

It is not necessary to install any application and the operation to move files is exactly the same as with any other drive. It is the transfer method that offers the highest transfer speed.

We do not like

It is necessary to use the charging cable, so both devices have to be close.

Mobile link

If we want to connect both devices without using any cable, we can use the Enlace Móvil application (previously known as Your phone). Mobile Link is a native application available in both Windows 10 and Windows 11. Through this application, once we have correctly linked our mobile and our device, we can easily copy content from our smartphone to the PC by simply dragging it, just like We can also copy files from the PC to the mobile by performing the same action.

Aplicación Enlace móvil en Windows

The Mobile Link application uses the Wi-Fi connection in which both devices must be connected, so the transfer speed is quite high, but not as fast as if we used a cable. It is a completely free application, both the application available on Windows and the one available on the Play Store.

Stands out for

It allows you to connect your PC and Android smartphone remotely via Wi-Fi connection so the transfer speed is quite good.

Needs improvement

On some devices, the ability to cast content is not available.

Using the Bluetooth connection

If we don’t have the charging cable at hand and we don’t have a Wi-Fi connection to which both computers can connect, neither of the two previous options is useful for us. But, if our computer has a Bluetooth connection, quite common in the latest computers, we can use this technology to send data from the PC to an Android device and vice versa. The first thing we must do is link both devices through the Windows configuration options (Win + I), Devices – Bluetooth and other devices and click on Add Bluetooth or other device.

Transferencias de archivos Bluetooth en Windows 10

Once linked, right-click on the Bluetooth icon on the taskbar and select Receive files and from the smartphone, select the content we want to share and select the Share – Bluetooth option and select the name of the computer to which we want to send the document. If we want to send a file from the PC, from the bluetooth icon, we must select the Send files option.

Advantages

No need to use a cable or Wi-Fi connection to share files.

Drawbacks

The transfer speed is slower so sending large files can be frustrating.

Through the cloud

Another of the methods in the form of an application that we can use to transfer files from Android to a PC or vice versa, we find it in cloud storage applications, Google Drive being the ideal option as it is a native Android application and offers up to 15 GB of space completely free (as long as we do not use it with Google Photos).

Pasar archivos Android a PC

To upload a file to the cloud from Android, we just have to select it and click on the Share button, then select Google Drive and find the path where we want to store it. To access from Windows, we can do it from the Google Drive website or from the corresponding unit if we have the application installed.

Pros

It is very comfortable and simple if we use Google Drive as it is the native Android platform and has up to 15 GB of free space.

Cons

If we want to transfer large files, we probably have enough free space. It is the slowest method both in speed and in the time required to carry out this operation.

Copy files from iPhone to PC

The methods for transferring data between an iPhone and a PC are not the same as Android, due to the restrictions associated with a closed ecosystem. Still, we can use the following programs to easily and quickly pass data both ways.

Itunes

As the years have gone by, Apple has been removing features from iTunes and today, it has become a practically useless application on Windows and will probably disappear just like it did on macOS. If we want to use iTunes to transfer data from an iPhone or iPad to a PC, the first thing we must do is connect both devices and, on the iPhone / iPad screen, click on Trust the message that informs us if the device to which we have connected it it is trustworthy.

Pasar archivos iPhone a PC con iTunes

Next, in the column on the right, click on Shared files and look for the application where the file we want to copy to the PC is located. On the right, all the available files will be shown and to copy it, we just have to select it and click on Save . If we want to copy a file from the PC, we must select the application where we want to open it and drag the file to iTunes to copy it. Through iTunes, we don’t have access to the photo gallery, so we can’t make a copy of its content on our computer.

Developer: Apple Inc.

Positive aspects

The data transfer speed is the fastest, making it ideal for transferring large files.

Bad points

It is a cumbersome process and very unintuitive.

iFunbox

If we do not have the lightning cable to connect our iOS device to the computer, we can use the iFunbox application. iFunbox is an application that uses a Wi-Fi connection to which both devices must be connected and with which we can both copy content from the iPhone and iPad to the computer and from the computer to the iOS device. The operation is as simple as dragging the files from and to where we want to store them.

If the content that we want to transfer to the iPhone or iPad is not compatible, the application will automatically take care of converting it to a format compatible with iOS to be able to play it natively without the need to use third-party applications. We can download iFunbox for free from its website that we can access from here . The free version of the app is more than enough for most users who need to transfer content sporadically.

We love

Very easy to use application that uses the Wi-Fi connection.

leaves to be desired

If we have the need to transfer a lot of content and on a regular basis, the free version of the application will fall short and we will have to go through the checkout.

iExplorer

Another interesting option that we can use to share data between an iPhone or iPad and a PC is the iExplorer application. The operation of iExplorer is very similar to that offered by iFunbox, but in a simpler way, so simple that the number of options is so high that in the end all it does is mess up the user.

iExplorer

To pass the content, we just have to go to the application where the content is stored, select it and drag it to the location where we want to save it on the computer. To carry out the reverse process, that is, copy the content from the PC to the iPhone or iPad, we must select the first place in which application we want the content to be available and drag it from Windows. iExplorer is available through the following link to their website.

We liked

It puts at our disposal a large number of functions to share content between an iPhone or iPad and a PC.

we didn’t like it

The free version is very limited.

Using a cloud storage platform

We can also use a cloud storage platform to transfer the content from the iPhone or iPad to a PC, although it is not the fastest or easiest method, since it requires a series of steps that unnecessarily lengthen the process by having to interact with both devices, both to upload the content and to download it.

Subir archivos iCloud iPhone iCloud , Apple’s cloud storage platform, makes 5 GB of storage space available to us, which may be enough space for most users. If we want to transfer a file from an iPhone or iPad to a PC, first of all, we must select the file and click on the Share button to select the Save to Files option and then, in Locations , select iCloud Drive . From the PC, we must access iCloud.com and click on Files to download the content. We can also install the iCloud application in Windows so that a folder is created in the file explorer and the content is one click away.

Developer: Apple Inc.

Top

Ideal for transferring small files.

Less Top

It is a long and laborious process and it is the slowest for transferring large files.

Which is the best option?

On Android , the best option is to use the charging cable and file explorer as there is no need to install any third-party apps and the transfer speed is the fastest ever. On iOS , iFunbox is the quickest and easiest solution, and while it’s slower than using iTunes, the process is much less cumbersome.