Accessing photos on phone

Question

Accessing photos on phone

Lori Martin 20

I connect my phone to my computer. It asks me for a notification but it is not a text or email. Where is the notification?

John Jefferson Doyon 87,635 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-29T19:39:47.8566667+00:00
Hi, @Lori Martin

The notification should appear on your phone, not in your email or text messages.

After connecting the phone, unlock it and swipe down from the top of the screen. Look for a USB notification such as “Charging this device via USB.” Tap it, then select “File transfer” or “Photo transfer.”

To narrow this down:

Is the phone Android or iPhone?

What exact message appears on the computer?

Are you using the phone’s original USB cable?

Some USB cables only charge and cannot transfer photos.

Answer accepted by question author

0 additional answers

Your answer

John Jefferson Doyon 87,635 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-07-29T19:39:47.8566667+00:00

Hi, @Lori Martin

The notification should appear on your phone, not in your email or text messages.

After connecting the phone, unlock it and swipe down from the top of the screen. Look for a USB notification such as “Charging this device via USB.” Tap it, then select “File transfer” or “Photo transfer.”

To narrow this down:

Is the phone Android or iPhone?

What exact message appears on the computer?

Are you using the phone’s original USB cable?

Some USB cables only charge and cannot transfer photos.

Answer 1

Welcome Lori Martin,

I understand how frustrating it can be when you connect your phone to your computer, you are prompted to approve a notification, but you cannot find that notification on the phone.

Before proceeding, could you please confirm:

Which version of Windows are you using (Windows 10 or Windows 11)?
When the phone is connected, does it appear in File Explorer under This PC?

Building on the earlier suggestions, you might also consider the following options:

Option 1: Reconnect the phone

Unlock the phone before connecting it
Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable

Option 2: Check File Explorer

Open File Explorer
Look under This PC for your phone
If it appears, double-click it and check whether the Internal Storage folder is accessible

Option 3: Verify the driver

Right-click Start and select Device Manager
Expand Portable Devices or Universal Serial Bus controllers
If the phone shows a warning icon, right-click it and select Uninstall device
Disconnect and reconnect the phone

Option 4: Try Windows Photos Import

Open the Photos app
Select Import
Choose From a connected device

Option 5: Test a different USB port

Connect the phone directly to another USB port on the computer
Avoid USB hubs or docking stations during testing

I hope the steps above help you deal with your issue.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Yes". If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.