Computer with Win10 won't recognise mobile phone

P M 20 Reputation points
2026-09-20T13:24:00.93+00:00

I am wanting to transfer photos etc to my computer without having to email them to myself.

When I connect my Motorola Edge 50 pro to my pc via USB i get a message saying that Windows 10 does not recognise the phone.

Please can anyone advise me how to correct this.

Thanks in advance

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Connect Phone and PC
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  1. TaoLi 113.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-20T16:10:02.7433333+00:00

    Hi

    With your phone connected, unlock it and swipe down from the top of the screen. Tap the USB notification and select “File transfer”. Then check whether your phone appears in File Explorer > This PC.

    If Windows still doesn’t recognise it, try another USB port and a cable you know supports file transfers—some cables only support charging.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-20T13:24:14.4566667+00:00

    Try these steps in order:

    1. On the phone, unlock it after connecting the USB cable.
    2. On the phone, open the USB notification such as Charging this device via USB and change it to File Transfer or MTP. Android phones often default to charging only, which prevents file access.
    3. Try a different USB cable. Some cables support charging but not data transfer.
    4. Plug the phone directly into a different USB port on the PC. Avoid USB hubs or docks while testing.
    5. In Windows 10, open Device Manager:
      • Select Start and type device manager
      • Open Device Manager
      • Look for the phone or any device with a yellow exclamation mark
      • Right-click it, select Properties, and check Device status for an error code
      • Follow the troubleshooting steps for that code in Error codes in Device Manager in Windows
    6. If the phone appears in File Explorer > This PC, open it and check whether Internal Storage is accessible.
    7. If file browsing still does not work, try importing through the Photos app:
      • Open Photos
      • Select Import
      • Choose From a connected device

    If the problem is specifically with Phone Link rather than USB file transfer, make sure the PC and Android phone are nearby, turned on, and connected to the same Wi‑Fi network.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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