Android · Windows & Android
Transfer Android Videos to a Windows PC by USB
Source-checked About 10 minutes
Answer
Transfer Android videos to Windows with a data-capable USB cable: unlock the phone, choose File transfer, then import through Microsoft Photos or copy the video files in File Explorer. Phone Link currently displays images only, not videos.
Prepare the destination
Confirm the PC has enough free space for the videos. Keep the phone originals until the copied files and a separate backup have been verified.
Connect and unlock the phone
Connect Android to the PC with a USB cable that supports data, then unlock the phone. A charging-only cable cannot expose videos to Windows.
Choose File transfer on Android
Tap the Charging this device via USB notification. Under Use USB for, select File transfer; the exact wording can differ by phone maker.
Import through Microsoft Photos
On Windows, open Start > Photos > Import, choose the connected phone, and wait for scanning. Select the videos and destination, then start the import.
Copy from File Explorer when needed
If Photos misses the required folder, open File Explorer > This PC > the phone > Internal shared storage. Copy from DCIM/Camera, Movies, Pictures, or the recording app's visible folder into a dated PC folder.
Wait before disconnecting
Copy rather than move during the first transfer. Wait for import progress and file activity to finish, eject the phone in Windows, then disconnect the cable.
Verify representative videos
Open the beginning and end of a large video and compare its file size and duration. Confirm sound, orientation, and resolution before deleting any phone original.
Video walkthrough
If it does not work
- If Windows sees only a charging device, keep the phone unlocked, reselect File transfer, and try another known data cable and USB port.
- If a large video stops copying, confirm destination free space and retry that file without disconnecting or locking the phone.
- If app-private or protected videos are absent, export them with that app's supported share or download control; do not use a recovery tool.
- Cloud-only videos must be downloaded from their official cloud service. Phone Link is not a video-transfer fallback because it currently displays images only.
Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Windows & Android.
Microsoft and Google document USB import and file transfer; Microsoft explicitly states that Phone Link cannot display Android videos.