Windows 11 File Explorer Will Soon Let You Access Your Android Phone

Microsoft is testing a new feature for Windows 11 that allows users to access their Android phones directly through File Explorer. This feature is currently available to those enrolled in the Windows Insider Program.

Browse Your Android Phone in File Explorer

With this new feature, users can wirelessly browse all folders and files on their Android phones. This includes media files, which can be opened, copied, transferred, renamed, moved, and deleted right from File Explorer. Your Android device will appear as a regular USB device in File Explorer, making file management between your PC and phone quick and easy—much faster than using the Phone Link app.

Requirements

To use this feature, you'll need the following:

An Android phone running version 11 or higher
The Beta version of the Link to Windows app on your Android phone (version 1.24071 or higher)
Enrollment in the Windows Insider Program and running Windows 11, with enrollment in any of the 4 Insider Channels

How to Enable the Feature

Open Settings on your Windows 11 PC.
Navigate to Bluetooth & devices.
Select Mobile Devices and click Manage devices.
Grant your PC access to your Android phone.
A toggle option will appear to show the phone in File Explorer.

If you don't see the toggle option, the feature might not yet be available to you.

Known Issues

There are a few known issues with this feature:

File Deletion: Deleting files from the PC moves them to a Recycle Bin folder on the phone, where they stay for 5 days instead of the intended 30 days. An update will fix this.
Visibility of Deleted Files: Files deleted in the Recycle Bin folder on the phone may not always appear in File Explorer. This will be resolved in a future update.
Sync Issues: Sometimes, operations on phone files from the PC may not sync back to the phone. Logging out and back into your Windows account on the PC can serve as a workaround.

Availability

The Windows Insider Program Team has announced that this feature is gradually rolling out to Windows Insiders with Android phones across all Insider Channels. If you're part of the Windows Insider Program, keep an eye out for this exciting new feature.

This integration between Windows 11 and Android aims to make file management more seamless and efficient, enhancing the overall user experience.