connect Motorola "G play 2024" via supplied USB cable to laptop

[ChrisGreaves]

I swear that on my dying day I shall be happy to leave this world of non-standard interfaces

I made the mistake of buying a new phone last week, and ONCE since I returned home I have been able to hook it up to the PC with the manufacturer's cable and drag files from an SD-Card folder to a laptop Folder. Like the idiot I am I neglected to write down (pen and paper) every step in the process. Today I can't "connect".
I watched All Motorola Phones: How to Transfer Photos & Videos Windows Computer/PC/Laptop and How to Connect MOTOROLA Moto G13 to PC & Laptop to Transfer Files and recognize some parts of those videos, especially the phrase "File Transfer", but neither system works for me.

I recall seeing something a few days ago about "drag down the notification bar from the top of the phone screen", but see nothing there that even resembled file transfer.

The cable is connected and the phone says it is fully charged.

I went into the phones main SETTINGS page and got as far as this screen:-

Screenshot_20241116-081151.png

I tried both buttons under "USB controlled by"

So near, and yet so far.
(How did I get that screenshot to the laptop - Email, which is OK for one image but cruddy for ten images).

I was smart enough to refine my Google search and found "How to connect Moto g4 plus to computer as storage media" but what that tuber sees when they "just scroll down from the top" is not what I see.

Any clues?

If you happen to know any Moto software developers, shoot first, ask questions later.
Cheers, Chris


(Thirty minutes later)

Screenshot_20241116-084033.png

[BobH]

. . . . drag files from an SD-Card folder to a laptop Folder.

Perhaps I misunderstand. Why not just sneaker net (trainer net for the Brits) the SD card from the phone to the laptop? Or, did you purchase a laptop without and SD card slot? But, if you did, you can buy - inexpensively - a USB-connected SD card reader that also extends the number of USB ports.

[ChrisGreaves]

Perhaps I misunderstand. Why not just sneaker net (trainer net for the Brits) the SD card from the phone to the laptop? Or, did you purchase a laptop without and SD card slot? But, if you did, you can buy - inexpensively - a USB-connected SD card reader that also extends the number of USB ports.

Bob, you understood, and yes, dear old Sneaker net works. As does Email. As would ftp access except that when I tried that with my new phone a few days ago the phone said it couldn't WiFi (although I could read online news etc!)

I prefer the cable most because, it seems to me, it is the least intrusive method.
FWIW twenty minutes ago I photographed three dental invoices, plugged in the cable and my new phone popped up instantly with a "Transfer Files?". This morning I couldn't FIND the setting; this afternoon I don't NEED TO FIND the setting. How I hate modern technology.⁽¹⁾

I don't see an SD-Card reader on this Dell laptop, but even if I could, I'd have to open up the phone with that paper-clip thing, and remove the SIM/SDChip holder and push it into a reader, extract it, and push it all back into the phone; which to my mind increases risk of something detrimental.

⁽¹⁾ I don't remember having these problems when we used 80-column punched cards.

Cheers, Chris

[HansV]

If you ever have trouble again: transfer via a cloud storage service such as OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox is quick and easy too.

[John Gray]

I have a Motorola G32, and plug its USB-C interface into the USB-A interface on my PC, and the phone comes up with "Select USB Mode", with options "File transfer" or "Phone and video transfer".
It doesn't really matter which I select, since I shall be hunting for the files in Windows Explorer (or equivalent) to copy them across from phone to PC.
If I select neither, it chooses the one or the other option (I've never bothered to work out which).
If I lose that window on the laptop screen, I simply unplug then replug, and it returns.

Does this match your experience in any way?

[ChrisGreaves]

Does this match your experience in any way?

Hi John.
It matches my experience this afternoon, but not for the past week.
The one time I was able to cable it, it was after several false starts and dead ends.
It is as if the phone needed to settle down after several signals had been passed.

Twice this afternoon I have taken photos and plugged in with an immediate access to the "File Transfer" "by USB" pop up box.

I tried to take a screenshot but I still haven't got the three-finger swipe technique down to a fine art.
Do the Boy Scouts give out badges for being able to use a modern smartphone?

Cheers, Chris

[StuartR]

Do you always use the same USB cable? Some cables are for charging only and don't work for file transfer.

[John Gray]

[...]
I tried to take a screenshot but I still haven't got the three-finger swipe technique down to a fine art.

You/I don't swipe, you simply stick three fingers on the screen and hold them there for a couple of seconds until the phone clicks (and vibrates, if you've set that)!

[ChrisGreaves]

Do you always use the same USB cable? Some cables are for charging only and don't work for file transfer.

Yes, Stuart, I do. And I met this "slightly different cable" trick ten years ago.
This time around I was smart and didn't open the phone carton until (a) I was safely home and (b) had a clear working space on a desk.

My problem is definitely with me not having the intuition to keep pace with the flood of intuitive new software.

The difference between being 78 in an isolated community and a teenager in high school surrounded by with-it techies is crippling.

And before you all jump in, I know about the internet and you-tube videos, but the first three videos I watched on File Transfer for Moto phones were based on older versions of the phone. I gained the phrase "file transfer" from the videos and that gave me something to type into the Search box in Settings.
But today nothing beats walking up to a classmate who uses the same model Moto phone as yours ...
Thanks again, Chris

[ChrisGreaves]

You/I don't swipe, you simply stick three fingers on the screen and hold them there for a couple of seconds until the phone clicks ...

Screenshot_20241117-101305.png

Thank you John; I'm getting there ...

I tried it now and present a screenshot, but I need more practice.
When I press-and-hold three fingertips to the screen, some pop-up context menu pops up and gets captured (as shown above).
10:15 Sunday and I am still abed with a laptop balanced on my lap.

I suspect that the three-finger-swipe-down might have been the initialization scheme. The phone needed some specific action to register what "three fingertips" looked like, but in my brain-haze I remembered it as "you have to swipe DOWN to effect screen-capture".

I am getting too old (and impatient) for this game
Thanks again, Chris
P.S. How do you feel about an all-expense (limited to board and lodging) paid week-long stay in Bonavista? (Bring ALL your smartphones ) C

[John Gray]

You do need to have Settings -> Gestures -> Three-finger screenshot set to On, of course?

[JoeP]

If you are willing to install "Link to Windows" on the phone and in Windows 11, see Setting up your phone in File Explorer.

I've been doing this for several weeks and it works well for me. I do have a new Samsung Z flip 6 so I don't know if it will work with a Motorola phone.

[ChrisGreaves]

You do need to have Settings -> Gestures -> Three-finger screenshot set to On, of course?

Yes, thanks John. I just tried it again. My guess is that-my three middle fingers don't quite spread far enough apart at my age; the phone probably sees my efforts as a rather crude two-finger gesture.
Cheers, Chris

[ChrisGreaves]

It doesn't really matter which I select, ...

I may still be doing this All Wrong, but ...
I just downloaded JoeP's suggestion in this thread, waited until the d/l APK was complete on the laptop, then went to connect the phone. I chose "Photos and " as the second option, but could not paste the file across. As well the SDCard device showed only a Pictures folder, whereas I have an APK folder on that card.
I reverted to the "Files" (first option) as was able to effect the transfer to my APK folder.

Now to try Joe's suggestion in earnest.
Cheers, Chris

[ChrisGreaves]

If you are willing to install "Link to Windows" on the phone and in Windows 11, ...

Thanks Joe; I was willing, but had to use the native File Transfer to get the downloaded APK to my phone. Part of the installation procedure required me to sign in to my Microsoft Account, and since to the best of my knowledge I don't have a Microsoft Account I opted out. Especially as plugging in the cable now seems to work seamlessly.

I am considering doing a factory reset in a week or two and setting up the phone from scratch, now that I am more familiar with it.

I suspect my problems arise mainly from not being on top of all the fancy new options in smartphones.

I do recall in years gone by just plugging a cable into - even a tiny 3cm square player - and seeing the device pop up in File Explorer.
Thanks again, Chris