How to connect mobile to PC via WiFi

Connect the mobile to the PC via WiFi It is a very simple and comfortable method to carry out a lot of operations without the use of cables. In this way you can transfer all the content of our smartphone from the computer.

Millions of users around the world already use this method, but surely there is someone out there who still doesn't know how to do it. That is why we have written this post, to explain the method step by step, with some useful tips and tricks.

Before continuing, it is important to note that this connection can be established with any computer that has a Wi-Fi adapter installed for network hosting. This process is different from the one used to use the data from our smartphone on a PC. 

Methods to connect mobile to PC by WiFi

These are the most effective and used methods to connect mobile to PC via WiFi:

File Manager Application

To connect the mobile to PC via WiFi we will have to install an application on our smartphone. This application is the "File manager", a highly versatile file explorer specially designed for Android. Thanks to this tool, we will be able to connect the mobile to the PC via WiFi and access shared folders.

Once this tool is downloaded (this is the download link) and installed on our mobile device, the steps to follow will be the following:

1. First of all, we access the application from the mobile, with which all the available options appear. The one we must use to make the connection is the "Remote".
2. Once this option is selected we add a remote location. The option we are interested in is "Local network", through which we can connect via WiFi to the PC.
3. The next step is to go to the option "Add Remote" and in it select the computer to which we will connect in our local network.

After accepting the connection, we will have access to all the folders that are on the PC and that are shared on the network. We will see that the files saved on the computer appear on the phone and, in the same way, when saving a file in that folder from the mobile, it will also appear on the computer.

Configuring Windows

We explain the operation of this method with Windows 10, although it is also valid for Windows 11.

1. First we go to start, to the Windows logo that is in the lower left corner of the screen. From there we access "Settings".
2. Then we select the option "Network and Internet", represented by an icon of a globe.
3. In the list of options on the left, we choose the one of “Area with mobile wireless coverage”.
4. There you have to slide the button to activate and select the option WiFi further down (as shown in the image above).
5. Next we review the "Network Name", which has to match that of the PC, and the «Network Password».

Once this is done, the Wi-Fi access point will be configured on our computer and we will be able to connect through the menu of our smartphone.

Using Connectify

In the event that our computer does not have a WiFi adapter, the connection will not be possible. Luckily, we have at our disposal applications like Connectify to overcome this obstacle. This is how we should proceed in these cases:

1. Download the application Connectify from the official website and install it on our PC following the instructions of the wizard. Once the installation process is complete, you will need to restart your computer.
2. Upon restart, the application may start automatically. If it doesn't, we click the Connectify icon. You have to press the "Try it" button (or try it out in the English version).
3. Then we click on the button "WiFi access point".
4. Then we fill in the field "Password" and then "Start hotspot".

After waiting a few seconds, Connectify will notify us that everything is ready to make the connection.

Wired connection

But if, despite everything, you don't want (or can't) connect your mobile to your PC via WiFi, there is always the option of fall back on the old wire method. Let's see how it works:

The first step is physically connect the mobile to the computer. Normally the cable that comes with the charger is used. One of its ends connects to the mobile device, while at the other end there is a USB port that is connected to the computer.

When connecting the mobile to the computer with the cable, two different situations can occur:

• That the mobile begins to load and a window opens directly on the PC screen to start viewing the content of the mobile.
• Or, even though it starts to load, the content window does not appear. If this happens, you have to click on the notification “Charging device by USB” and continue with the options that are displayed.

Then the screen will open in the menu of "USB Preferences". There, in the section of "USB controlled by", we must leave the option checked "This device", as it comes by default, while in “Use USB for”, we have the following options. Here it is about selecting the one that best suits us for what we want to do:

• file transfer, which is the way to be able to transfer files between the mobile and the device to which we have connected it.
• Share connection via USB, so that the mobile acts as a router and that the device connected to it by USB can access the Internet through the connection that we have on our mobile.
• MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface): the option to use in order to be able to interact with instruments or computers with the MIDI standard.
• PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol), a specific standard to transfer only the photos from a mobile to a PC.
• Do not transfer data: As the name indicates, when you connect the mobile to the PC via USB, no data transfer will take place, it will only be limited to charging the battery.