Your PC and smartphone are separate worlds that are difficult to reconcile. Fortunately, this is slowly but surely changing. For example, within Windows we see more and more possibilities for connections with your smartphone. But the AirDroid app is also a handy toolbox if you need access to your smartphone from your PC.
Windows gives you through the component your phone various options for accessing your smartphone. In Windows 11 some more to come. For example, you can run Android apps within Windows from the beginning of 2022. The apps become available thanks to the integration of the Amazon Appstore in the Microsoft Store. There are also various third-party apps.
For example, with Pushbullet you can easily receive notifications from your smartphone on your PC. And WhatsApp gives you the opportunity to chat comfortably from your PC. Here we look at the somewhat forgotten AirDroid, which you can easily connect to your smartphone via a browser. You then get a whole toolbox for managing your smartphone.
1 Installation
AirDroid has been around for a long time, but has been somewhat forgotten, perhaps after some security issues with the app, which were later resolved. The first step is of course installing the app on your smartphone. In this workshop we will use the Android version, but since the end of 2017 the app has also been available for iPhone and iPad, with similar features.
Make sure your PC and smartphone are connected to the same local network at home, whether or not via WiFi. In this way, the two can find each other effortlessly. You can also use AirDroid from the internet, but if you want that without restrictions, you have to take out a subscription.
2 Connect
When you start the app, you will be prompted to create an account or log in. We will skip that step in this workshop, because it is not necessary if you use AirDroid within your local network. To get started, choose the option in the app AirDroid Web. You will now see an IP address that you can connect to directly from your PC, as long as it is on the same network.
There is also a second way to connect. To do this, choose the option to scan a QR code. Then visit the website on the PC http://web.airdroid.com where you can make the QR code visible. You then scan it with the app. If you would like to connect via https, this is also possible. However, you must create a free account, with which you must then log in on both devices.
An advantage is that you can connect faster next time. After logging in you can change the language to Dutch via a button in the top bar.
3 Device Management
Most of it takes place (obviously) within the AirDroid environment in the browser screen. You will occasionally have to give permission on the smartphone, if AirDroid needs access to your photos or text messages, for example. Graphically it looks impressive in your browser.
You see a nice desktop with handy icons for all important parts. This is how you can go to photos to view all the photos on your device in full size, while the Videos presents all created videos for you in a clear way. You can download or delete both photos and videos individually. And if you first make a selection, and then click To download click, the selected files are conveniently downloaded as a zip file.
For more extensive management, go to Files, where you can browse all files via a kind of file manager. In addition to the well-known management features such as cut and paste, you can also upload files or folders from your PC to your smartphone. Also helpful is apps, where you can browse all installed apps. For example, you can download the installation files here in the well-known apk format, but you can also quickly remove certain apps via the trash can icon.
4 Messages and contacts
AirDroid also gives you the ability to, via Messages, access the text messages on your device. For this you have to give permission on your smartphone. After you have given that permission, within the AirDroid environment in your browser, click Refresh. After that, you can browse all text messages and also reply to messages.
To browse through your contacts, you logically go to Contacts. Here too you will have to give permission once again. You can also create contacts on your PC with the option New contact. Are you going to To call to action, you will see a history of all outgoing and incoming phone calls.
5 More options
Within AirDroid you can also see what is happening on the screen of your smartphone with some adjustments, or even take control of it. The first option is called mirroring. This allows you to see exactly what you see on the screen of your smartphone within AirDroid.
After you have started this part within AirDroid, you have to give permission once on the smartphone. You can then use the smartphone as you normally do, by opening and using other apps, always seeing a slightly delayed copy of the screen on your PC.
There are also a few options within AirDroid that require you to create an account. You can then log in on your smartphone and on your PC. The most interesting is Control with which you can control the smartphone from your PC.
For this you have to adjust a security option on the smartphone within AirDroid and install an add-on. You can then simply operate the smartphone with your mouse, in AirDroid. There is a small but not annoying delay when operating the smartphone.
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