Your smartphone is also just a computer, but in your pocket. By connecting it to your regular PC (or laptop), you can get the best of both worlds. We give you a few tips for connecting your smartphone to your PC.
You can easily access the Windows explorer access the files on your smartphone. This is especially useful if, for example, you want to send documents or photos (whether or not sent via whatsapp) to your PC. The easiest way is to connect your smartphone (or tablet) to your PC with the USB cable. After you have connected the device, your phone will ask if it can make a connection. On an iPhone, this is done with a pop-up window. On your Android, you have to slide the notification panel down and give permission by tapping the notification.
Explore!
You can then use the explorer, at This computer access your phone. Your iPhone is quite limited, when you go there through the explorer you can only access the photos and videos that you have taken. By copying them you can easily create a backup to your PC or external hard drive†
On your Android device, you can access more files than just your photos and videos. You can also see your Android device in the explorer at This Computer. In the folder DCIM find your photos and videos. the folder Downloads contains all downloaded files from your browser and also the folder whatsapp is interesting. Here you can, for example, browse through all the photos, videos and documents in the subfolders.
You can also copy the entire WhatsApp folder, which you can keep as a backup of your conversation history. Handy, for example, if you switch to a new smartphone†
Pairing Smartphone
Do you go to the Settings in Windows 10 or Windows 11then you can get to it Phone link your iPhone or Android smartphone to your Windows system. This function only works if you link a Microsoft account. Thanks to such a link, you can also easily view your smartphone photos and send messages.
If you use Google Photos to back up your photos and videos, you can also access them on your PC via https://photos.google.com† If you want to select multiple files for download at the same time, you can do that easily with the ctrl and shift keys. Google Photos also has a tool for Windows to easily and automatically synchronize the photos on your PC.
The superlative of smartphone-PC collaboration is Samsung Dex† For this to work, you need a powerful smartphone. By linking your smartphone to a screen, your smartphone itself functions as a PC. You don’t actually have that Laptop needed to go to work.
Tips & tricks for tech problems
There are many options for making your PC and smartphone work together. If you want to know more about this, you can visit the Tech Academy for the online course Tips & tricks for tech problems† In addition to links with your smartphone and PC, the online course in 68 lessons helps with all kinds of useful tech tips.
†