Android to Windows is a busy route: phone photos headed for editing in Lightroom, screen recordings for a tutorial, WhatsApp documents for printing, or APK builds and logs that a developer needs on the PC. Windows actually has good options here, including Quick Share and Phone Link, but they require installing and pairing, and they can be fussy on work laptops or when the phone and PC are on different networks. USB cables also bring their own quirks with MTP and 'charging only' mode. Sendryo is the no-setup alternative: Chrome on the phone, Edge or Chrome on the PC, a six-digit code, and the files land in Downloads.
How to transfer files from Android phone to Windows PC, step by step
- Open Sendryo on your Android phone. Open Chrome or your usual browser and go to sendryo.com, or scan the QR code on the other device with the camera app or Google Lens and tap the link.
- Add the files you want to send. Tap the add-files area and Android shows its file picker, where you can choose Photos, Videos, Downloads or browse internal storage and SD card folders; long-press to select several files at once.
- Tap “Get share code”. You’ll see a 6-digit code, a link and a QR code. Keep this page open during the transfer.
- Open Sendryo on your Windows PC and enter the code. Open Edge, Chrome or Firefox and go to sendryo.com. You can also install it as an app from the browser's address bar so it opens in its own window. Switch to Receive and type the code, or open the link.
- Save the files on your Windows PC. Files are saved by the browser like any download, either automatically or after a 'Save as' prompt depending on your browser settings.
Other ways to move files from Android to PC
| Method | How it works | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Share for Windows | Install Google's Quick Share app on the PC and send from the Android Share menu. | It needs an app install on Windows, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on both, and devices close to each other. |
| Phone Link | Link the phone to Windows with Phone Link to browse recent photos and, on supported phones, drag files across. | Full file transfer support depends on the phone brand, and it focuses on recent photos and notifications. |
| USB cable (MTP) | Plug the phone into the PC and choose 'File transfer' in the USB notification, then copy files in File Explorer. | MTP can be slow with many small files and sometimes drops the connection or shows the wrong folder contents. |
| Google Drive or OneDrive | Upload from the phone, then download on the PC through the website or sync app. | It is a two-step upload and download that uses cloud storage. |
| Sendryo | Open the site on both devices and enter a 6‑digit code; files stream directly, encrypted. | Both devices must be online with the page open until the transfer finishes. |
If you move files between your own Android phone and PC every day, setting up Quick Share or Phone Link once is worth it. For copying an entire phone backup, a USB cable with File Explorer is dependable.
Tips for a smooth transfer
- Add Sendryo to your home screen from the browser menu; once installed as a web app it can show up in Android's Share menu, so you can beam a photo straight from the Gallery.
- Turn off aggressive battery saver during long transfers, since some phone brands throttle or freeze browser tabs to save power.
- For transfers of tens of gigabytes, use Chrome or Edge on the receiving PC and make sure the Downloads drive has enough free space.
- If your PC is on a work or school network and the connection never starts, a firewall may be blocking peer-to-peer traffic; try a home network or phone hotspot.
- On the same Wi‑Fi network, transfers are usually fastest. See why transfers can be slow.
Browsers that work
Android phone: Chrome is the most tested choice; Samsung Internet, Edge, Firefox and Opera all work well too.
Windows PC: Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome are the best choices, especially for very large files; Firefox and Opera also work.
Frequently asked questions
Is this better than Quick Share for Windows?
Not always. Quick Share is excellent once installed and paired, and it works offline between nearby devices. Sendryo is useful when you can't install software on the PC, the devices are in different places, or Quick Share won't detect the phone. It needs an internet connection for the initial handshake.
Can I send a folder of photos from Android?
Android's browser file picker typically lets you select many files at once rather than whole folders. Select all the photos you need, send them, then use 'Download all (ZIP)' on the PC. Right-click the ZIP in File Explorer and choose Extract All to get a normal folder.
Where do the files go on my PC?
Into your browser's download folder, usually C:\Users\YourName\Downloads. Press Ctrl+J in Chrome or Edge to see the list and open the containing folder. If your browser asks where to save each file, you can choose a different folder such as Pictures.
Is there a file size limit from Android to PC?
Sendryo doesn’t set a size limit. Files stream directly to the Windows PC, so the practical limit is its free storage. For files of many gigabytes, keep both screens on and both devices charged.
Is it free and private?
Yes. Sendryo is free, needs no account, and files travel directly between your devices with end-to-end encryption. They are never uploaded to or stored on our servers.