USB-C cable

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Phone to Desktop

In order to access your files from a computer, just connect your phone through an USB-C cable. By default, this will just charge your device. To access the files, you'll have to enable File Transfer on the phone.

Settings > Connected devices > USB

• Make sure USB controlled by is set to This device

• Make sure Use USB for is set to File Transfer

We can also enable File Transfer by pulling down the notification menu from the top of the screen. There should be a notification saying 'Charging this device via USB'. Tap on this notification to make a menu pop up, allowing us to define different ways of how the USB connection will be used.

By selecting 'File Transfer', we enable for the computer to mount the device, and in effect it should show up in the computer's file explorer.

Note: Depending on your machine, you may need to install drivers for this.

Phone to Phone

Note: this method requires that both devices feature modern USB-C ports. You'll need a cable that has a USB type-C connector on both sides, like this one:
 

 

Step 1: Connect the Devices

• Get a good USB-C Cable:
   Use a compatible USB-C cable to connect the two Android devices.
  
  

  Note that not all USB-C cables are the same - be sure to use a high quality cable (certified for PD power delivery).

   
  
  

• Connect Devices:
  Plug one end of the USB-C cable into the first device and the other end into the second device. You should see a USB icon in your notifications - if you don’t see it off the bat, try swiping down and scrolling to find it.
  

  
  
  

Step 2: Enable File Transfer Mode from sending device

• Open Notification section:
  On the device that is connected, swipe down from the very top of the screen to access the notification section.
  

  
  
  
  

• Select USB Options:
  Look for a notification that says USB for file transfer or similar. Tap on it.
  
  

  

  Note: With many phones (including the Above Phone) you can also access this menu via: Settings > Connected Devices > USB

  
  
  
  
  Note: With many phones (including the Above Phone) you can also access this menu via:
  Settings > Connected Devices > USB

Choose File Transfer:
On the sending device, select File Transfer or "MTP" (Media Transfer Protocol) from the options.

Making sense of the connection settings

When connecting two USB-C capable phones, one may be presented with several different options of how this wired connection is being used.

The same device that is controlling the USB connection will allow to decide how to make itself available to the other device

To explain this better:

Let’s say, you have:
Phone A as your new phone - Phone B as your old phone

Now, if you want to bring files (ex. photos) over from your old to the new device:
→ you’ll want the USB controlled by setting set to This device on Phone B!

Additionally, be aware that one device will be used to charge the battery of the other one!

At the bottom you’ll find a setting allowing you to switch which one is being charged.

Step 3: Access Files on the Receiving Device

• Access files from other phone:
  After setting up file transfer via the USB type-C connection, you should be able to access the files of one phone from the other phone. 
  
  On the Above Phone, you should see a notification like this:
  

  

  Shows the other device as connected

  
  

• Open File Manager:
  On the sending device, open the file manager app. On the Above Phone this app is simply called Files
  
  Use the ☰ three bars top left to open the sidebar, where you should now see the storage of the other device you connected.
  
  

  
  
  
  

• Select Files:
  Navigate to the files you want to transfer (photos, videos, documents, etc.).
  

  
  
  

• Choose Files:
  Long-press on a file to select it. You can select multiple files if needed. When the files are highlighted in blue, they are selected.

Step 4: Transfer Files

• Copy or Move Files:
  Tap the Copy or Move option (usually represented by icons) after selecting the files.
  

  

  Once your files are selected use the action options

  
  
   > You may need to tap on the three dots on the upper right to reveal those options.
  
  
  

• Select Destination:
  Switch to the receiving device's file manager.
   > Use the three lines towards the top left to navigate to the storage of the other device
  
  

  
  
  

•  Paste Files:
  Navigate to the desired folder on the receiving device and tap Copy / Paste to transfer the files.
  
  

• Monitor progress:
  Swipe down from the very top to reveal the notifications - you should find one that shows the progress in real-time
  

  

  Swipe down to see the progress of your transfer in the notification section

  
  

 

Step 5: Disconnect the Devices

• Safely Remove Devices:
  After the transfer is complete, safely disconnect the USB-C cable from both devices.
  
   > Be sure that all file transfers are completed. You can check the progress in the notification section (swipe down from top).

 

Additional Tips

• Check Storage Space:
  Ensure the receiving device has enough storage space for the files being transferred.
  
  
  

• File Types:
  Most file types can be transferred, including photos, videos, and documents.
  
  
  

• USB-C Compatibility:
  Ensure both devices support USB-C connections. Try a different cable if it doesn’t work. For better results, you may want to set the other device to ‘File transfer’ in USB settings, so that you can access its storage via the Files app of the Above Phone.