LG Rebel K31 How do you transfer photos?

**rikkitikki** · 01-06-2021, 04:43 PM

I purchased the two LG Rebel K31s from HSN a few weeks ago. I have them set up and I like most things about the phones. The thing I've been having trouble with is transferring photos and videos from the phone to my desktop computer. This was so simple on my Samsung Galaxy Sky. I just plugged in the USB cable and could copy and paste. The LG doesn't do that. I've tried many different methods that I found by Googling, the most recent being to download the LG Bridge to my computer, plug in my phone, change the USB notification on my phone from charging to photo or file transfer. Then I can finally see the storage on my phone. I have to drag each photo into a sync window, and then start the sync. I thought I was doing this correctly, but I never could find where the photos were synced to. Not only is this very tedious, but it's very confusing. If I don't use the LG Bridge, my computer pops up with a window showing the LG phone, but says it has no files. Has anyone managed to copy photos from their LG Rebel K31 to their computer? This is really disappointing, as I use my computer for email and Facebook and haven't been able to use any of my new photos.

**rpz1** · 01-06-2021, 05:15 PM

I'm not familar with LG Bridge or the so called sync window. When I select using the usb for file transfer on the phone I'll get a pop up in windows with a bunch things to do crap but also a "file" symbol. When I click that the phone files will show in my Windows Explore as a device on my computer. I just open the appropriate file in the phone, select all the photos I want and drag them all at once to a folder I create on my computer's drive. Then I usb the new phone the same way and drag and drop the pictures from my computer location back to the new phone file location. I do the same for exporting contacts from one phone to another. Easy peasy. That's probably what you're use to.

When you plug the usb into your phone, can you do a pull down which gives you the charge or transfer option without using that LG Bridge thing ? That's how my old LG was and my current Motos. Just pull down the screen to get the options when the phone is usb connected, select file transfer and with what ever pops up on your computer screen select the "file" symbol, not any of the other things it shows you can do.

**hpham** · 01-06-2021, 05:22 PM

I have about 6-7 LG phones. The most recent one is an LG Journey (K30). Way back when, I needed to download an LG driver to my Windows laptop for it to "see" the LG phones, but not within the last 5 years. Once the phone is connected via the USB port and the correct option (to transfer files) is selected on the phone, the laptop sees the phone and its microSD card as removable drives. I just drag-and-drop the files I want to transfer either way.

**rikkitikki** · 01-06-2021, 06:05 PM

I'll try this again, but I'm pretty sure I've already done this. I've attempted so many different methods that I can't remember. Thanks for the help.

**loboheeler** · 01-06-2021, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by rikkitikki

I've attempted so many different methods that I can't remember.

Are you saying there is no indication to set the USB operating mode when plugged into a computer unless using the LG Bridge app? Where you see this has changed over time, but I would be surprised if it's is not there as an Android feature. In my present phone it is in a box when the notification bar is dropped down.

**keeraaash** · 01-06-2021, 07:03 PM

I copied the DCIM folder from the old phone to a microSD card. Then I used the card in the new phone. I could have copied the DCIM folder contents from the microSD card to the DCIM folder in the internal memory of the new phone.

**rikkitikki** · 01-06-2021, 07:33 PM

Yes, I go to the notification screen and change from charging to transfer photos/videos. Then I can go to files on my phone, open the photos and select all, but the only place it will let me copy them is to my installed micro sd card or internal storage. Then what? My PC shows the LG L355DL but it says this folder is empty. I am only semi-literate on cell phones and also frustrated since it was so easy on the Samsung.

**rikkitikki** · 01-06-2021, 07:36 PM

I already transferred the photos/videos from my old phone to the new one using Tracfone's transfer wizard. It worked well. I'm trying to transfer them from my new LG phone to my computer now.

**Lisme** · 01-06-2021, 07:59 PM

Your cable may not be a data cable. Try using the cable that comes with the phone.

**hpham** · 01-06-2021, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by Lisme

Your cable may not be a data cable. Try using the cable that comes with the phone.

Good suggestion.

**rikkitikki** · 01-06-2021, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by Lisme

Your cable may not be a data cable. Try using the cable that comes with the phone.

Well, I did think of that, but it is the cable that came with the phone.

**hpham** · 01-06-2021, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by rikkitikki

Well, I did think of that, but it is the cable that came with the phone.

Well, try a cable that works for file transfer on another phone just for grins.

**keeraaash** · 01-06-2021, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by rikkitikki

Yes, I go to the notification screen and change from charging to transfer photos/videos. Then I can go to files on my phone, open the photos and select all, but the only place it will let me copy them is to my installed micro sd card or internal storage. Then what? My PC shows the LG L355DL but it says this folder is empty.

After connecting my phone to the computer with the LG charger cord, the computer shows the phone but won't let me access the files using File Explorer until I change from the lock screen to the home screen.

**Mosaic55** · 01-06-2021, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by keeraaash

After connecting my phone to the computer with the LG charger cord, the computer shows the phone but won't let me access the files using File Explorer until I change from the lock screen to the home screen.

That may be the answer right there. I just tried on my k31, I unlocked the screen and plugged in the cable. Windows saw the phone storage as a drive right away and I had no trouble copying a photo from the DCIM folder to the desktop.

(Sometime in the past I probably told Windows to default to drive storage mode when connecting something via USB. The phone defaulted to file transfer mode.)

**rikkitikki** · 01-06-2021, 11:48 PM

[QUOTE=Mosaic55;17161968]That may be the answer right there. I just tried on my k31, I unlocked the screen and plugged in the cable. Windows saw the phone storage as a drive right away and I had no trouble copying a photo from the DCIM folder to the desktop.

OK. That worked somewhat. I was able to see Internal storage and copy photos, so that's great. It didn't show the videos that I had taken, even though I can see them on my phone, in files, internal storage, videos.