Access Your Samsung Galaxy S's Files

Your Samsung Galaxy S is a lot more than just a phone. Like all Android devices, you can plug your Galaxy S into your computer to access the files stored on the device. You can also download a file manager app that allows you to see your files without having to connect to a computer.

Steps

Using Your Computer

  1. Open the Settings app on your Galaxy S. You will need to change the USB connection settings so that your device properly appears when you connect it to your computer.
  2. Tap "Wireless and network". Select "USB Settings" from the list of available options.
  3. Select "Mass Storage" from the list of ways to connect. This will turn your Galaxy S into an external hard drive when you connect it to your computer, allowing you to access all of the files on it.
    • Note: Different versions of the Galaxy S will have different labels for these options, but generally they are all very similar.
  4. Plug your Samsung Galaxy S into your computer using a USB cable. You should see a notification that the drivers for your phone are being installed.
  5. Pull down your phone's Notification bar. Tap the "USB Connected" option.
  6. Tap "Connect USB storage" or "Mount USB storage". This will enable your phone to appear on your computer.
  7. Open your computer's connected devices. In Windows, press ⊞ Win+E to see all of your connected devices. In OS X, the Samsung Galaxy S should appear on your desktop.
  8. Double-click on your Samsung Galaxy S. This will open the phone's storage, allowing you to see all of the files and folders on it. You can copy, delete, move, and create files just like you would with any folder on your computer.
  9. Find your files. There are several places the files you are looking for may be located:
    • Downloads - Anything you download through your browser or from email attachments should be located in your Downloads folder.
    • DCIM - Pictures you've taken with your Samsung Galaxy S camera will be located in the DCIM folder.
    • Music - Any music files that you've copied over using Samsung Kies will be located in the Music folder.
    • Pictures - Screenshots and other system images will be found in the Pictures folder.
  10. Install Samsung Kies if you cannot connect. Some versions of Windows and OS X may not be able to properly connect to the Samsung Galaxy S. If this is the case and you are receiving errors about missing drivers, download and install Samsung Kies. This is the management software for all Samsung devices, and contains all of the necessary drivers for your phone to connect.
    • You can download Kies for free from samsung.com/kies.
    • Download version 2.6 for older devices like the original Samsung Galaxy S.
  11. Troubleshoot a non-working connection. If you still can't get your Samsung Galaxy S to appear on your computer when it's connected, there are a couple things you can try.
    • Windows - Update to Windows Media Player 11 or newer. The latest version of Windows Media Player is required in order to successfully connect your phone. To update Windows Media Player, start the program, click Help, select Check for updates, and follow the prompts to update the software.
    • Mac OS X - Download the Android File Transfer program. This is a tool developed by Android to allow Android devices to connect to Mac computers. You can download it for free from android.com/filetransfer/. Double-click the download DMG file and drag Android File Transfer to the Applications folder. You will need to run it once when you connect your Samsung Galaxy S, and then it will run automatically in the future.

Using a File Manager

  1. Open the Google Play Store. The app store allows you to download a variety of free and paid apps for your Samsung Galaxy S.
  2. Search for a file manager app. There are a large number of file manager apps available on the Google Play Store. These apps allow you to access all of the files on your device, and you can perform standard computer functions such as copying, deleting, renaming, and even archiving.
    • Popular free file managers include ES File Explorer, Astro File Manager. File Manager, and X-Plore File Manager. All of these file managers have free versions.
  3. Open your new file manager. Once the file manager app has been downloaded and installed, you can open it to access the files on your phone. You'll see a list of all the folders in your phone's storage. You can navigate the folders much like you would on a computer.
  4. Press and hold files and folders to take actions. Most file managers allow you to press and hold a file or folder to select what action you want to take. You can copy, cut, move, rename, delete, and more.
  5. Find your files. There are several places the files you are looking for may be located:
    • Downloads - Anything you download through your browser or from email attachments should be located in your Downloads folder.
    • DCIM - Pictures you've taken with your Samsung Galaxy S camera will be located in the DCIM folder.
    • Music - Any music files that you've copied over using Samsung Kies will be located in the Music folder.
    • Pictures - Screenshots and other system images will be found in the Pictures folder.

Warnings

  • When accessing your Samsung Galaxy S files, you will see a lot of system files that could have serious consequences if altered. Only manipulate files that you know, such as pictures, songs, and videos.

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