COMPUTER SKILLS · PRACTICE COPYING FILES

Copy Android photos and files to a USB drive.

Which photos or documents would you be upset to lose? Make a separate copy of those first. You do not need to copy everything or pay for online storage.

1. Get ready

Your own unlocked Android phone, or permission from its owner.
A USB cable that supports data transfer, not just charging.
A computer running Fedora and an external USB drive with room for your chosen files.

These steps describe Fedora Workstation's Files app. Other desktops, including Xfce, use different file managers and may need extra phone-transfer support. Menu names vary. Start with one photo; a large collection can take much longer.

Using Fedora from a live USB instead?

If you already have a prepared Fedora Workstation live USB, you can use it to try Fedora without installing it. You will need a second USB drive for your copied files. Keep the startup USB plugged in while using the live session.

Use your computer manufacturer's boot-menu instructions to start from the prepared USB. Choose the option to try Fedora rather than install it. If the choices are unclear, stop and get help. Do not install Fedora or change the computer's disks for this exercise.

Preparing startup media is a separate task: writing the image erases its target USB. Fedora's Workstation page explains the live-USB option. A live session's temporary storage is not your backup destination.

2. Make a folder on the backup drive

Connect the drive and open Files. Find the external drive in the sidebar by its name. Open it and check that it is the drive you intended.
Right-click an empty area and choose Properties to check available space. Allow room for the files you plan to copy and future backups.
Create a new folder named something like Phone files — 2026-10-03, using today's date. Keep existing files on the drive intact.

If you are asked to format the drive, cancel. Formatting erases data and is not part of this exercise. Use a suitable prepared drive or get help first.

3. Connect your phone

Connect the phone to the computer with the data cable and unlock it.
Open the phone's USB notification. Under Use USB for, select File transfer, sometimes labelled MTP. Approve a file-access request only on a computer you trust.
In Files, look for the phone in the sidebar. Open it, then open its internal storage or memory card if available.

Keep the phone charged and available during the copy. If access stops when it locks, unlock it again.

4. Choose files and copy them

Look in DCIM for camera photos and videos, Pictures for other images, and Download or Documents for saved files. Folder names and locations vary. You can choose a few important files rather than a whole folder.

Select one photo on the phone. Press Ctrl + C to copy it.
Open your dated folder on the external drive. Press Ctrl + V to paste a copy there.
Wait for the transfer to finish, then open the copied photo from the external drive.
If that works, repeat with the other files or folders you chose. Keep same-named folders from different locations in separately named folders so they do not overwrite each other.

Use copy, not cut or move. Leave the originals on the phone. If an error appears, or you are asked to replace something unexpectedly, pause and check before continuing.

5. Check the copy and finish

Browse the external drive and check that your chosen files are present. Open important photos and documents from that drive. Compare file counts and sizes where available; investigate any missing or unreadable files.
To practice getting a file back, copy one saved file into a separate folder on the computer called Backup check and open it. Do not replace the original. In a live session, this practice copy disappears when the session ends.
Close files opened from the drive. Use the eject or unmount control beside the external drive in Files. Wait until copying has finished and the drive is safe to unplug.
Eject the phone if Files offers that control, then disconnect its cable after transfers finish. If using a live USB, shut down Fedora before removing the startup USB.

Opening one sample is useful, but does not prove every file copied correctly. Check the files you most want to keep before relying on the backup.

You have a separate copy of the files you chose.

Disconnect the backup drive and store it safely. Protect private photos and documents from people who should not see them.

Repeat after important new photos or changes. A new dated folder keeps the earlier copy while you check the new one; allow space for both. Do not delete your only good copy to make room.

A second drive stored somewhere else, or an online service you choose, can add protection if both your phone and nearby backup are lost. Consider the cost, privacy, and storage limits. Neither is required to complete this exercise.

Back to Geek Lab

If something does not work

Phone missing: unlock it, reselect File transfer, and try another data cable or USB port. Do not unplug during a transfer.
Access denied: check the phone's permission request. If your Fedora desktop still cannot open the phone, get help with its file-transfer support. This exercise does not need developer mode, USB debugging, or terminal commands.
Not enough room: select fewer must-have files or use a larger prepared drive. Do not erase existing files just to finish the exercise.
A large video will not copy: the drive's file format may have a file-size limit. Keep the original and ask for help; do not format the drive as a quick fix.
A photo is missing: it may be stored only online or inside an app. Check that app's download or export options; USB file access does not include everything an app can display.

Using an iPhone?

This Android file-transfer exercise does not apply to iPhones. Apple offers both computer and iCloud backup methods; online storage is a choice, not the only option. Compare Apple's backup methods.

Sources and what has been checked

Reviewed on 3 October 2026. Google's USB file-transfer instructions support the Android unlock, USB-mode, and cable checks. Google's page describes Windows and Chromebook transfers; it does not verify this exact Fedora setup. Actual phone and desktop compatibility still needs a practical check.

Practice copying important Windows files to an external drive.