The Cause of a Samsung Tablet That Isn’t Connecting to a PC
In most cases, a Samsung tablet not connecting to a PC is because of a permission settings issue on either the Samsung tablet or the PC. Both devices need to allow use of the tablet as a storage device on the PC. The tablet will not appear in Windows if this setting is not correct.
A Samsung tablet might also fail to connect to a PC because of a problem with the cable or either port the device is connected to. A defective port, faulty adapter, or loosely connected cable could cause this issue.
How to Fix a Samsung Tablet That Isn’t Connecting to a PC
Follow these steps to connect your Samsung Tablet to your PC. Make sure your Samsung tablet is connected to your PC via USB before you begin.
These solutions are meant for Windows 11, but most apply to other versions of Windows.
Restart your PC and Restart the Samsung tablet. Restarting your devices will resolve any temporary software or operating system issue which might prevent the two devices from communicating. Clean the USB port on both the Samsung tablet and your PC. Though more frequently an issue for smartphones, dust and lint can also collect in USB ports on either your tablet or laptop computer. Try disconnecting and re-connecting the Samsung tablet from your PC. By default, a File Explorer window displaying the tablet’s files will appear automatically when you connect the tablet if you’ve previously connected the tablet in this way. Try a different USB port on your PC. A faulty USB port is rare but could be the source of your problem. Read our guide to fixing a USB port that’s not working for more solutions. Try a different USB cable. It’s ideal to connect a Samsung tablet to a PC via a USB cable supporting USB 3. 0 or better. Remove any docks or adapters and connect directly to your PC via USB. Docks and adapters shouldn’t prevent a Samsung tablet from connecting to your PC, but it can happen. Check that Android’s settings allow access to files on a PC via USB. A Samsung tablet will ask if you’d like a PC to be able to access files via USB when you first connect it, but this setting might be turned off and maybe you missed the initial notification. The notification can also be found Android’s Notification History. Change the Samsung tablet’s AutoPlay settings in Windows. You can find this setting with a Windows Search for AutoPlay. This will open a menu with a list of connected devices. Find the Samsung tablet and change the drop-down menu setting to Open folder to view files (File Explorer). Download and install Samsung’s Windows USB drivers. This driver is meant for developer use, but some Samsung tablet owners have reported results when using these drivers to connect a Samsung tablet to a PC. Run Windows Update. Window Update does more than update the Windows operating system. It can also download and install driver updates which may resolve your issue. Reinstall Windows’ USB 3 drivers. It’s possible the USB drivers on your computer are not working properly and need an update. If, even after a Windows update, it’s still not working, you can manually install (or even reinstall) the drivers.
