How to Enable USB Debugging and Connect Android Phone to PC

One of the main concerns of Android mobile phones users is how to connect Android to PC, moving data, make changes in the mobile system, or doing anything with your mobile phone through your computer will require connecting both of them together whether by Wi-Fi or by -the preferred- USB Cable.

Unfortunately, it’s not always so easy to plug and play your Android phone, as you may have to enable a function called Android USB Debugging.

What is USB Debugging?

Android USB Debugging is a function that has one job to do which is to allow your phone to be recognized by the development tools and to track bugs and fix it when connecting your phone via USB. This is one of the most commonly used functions for developers as they use it when they try to test their software using the Android Studio Development kit.

Moreover, it's now used by ordinary Android users, as it's considered to be the main step when installing a custom recovery, rooting your phone, or installing new custom ROM on it.

Also, in case you have a totally lost Android pattern, you may need to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) commands, and you will not be able to use them without enabling USB Debugging on Android.

In today’s article, we are going to learn together how to enable USB debugging on different Android OS versions, we will discuss some tips about how to connect Android to PC, and how to fix the problems you might face when connecting your phone.

How to Enable USB Debugging on Different Android OS Versions

It may and may not differ so much between an Android OS version and another one in terms of enabling USB Debugging mode. In the following lines, I will explain how to enable USB Debugging on different Android OS versions so you will need no more articles to find your way to enable it.

Before we start, you have to know that enabling USB Debugging will require enabling Developer Options, and to enable it, follow these steps:

• First: Open Settings, and scroll down until you find About Phone.
• Second: After you open About Phone, click several times on Build Number, it differs from a manufacturer to another, it may be 3 or 5 or 7 times, and you will know the number through the message you will see.
• After finishing that step, you will have a message telling you that you have become a developer, and you will find a new option on the Settings menu called Android Developer Options.

Enable USB Debugging on Android 2.3 and Below

First, we will start with the oldest available version of Android, Android 2.3 and the versions below.

In order to enable USB Debugging on Android 2.3 and below, First, head to the Settings, then select Applications, and Click on Development.

After opening the Development menu, you will find USB Debugging as the first choice to select, click on it and it will be enabled.

Enable USB Debugging on Android 4.0 and 4.1

It’s the same method as the above one, but here, you will not have to go to Applications, as all you will have to do is to head to Settings, then scroll down until you find Android Developer Options, click on it and search for USB Debugging and allow it.

Enable USB Debugging on Android 4.2 and above

Starting from Android 4.2, it’s the same steps you will follow to enable Android USB Debugging, after following the above steps of enabling Developer Mode, follow these steps:

• First: Open the Settings menu.
• Second: Scroll down until you find the Android Developer Options.
• Third: Find USB Debugging and click on it, then click on OK to complete the process.

Is It Safe to Enable Android USB Debugging?

In my personal prospect, I don’t recommend enabling it unless you really need it and not for long, as it’s considered to be a double-edged sword.

In case you have lost your phone or have been stolen with USB Debugging mode enabled, the robber can unlock it using some ADB commands, and this is the same method you may use if you forgot your phone pattern and want to recover it or break the mobile security.

Tip: Don’t forget to set up Android Device Manager on your Android phone to avoid losing it or having your data stolen as it allows you to remove them all and to locate your device or lock it.

Also, in case you have an enabled USB Debugging mode and plugged your phone into a public charging port, your personal data and information may be stolen by some hackers who have access to this port.

Possible Causes of Not Being Able to Connect Android to PC

You may face some problems connecting your Android to PC, whether you have enabled USB Debugging mode or not, these are some common solutions for the problems you might face.

First: USB Cable

A fake USB Cable is on the top of our list of the causes that may lead to an improper connection between Android phone and PC, make sure that you have the right and the true cable that's suitable with your mobile phone, and it's preferred to use original USB cables.

Second: USB Port

Try changing the USB port you are connecting through on your PC, it might be broken, and if you ensure the USB Port on PC, check the one on your phone, is it working well?

Third: Device Confliction

Connecting many USB devices to your computer may cause a confliction between them all so your PC will not recognize your Android phone, remove all the other USB devices before connecting your phone and try to see the results.

Fourth: Download and Install USB Drivers

If the previous three steps haven't gone well, then the last thing I recommend - in case you haven't done it already- is to download and install the proper USB Drivers for your Android mobile phone.

• Download Latest Samsung USB Drivers for Mobile Phones 
• Download and Install Huawei USB Drivers for Windows

Pro-Tip

In case you are trying to connect Android to PC in order to unlock it or to recover your data, I recommend you using our Free Android Data Recovery Software as it’s considered to be the best in the field of recovering data on Android phones, and it’s FREE!

User Guide: How to Recover Lost/Deleted Data from Android for Free

Now you have learned what is USB Debugging, how to enable USB Debugging, and how to protect yourself when using it. Share the article with your friends and family to warn them of the faulty usage of their phones, and write down your comments in the comments section below.

Samsung Could Launch Galaxy Note 10 in Four Models

The South Korean Giant is planning to launch four different Galaxy Note 10 model, this year. According to recent leaks, the Galaxy Note 10 is said to come in 6.4-inch as well as 6.7-inch screen sizes. Both the variants will be 5G ready and will come with three and four cameras on the rear respectively. We have already seen Samsung launching Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10 Plus along with LTE support while there is a bigger Galaxy S10 5G which will come with 5G networks.

Considering the device to be flagship model, it will be powered by a Snapdragon 855 Chipset in the US, along with its home country Korea and China while other parts of the world will be getting 8nm Exynos 9820 SoC. Samsung has been launching a plethora of devices in the past few months and is planning to launch a few more in the new few weeks. We do not have much information about the Galaxy Note 10 devices yet but we should be getting more leaks and speculation in the coming days.

Also Read: How to Take a Screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S10/S9/S8/S7 with Ease

The Galaxy Note 9 which was launched last year come with a 4000mAh battery on the back to power the handset and we can expect a similar sized battery on the upcoming device also. Well, the Note 9 features a 1440 x 2960 resolution on it but we are not sure of the resolution that will be used on Note 10. For the US there is a Snapdragon 845 chipset to power this Note 9 and is available in 6GB and 8GB of RAM options along with 128GB and 512GB ROM variants and this time we can expect an 8GB and 10GB RAM variants with similar ROM options.

Tips: If you lost or deleted some important data from your Samsung device, you can quickly get them back by using Gihosoft Free Android Data Recovery Software.

The Galaxy Note 10 will be coming out of the box with the latest Operating system, with One UI on top and should be coming with an in-display fingerprint sensor. The Note 9 featured a dual 12MP + 12MP camera set up on the rear but we are not sure what Samsung is planning for this years flagship device in the Note series. Well, what are your views on this upcoming device? Comment in the section below and stay tuned to Android Advices for more.

User Guide: Recover Deleted Data from Samsung

Note: Feature image used here is of Galaxy Note 9

Top 8 Free New Android Apps for April 2019 That You Must Get

The month of April is here, and we are back with a whole new installment of our monthly digest of new and fresh Android apps. This month’s list has apps spread across various categories. So, whether you need a safe file transfer app or you need to create a cool collection of Instagram Stories, we have everything covered.

As is our practice, these Android apps have been released in the last couple of months and are unique in their own way.

Since this post is going to be a bit lengthy one, let’s jump in straight away.

Also Read: Best Android Data Recovery App in 2019

1. FIREFOX SEND

After making its debut as a web application, Mozilla has released its file sharing app called Firefox Send on the Play Store. Firefox Send brings home a hassle-free way of transferring files, photos, and videos. Not just any offline document you can even access and send files from your cloud storage accounts.

All you have to do to upload the files is provide the expiration details, assign a password and tap Upload. Depending on your network speed, the link-generation may take a couple of seconds. Once generated, just share the link.

Also Read: 12 Best Free YouTube Video Downloader Apps for Android in 2019

Firefox Send lets you share files up to 1GB. Plus, users who have a Firefox account get plenty of other features like a bump in the sharing limit (up to 2.5GB). We tested this app for a few days, and we were mighty impressed with it.

Download Firefox Send

2. ENDEL

Mood-boosting apps are more common now than they were a couple of years ago. With people getting distracted with the tiniest of things, apps like Endel are more important in our lives today.

Endel is one such newly launched apps on the Play Store which claims to increase your productivity and your focus. The soundscapes are powered algorithmically, but rest assured that the tracks are fairly good and should work well for you.

Also Read: 10 Best Android Photo Recovery Apps and Software without Root

The app needs permission for location and time zone to tailor the soundscapes.

Download Endel

3. DAYWISE

Speaking of distracting notification, can't we just ban them all and check them only when we want to? Sounds too good to be true, right?

Well, the makers of Daywise seems to think otherwise. This cool app bundles all your notifications and shows them to you in batches.

Daywise segregates the phone’s apps into two categories - Instant and Batched. While the apps under the Instant will notify you immediately, the latter will reserve its notifications for a later time.

Quite obviously, apps like WhatsApp, Slack, or your default SMS app will fall under Instant, while Instagram and Facebook will fall under the latter. Of course, apps and batch timings can be changed, but I suggest that you let them be.

Also Read: How to Hide Apps on Android Phone without Rooting/Launcher

Download Daywise

4. SERIAL BOX

Serial Box is the newest story-telling app in town. Previously available for iOS and Desktop, it brings home a collection of stories. The stories are short, so one can easily pick them up while commuting or traveling.

The stories are divided into episodes, making them very interesting. The pilot is usually free, after which you’ll have to buy the entire season.

Needless to say, all the half-completed stories show up on the home page with an option for Continue Reading. Netflix for stories? Yes, Sir!

Download Serial Box

DID YOU KNOW: Serial Box is partnering with Marvel to produce new short stories. The superheroes include Black Panther (see Black Panther wallpapers), Jessica Jones, and Thor, among others.

5. INSTA STORY

If you're looking to jazz up your Instagram Stories, you should have a look at Insta Story app.

This one has plenty of formats to suit different moods and activities. The templates are in pastel shades, so you don't have to worry about the template overpowering the actual photos.

To add to it, you can spruce up your photos further via the built-in filters. Insta Story packs both free and paid templates, and luckily for us, quite a few are free.

Using it is simple. Pick up the template, add photos and modify the filter. Once done, tap on the A icon to change the text. And that’s it!

Also Read: How to Hide Private Pictures on Any Android Phone

Download Insta Story

6. CLOCKIFY TIME TRACKER

Now we have the Clockify app. Although it’s slightly older than two months, we felt that it should be on this list as it is a productivity tool. The good news is that this time tracker not only lets you log your hours but also helps you increase your overall productivity.

The app is simple to use, free, and is available across all the major platforms, and has a Chrome extension as well. All you have to do is log in with the same credentials, and you should be sorted.

Clockify for Android is more made for quick entries. Just enter the title, select the project and tap on the Start button. There are two entry modes - manual and timer.

You'll come to love the syncing mechanism, which again, works flawlessly. During our test run, we didn’t have any issues in accessing the information either from the phone or the browser.

Download Clockify

7. PHOTO EDITOR PRO

Photo Editor Pro is not a photo editor in the strictest sense. Instead, it is a collage maker and it works really well.

The app offers standard collage features like frames, filters, border, rotate, and adjust, among others. You can adjust a filter's intensity as per your liking, a feature which I found immensely useful.

Agreed that there's a horde of collage makers on the market, so what makes it different from the rest? I liked this app for its simplicity and clean interface. The feature set is not bloated, the interface is well designed and there are no banner ads, at least, for now.

Download Photo Editor Pro

8. DEMON LIVE WALLPAPER

Live wallpaper has lost the touch that they used to have before, mainly due to the impact on the phone's battery life. But if that is not a concern for you, you can check out the Demon Live Wallpaper by maxelus.net.

Designed in different shades of pink and violet, this one certainly knows how to make your phone’s home screen stand out.

My only gripe is that the free version has just one wallpaper after which you’d have to upgrade to the paid version. Thankfully, the images change quite often.

Download Demon Live Wallpaper

Samsung Galaxy S10 an S10 Plus users can try out the recently-launched Hidey Hole wallpaper app. This one brings all the wallpaper celebrating the punch-hole camera cut out, under a single roof.

In Case You Need: Best Way to Recover Deleted Data from Samsung Galaxy S10/S19 Plus

The app sources its images from the subreddit thread dedicated to Galaxy S10/S10 Plus. We loved that these images are all high-resolution images, so you don't have to worry about images pixelating.

Download Hidey Hole

GET SET GO!

These were some of the recently launched Android apps that are hard-to-miss. Almost all the apps are useful in their way. I particularly liked Firefox Send for its hassle-free service.

Which one is your favorite?

Next up: 10 Best Free WiFi Password Hacker Apps for Android without Root

How To Remotely Control Android Phone from Mac (2 Methods)

Wondering if you can connect and control Android phone from Mac? Yes, you can! In fact, there are a couple of methods available for Android and Mac users.

We must admit that it’s sometimes irritating to have multiple devices. Can you imagine the burden of switching to different devices for different tasks? Not easy, right? But, if you can control one device from another, wouldn’t it be much easier?

Connecting phone to PC and vice-versa is sometimes helpful, especially when you need to transfer important files from your devices. But what if you have a different OS for both devices? Will you still be able to connect them?  Well, for an Android phone and a Mac, It’s yes.

Also Read: 9 Best Free IR Universal Remote Control Apps for Android

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to connect and control android from PC in two methods:

ApowerMirror

ApowerMirror is developed by Apowersoft, a company based in Hongkong, that allows connectivity of mobile devices to PC. It supports Android and iOS devices for a smartphone while Windows and Mac for PC.

This application allows control and mirror of the screen from mobile devices and real-time streaming from an iPhone to PC via USB cord or WIFI.

1. Download the app on Mac

   The first step to control your Android phone from Mac through ApowerMirror is to download the app on your PC. Click here to download. Then, install and launch the app.
   It will first show some prompt on your screen about some new features of the app. You can click the arrow on the right to view more or click the x-button at the top right to exit the prompt.
   
   Then, you will see some instructions on the homepage of the app. This just means that ApowerMirror cannot detect any nearby Android device, therefore, you should run the app on your Android phone. To do this, proceed to the next step.
   

2. Install and run the app on Android phone

   Next, you have to install the app on your Android through Google Play.
   
   Click on the Google Play button above to install the app. Once you are on the Google Play installation page for ApowerMirror, tap on Install.
   
   After installing it, run the app by tapping on Open.
   
   Then, a prompt will appear on your phone’s screen requesting your permission to let the app access your photos, media, and files. Tap on Allow.
   
   
   
   Another prompt will show about reminding you that the app will capture everything displayed on your screen. Tap on Start Now.
   
   Now, you’ll be at the homepage of the ApowerMirror app. Tap on the M logo at the bottom of your phone’s screen.
   
   This will automatically search available nearby devices through WIFI and connect your phone to it. Take note that once it is connected, your phone’s screen will be automatically mirrored on Mac but you won’t be able to control it unless you proceed to the next step.

3. Connect your phone to Mac using the USB cable

   Once you finished installing the app both on your Android phone and Mac, take your USB cable and connect your Android phone to your Mac.
   Then enable USB debugging on your phone. You can do this if you go to Settings>More Settings>Developer Options. Tap on the toggle button for USB debugging
   

4. Control your phone from Mac

   Go back to the ApowerMirror app on your phone. Tap on the M-logo button at the bottom of your phone’s screen.
   
   Then, tap on USB at the top.
   
   
   
   Check your Mac screen if the ApowerMirror app detected your phone. You will know this when you can see a connection from your phone to Mac is loading on the app.
   
   Then, it will show on your phone that your connection is successful which is also mirrored on the screen at the same time and you’re done!
   
5. Also Read: How to Connect Android Phone to TV Wirelessly or with Cable

AirDroid

Another method to remotely control Android from Mac is using AirDroid. It allows users to transfer files from both devices, control Android device through Windows PC or Mac, and receive and reply messages on a computer.

This app uses AirMirror technology to let users control their mobile phone remotely but this is only available on Android phones. AirDroid on iPhone only lets its user share or transfer files to other devices.

1. Install the app on the mobile phone

   Install the app on your Android through Google Play.
   
   Click on the Google Play button above to install the app. Once you are on the Google Play installation page for AirDroid, tap on Install.
   
   
   

2. Run the app and sign In

   Once you’re done installing the app. Run the app by tapping on Open.
   
   
   
    Also Read: Best Android Emulator for PC to Run Android Apps on Windows or Mac Easily
   Then you’ll be required to sign in your account, therefore, tap Sign In. You can use your Google, Facebook, or Twitter account by tapping on their respective logos at the bottom of the screen.
   
   A prompt will show up, so, just tap OK. Then, enter your credentials.
   
   The app will then two prompts to request permissions to manage your calls and access your files. Tap Allow twice.
   

3. Install the app on Mac

   Click here to download. Then, install and launch the app.
   It will first ask you to select your language. Then, you’ll be shown to a login page. Enter the same credentials you used on your Android phone then click on Sign In.
   

4. Enable remote control on the phone

   Enable control phone remotely by opening the app on your phone then go to Me > Security & Remote Features. Tap on Remote Control. 
   
   Then, tap on Enabled Permissions.
   

5. Enable AirMirror

   Go back to the app on your Mac and click on the third icon that looks like goggles at the right side of the window. Then, click on AirMirror.
   
   Then, click on Start Non-Root authority.
   

6. Connect your phone to Mac using the USB cable

   Once you finished installing the app both on your Android phone and Mac, take your USB cable and connect your Android phone to your Mac.
   Then enable USB debugging on your phone. You can do this if you go to Settings>More Settings>Developer Options. Tap on the toggle button for USB debugging
   

7. Control your phone from Mac

   Once you’re done with the previous step, your computer will automatically detect and connect to your phone.
   
   And, you’re done!
   
8. Tips: Lost data from your Android phone? Let Gihosoft Free Android Data Recovery Software help you recover them.