# Android folders not accessible via USB drive
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/android-folders-not-accessible-via-usb-drive/68384
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [May 2, 2025, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/android-folders-not-accessible-via-usb-drive/68384 "2025-05-02T18:41:53Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@JimS](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JimS)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2025, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/android-folders-not-accessible-via-usb-drive/68384/1 "2025-05-02T18:41:53Z")
I access my phone from my laptop via a USB cable.
When trying to add folders to Mp3tag my Android phone (Andromeda) only sporadically shows up in name only with no subdirectories. This behavior is inconsistent with Windows 10 Explorer which provides full access to my phone.
When the phone does show up, there are no folders shown.
My goal is to modify my mp3 tags directly on my phone rather than upload them to my laptop, modify them, and then download them.
Here are the images of Windows Explorer and Mp3tag file manager showing the differences.
**Windows Explorer**
**MP3Tag**
I have tried refreshing the folder and rebooting the phone to no avail. Searching this site showed no information on accessing files in this manner. About six or so related issues that popped up did not address my specific problem. Although one answer claimed that Android may not allow applying tags to MP3 files.
I am using Windows 10 and my phone is a Galaxy s10+
Regards,
Jim
---
### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2025, 6:45pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/android-folders-not-accessible-via-usb-drive/68384/2 "2025-05-02T18:45:25Z")
See here:
> [@Sony Android Walkman](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/sony-android-walkman/59276/8):
>
> Not that I said On some devices you can set the USB mode to "USB" (not FTP, USB Tethering, MIDI, PTP). In newer OS versions that mode has been disabled for security reasons. So if you don't find it you have to transfer the files with the dedicated program first to a PC, modify them there and then transfer them back again.
Perhaps you get better access to your phone with a different mobile app e.g. CX file explorer
---
### Author:  [@JimS](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JimS)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2025, 6:56pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/android-folders-not-accessible-via-usb-drive/68384/3 "2025-05-02T18:56:25Z")
But it works fine with Windows Explorer without making any such adjustment? The issue only shows up when using MP3tag and trying to add a directory. And how would I use say **CX file explorer** via MP3tag? Can one configure MP3Tag to use any file manager?
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2025, 7:02pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/android-folders-not-accessible-via-usb-drive/68384/4 "2025-05-02T19:02:25Z")
No, the extra app is there to transfer the files.
To cut it short: you have to see your phone with a drive letter in the windows explorer, then you can access files on the phone.
If there is no drive letter, then there is no way for MP3tag to access the phone file system.
It boils down to this:
> [@Browsing MP3 files on my smartphone (Androïd)](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/browsing-mp3-files-on-my-smartphone-android/13674/12):
>
> This looks like Android uses MTP mode to connect to the PC. But that's not supported by Mp3tag. Only normal usb mode.
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### Author:  [@JimS](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/JimS)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2025, 7:05pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/android-folders-not-accessible-via-usb-drive/68384/5 "2025-05-02T19:05:00Z")
Ok. There is no drive letter shown in Windows Explorer. So I guess that is the answer. Thanks!
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### Author:  [@LyricsLover](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/LyricsLover)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2025, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/android-folders-not-accessible-via-usb-drive/68384/6 "2025-05-02T19:12:17Z")
> [@JimS](#):
>
> Galaxy s10+
Maybe [this KB article](https://www.verizon.com/support/knowledge-base-222969/) can help you, especially the point #2 with
1. If prompted to allow access to your data, tap
**Allow**
If necessary, touch and hold the Status bar
(at the top) then drag to the bottom.
The image below is an example.
Or maybe this tool
[https://www.mtpdrive.com/index.html](https://www.mtpdrive.com/index.html)
can create a drive letter for your android drive.
(It's not free, but you can try it with up to 30 files to see if it would work for you)
---
### Author:  [@Doug\_Mackie](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Doug_Mackie)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2025, 9:00pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/android-folders-not-accessible-via-usb-drive/68384/7 "2025-05-02T21:00:50Z")
> [@JimS](#):
>
> My goal is to modify my mp3 tags directly on my phone rather than upload them to my laptop, modify them, and then download them.
I prefer to keep my source tagged files on my hard disk. That way I have a backup if the phone dies or is lost or stolen. Otherwise you risk losing your tagging work.
For transfers to and from my Android phone I use a freeware app called [MyPhoneExplorer.](https://www.fjsoft.at/en/). They have a [support forum](https://www.fjsoft.at/en/Forum/) for both German and English users.
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2025, 9:01pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/android-folders-not-accessible-via-usb-drive/68384/9 "2025-06-01T21:01:04Z")
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