Help Moto G (3rd gen) won't allow me to access files

[samthebigkid]

SO I bought my wife a Moto G 3rd gen to replace her iPhone 4. I set up the new phone using her old SIM card. The phone works just fine as far as calls, network, texting, etc. However, I can't access the files of the phone via USB. The Moto G device is detected, but it says "0 items". I'm using a Windows 10 computer. I installed the Motorala Device Manager on my PC, and it says I need to "unlock phone". I have even tried emailing her files, downloading them on the phone, and using ES File Manager to move them and it still doesn't work (I was trying to give her a ringtone she wanted, but it kept saying Copy Failed when I would attempt to move the MP3 into her Ringtones folder). She currently doesn't have an SD card of any sort in the phone.

Any ideas? We've had this phone for only a few days

 

[kate]

Hi samthebigkid, welcome to the site!

I moved your thread to the Moto G 3rd gen forum

Did you enable USB Debugging so the computer can see it?
1. Go to Settings -> About Phone and tap on "Build Number" until it says you are in Developer Mode (~10 times)
2. Go back one menu, and right above About Phone tap Developer Options.
3. Turn on USB Debugging.
4. Connect the phone to your computer

There are two ringtone folders, try:
/sdcard/media/audio/ringtones/

The /sdcard/ folder will be there even though you don't have an SD card.

 

[samthebigkid]

Hi samthebigkid, welcome to the site!

I moved your thread to the Moto G 3rd gen forum

Did you enable USB Debugging so the computer can see it?
1. Go to Settings -> About Phone and tap on "Build Number" until it says you are in Developer Mode (~10 times)
2. Go back one menu, and right above About Phone tap Developer Options.
3. Turn on USB Debugging.
4. Connect the phone to your computer

There are two ringtone folders, try:
/sdcard/media/audio/ringtones/

The /sdcard/ folder will be there even though you don't have an SD card.

I have tried all of that and I still can't access the files. I've tried it on multiple PC's. Nobody seems to know why

 

[acejavelin]

You didn't mention if you were on Marshmallow or Lollipop, and if on Marshmallow if you were using the SD card as adopted (internal) storage or portable (external) storage.

Assuming you are on Marshmallow, this is quite common...

1) Disconnect USB cable from device
2) Go to Settings - Apps
3) Tap the 3-dot menu at the top-right and select "Show system"
4) Scroll down and locate External Storage and open it
5) Tap Storage
6) Tap Clear Data (may take moment to finish)
7) Go back to the App list and find Media Storage
8) Tap Storage
9) Tap Clear Data (may take moment to finish)
10) Exit back to home and Shutdown then power back on
11) After the device is fully booted, wait 5 minuted for media & storage databases to rebuild
12) Connect USB cable and pull down the notification shade and select MTP for the USB connection (You must do this every time you connect to USB in Marshmallow, it isn't a "sticky" setting)

Should take care of it.

 

[samthebigkid]

You didn't mention if you were on Marshmallow or Lollipop, and if on Marshmallow if you were using the SD card as adopted (internal) storage or portable (external) storage.

Assuming you are on Marshmallow, this is quite common...

1) Disconnect USB cable from device
2) Go to Settings - Apps
3) Tap the 3-dot menu at the top-right and select "Show system"
4) Scroll down and locate External Storage and open it
5) Tap Storage
6) Tap Clear Data (may take moment to finish)
7) Go back to the App list and find Media Storage
8) Tap Storage
9) Tap Clear Data (may take moment to finish)
10) Exit back to home and Shutdown then power back on
11) After the device is fully booted, wait 5 minuted for media & storage databases to rebuild
12) Connect USB cable and pull down the notification shade and select MTP for the USB connection (You must do this every time you connect to USB in Marshmallow, it isn't a "sticky" setting)

Should take care of it.

Thank you. That finally worked. I had tried that before, but the previous instructions failed to mention changing from charging to MTP

 

[acejavelin]

Thank you. That finally worked. I had tried that before, but the previous instructions failed to mention changing from charging to MTP

Glad it worked... Remember in Marshmallow you must select MTP every time you connect via USB, it will not remember and will always use Charge Only mode when connected.