It’s a tale as old as time. Being able to connect your phone to your PC is a necessity at some point. Whether it’s to just transfer files, charge your phone, or manage files on your Android phone, it’s extremely important. The same sentiment rings true with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, as you’re going to want to connect it to your PC at some point in time. Here are the various ways you can do so and how they all work.
The traditional method: Connect to PC via USB
The easiest way to connect your Galaxy Z Fold 2 to PC is to simply plug in a USB-C cable to your device. Some PC cases feature a USB-C port on the front, but you will more than likely need to use a USB-A to USB-C cable.
It’s important to note that you’ll want to make sure you use a cable rated for fast file transfer. Usually, the cable that is included will work just fine, but Samsung included a USB-C to USB-C cable in the box. There are some pretty solid options out there for those who want to transfer large files back and forth between their PC and Android phone.
After you have connected your phone to your PC, you’ll be able to view the file system. This makes it easy to locate files you want to transfer back and forth, and you can just drag and drop between the Z Fold 2 and your PC.
Connect to PC via Bluetooth
Another way that you may want to connect your phone to your PC is via Bluetooth. Although Bluetooth 5.0 is available on your Z Fold 2, your PC may be running an older version. If that’s the case, you won’t get the fastest file transfer speeds. However, using Bluetooth is more of a convenience than something that is actually useful.
Here’s how you can connect the Z Fold 2 to your PC via Bluetooth:
- Open the Settings app on your PC.
- Click on Devices.
- Tap Add Bluetooth or other device.
- Select Bluetooth.
Now that you have the PC portion of the process done, it’s time to move to your Z Fold 2. Here’s what you need to do in order to finish up the connection process.
- Open the Settings app on your Galaxy Z Fold 2.
- Tap Connections.
- Tap on Bluetooth at the top.
- Under Available Devices, locate the name of your PC.
- Tap the name of your PC from the list of devices.
- Match the provided pin on your Z Fold 2 with the pin on your PC.
- Tap OK.
The fun method: Link to Windows
There is another way for you to connect your Galaxy Z Fold 2 to your PC and that’s through an application that’s already built-in. Your Phone has been available for a few years now and has seen its integration with both iOS and Android. But it’s clear that better integration is available on Android.
In fact, Microsoft and Samsung have partnered to have the Link to Windows / Your Phone pre-installed on many of the latest Samsung smartphones. This includes the likes of the Galaxy S20, Galaxy Note 20, and of course, the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Here’s how you can get Your Phone set up.
Before getting started, make sure that your Galaxy Z Fold 2 is turned on and is connected to Wi-Fi. Now, you can get started by setting up Link to Windows.
- From your PC, type Your Phone in the search bar on the taskbar.
- Select Your Phone from the results.
- Tap Android as your phone type.
- Select Continue.
- Sign in to your Microsoft Account
- Make sure you are signed in to the same Microsoft account on your PC and phone.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
In the event that you don’t want to start the process on your computer, you can get things rolling on your Z Fold 2. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Unlock your Galaxy Z Fold 2.
- Swipe down on the Home Screen to reveal the Notification Shade.
- Swipe down again to show all of the notification toggles.
- Tap Link to Windows.
- Sign in with the same Microsoft account that is being used on your PC.
- Tap Allow Permissions.
If everything goes according to plan, then the name of your PC will appear below Link to Windows in the Notification Shade.
What can you do with Link to Windows / Your Phone?
So what can you do after setting up the Your Phone app? Well, as it turns out there are quite a few different possibilities. The integration between Your Phone and the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is seamless, and you’ll end up being able to basically leave your phone alone and just use it through your PC.
Send and receive messages
It’s really annoying when you have to stop what you’re doing just to look away from your computer and reply to messages on your phone. With Your Phone, that’s no longer an issue, as you can reply to messages on the Galaxy Z Fold 2, along with composing new messages. This is already possible with Google’s Messages Web App, but using the Your Phone app is much easier.
Mirror and manage notifications on your PC
Notifications never seem to stop, and at some point, you’ll need to “deal” with them. Well, after connecting the Z Fold 2 to your PC, you can handle them as they come in, right from your computer. The Notifications panel in the Your Phone app will list any and all of the notifications that arrive on your Galaxy Z Fold 2.
You can click the “refresh” button to make sure that everything is synced up and then hit the Clear all button to get rid of them all. The best part is that if you dismiss or clear all of your notifications from the Your Phone app, it will sync with your Z Fold 2 and your notifications will disappear.
Transfer photos and files
The obvious benefit for using something like Your Phone is to transfer photos and files back and forth. This is pretty simple and straightforward as you simply drag and drop the files within the Your Phone app.
Plus, with this application, you have the added benefit of being able to view your gallery of photos. Not only can you view your pictures and videos, but you can also save them directly to your PC, or open them in the Photos app on your PC to make some edits.
View and interact with your phone
Without a doubt, the coolest feature of the Your Phone app is the screen mirroring functionality. But there are two ways for you to interact with your screen. Using your mouse and keyboard, you can do just almost everything from your PC as you could on the Z Fold 2.
But with the integration between Your Phone and the Galaxy Z Fold 2, there’s an “Apps” section. This provides a list of all of your apps that are installed on the Z Fold 2. Double click any of them from the list and they will appear within the mirrored screen view on your PC.
I don’t know what magic is happening between Samsung and Microsoft, but whatever it is, we need it to continue happening. Your Phone is an absolutely phenomenal piece of software, and the smooth integration with the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and other compatible phones is simply unmatched.
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