Forum Discussion

wossinesser's avatar
wossinesser
Iron Contributor
Jul 14, 2025

Windows File Explorer won't show my rooted Android phone as wireless device

My Windows 11 laptop won't show my rooted Android phone in File Exlorer. It only displays my unrooted phones. The "Show mobile device in File Exlorer" in the Windows "Manage mobile devices" settings is missing for the rooted Android, it only shows up for my unrooted phone. The Windows Phone Link app talks to both phones.

Any idea what's wrong? Does some security setting keep my rooted phone out of Windows File Explorer?

 

2 Replies

  • Komondor2240's avatar
    Komondor2240
    Iron Contributor
    Jul 15, 2025

    Rooting inherently changes how the device interacts with Windows, often disabling or modifying services like MTP. If seamless integration with Windows File Explorer is critical, you might need to adjust your root setup or use alternative transfer methods.