Bluetooth connected android phone and file transfer question - why is the file always syncing, and never on my device?

Hello Folks,

When initiating a bluetooth connection from my phone to my home PC (windows 11), my device quicly shows up in File Explorer. I can expand storage and see what's on my phone.



When I do a file transfer to my phone, the typical file transfer screen shows up.



I watch it send my files and it finishes, though when checking the location on my device the file is not present. In file Explorer, I see that there is a OneDrive like icon presented and it's showing the circular arrow sync symbol. I checked OneDrive app, and my phone is not linked to the cloud storage, so this is quite odd to see that icon.



If i break the bluetooth connection and connect again, navigate to the folder with Windows File Explorer, I see that the file remains in a syncing state. Eventally I get tired of waiting around, USB Transfer the file over, and unlike the bluetooth transfer, the file it shows up as soon as the transfer window shows as complete.

About 10 minutes later, the file sync icon from my bluetooth connected device's File Explorer window changes to a cloud icon.

• Can someone explain to me what exactly is happening with the file transfer window that seemingly sends the file some place that is not my phone?
• If my files are not being immediately sent to my phone, where are they being sent to?
• Have I just doubled up on any file I'm trying to bluetooth to my phone under some temp or other directory on my computer?
• Should my PC be "syncing" anything with my phone while using bluetooth file transfer? (this seems really messed up to me, but please educate me)
• Is there some place I can go to see the progress of a file being sent to my phone via File Explorer?

Thanks folks, I've only been computering for like 35 years, any yet I'm still surprised...

Look, even at the top directory, i'm showing that syncing icon. opening it up, it's my garbage bin that's syncing? holy cow, what's going on...

I honestly can not say what is happening as I do not own an Android phone nor do I use BT or the Phone link with my phone. But here's what I am guessing..

_kaurus said:

my phone is not linked to the cloud storage

Click to expand...

Your phone may not be connected to Onedrive but if you sign into your computer with a MS account your computer certainly is connected to Onedrive because, unless you have changed it, documents, pictures, desktop, and videos folders default location is Onedrive, NOT in your user folder on your system drive. You have only 5gb of free Onedrive storage with your Microsoft account (unless you are an Office365 subscriber whereas you get 1TB).

I suggest you go to onedrive on the web to check if the movie is there. Signin in the upper right corner using your Microsoft account. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/onedrive/online-cloud-storage

In Onedrive on the web, at the bottom of the left hand column you will see your usage. You may have exceeded your usage quota.

I did find this statement from Microsoft relating to files transferred from Windows to phone.
Note: Only locally saved files can be shared between devices. When sharing files stored in the cloud, only links to the cloud locations will be shared.
reference: Seamlessly transfer content between your devices - Microsoft Support

glasskuter said:

I suggest you go to onedrive on the web to check if the movie is there. Signin in the upper right corner using your Microsoft account. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/onedrive/online-cloud-storage

Click to expand...

Ya, nothing there. My media drive isn't linked to one drive.

glasskuter said:

I did find this statement from Microsoft relating to files transferred from Windows to phone.
Note: Only locally saved files can be shared between devices. When sharing files stored in the cloud, only links to the cloud locations will be shared.
reference: Seamlessly transfer content between your devices - Microsoft Support

Click to expand...

all of the files i was transfering are local.

Thanks for the attempt to help.

As one who does have an Android phone, and does use Phone Link (as well as OneDrive) I can tell you OneDrive is not a Phone Link requirement, and as such is not associated with Phone Link; however, it (Phone Link) does require a Microsoft Account.


Also, by default your BT transfer files are stored under.... "C\Users\UserName\Downloads\Phone Link", Unless you chose to move them elsewhere. BTW, the "Downloads" is not a sync'd OneDrive folder so anything in the Downloads folder should not be in OneDrive. You can include it if you want but by default, no.

Anyway, the file transfer image you posted actually tells you where the files are being saved.... "Movies". If you click that link (Movies) when transferring files it'll take you directly to the folder the files are being moved to

All said, are you sure those files aren't being sent to a folder (Movies) inside your OneDrive folder???

Let us know

I have an android phone, but have not used Phone Link. When I want to copy a file I either connect via USB, or use the Android app CX File Explorer which can access shared folders via Wi-Fi. It is much faster. All you need to do it make a folder shared on the PC, or copy the files you want to access on a shared folder. Then access that folder from the phone and copy-paste were you want it. Similarly you can upload from the phone to the shared folder. Also, as far as I know all files sent via Bluetooth to the phone are saved in the Bluetooth folder, I don't know if Phone Link allows you to chose another location. Besides, I think they are MARKED to sync and you have to do something more to start syncing. Remember when we copy-pasted files into the CD-R or DVD-R using File Explorer? They weren't copied immediately, they were MARKED to be copied. We then had to click on the appropriate option (don't remember details) to start burning on the blank disc. Probably Phone Link via Bluetooth works similarly. You first mark the files to copy and then you must initiate the copy process. Haven't used it, I cannot tell for sure.

spapakons said:

When I want to copy a file I either connect via USB, ....

Click to expand...

For the record, when I want to transfer / move files I too use USB and not BT but that's us. I went overboard (as I see now) in explaining Phone Link because it was mentioned by another member even though the OP never mentioned it. The real issue is Bluetooth transfers and where those files are being sent to.

That said, you can also transfer files via Phone Link as well (should the OP be using Phone Link)....

Yes you can but Bluetooth is much slower than Wi-Fi and USB. Also I don't like the default location of Bluetooth folder. I want to choose where I copy my files. Other folder for videos, other for music, other for documents.

spapakons said:

Yes you can but Bluetooth is much slower than Wi-Fi and USB.

Click to expand...

It's not about what we think or what we prefer, it's about helping the OP use what they wish to use.

spapakons said:

Also I don't like the default location of Bluetooth folder.

Click to expand...

Not that hard to change the default location



Sometimes you have to recognize not everyone wants to do it the way we do;, and especially if alternate means exists.

Dru2 said:

It's not about what we think or what we prefer, it's about helping the OP use what they wish to use.


Not that hard to change the default location

View attachment 134173

Sometimes you have to recognize not everyone wants to do it the way we do;, and especially if alternate means exists.

Click to expand...

Well it looks like I haven't done it for too long, I forgot this little detail, that I can change the location. Thanks.

Also "Bluetooth is much slower than Wi-Fi and USB" is a relative term - if you're transferring megabytes of files, yeah BT is slow, if you're transferring a couple of files totaling less than a meg, BT is just as good as Wi-Fi or USB. Example I transferred a document file of 288 bytes and it was instantaneous. So yeah, depending on what you're doing is going to dictate the route you take.

I don't transfer only documents, I also transfer photos (some MB each) and videos (at least 50MB+ depending on quality and duration).