In our guide on how to sideload apps on Android TV, we’ve covered all the ways you can transfer files to Android TV. But what if you want to transfer files from Android TV to PC or smartphone? Well, in this article, we provide you several ways to send files from Android TV to any device. We also mentioned a method where you don’t need a common WiFi network to transfer the files. So without further ado, let’s go ahead and learn the steps.
Transfer Files from Android TV to PC or Smartphone (2021)
Here you can find the four methods we have covered in this guide. To easily access the appropriate section, you can click on the link below.
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SFTV
The easiest way to transfer files from Android TV to your PC or smartphone is to use the SFTV app. It allows you to transfer files to both sides seamlessly. Keep in mind that your Android TV and the receiving device must be connected to a common WiFi network for the transfer to take place. Also note that the SFTV app is not available on iOS.
1. First, go ahead and install the SFTV app (To free) on both your Android TV and your PC/smartphone.
2. Next, open the SFTV app on your Android TV and PC/smartphone. After that, click on “ To send on Android TV.
3. On the next page, select the file of your internal storage that you want to transfer from Android TV.
4. Now, SFTV will detect the receiving device. Simply click on it and within seconds the file will be transferred to your PC or smartphone. Make sure your smartphone or PC is actively running the SFTV app.
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solid explorer
Solid Explorer is another easy way to transfer files from Android TV to PC/smartphone. It uses the Solid Explorer application to create an ftp server on your Android TV. After that, you can access the entire internal storage on any local device including iOS. Keep in mind, just like the method above, your two devices must be connected to a common WiFi network.
1. Open the Play Store on your Android TV and install solid explorer (To free, offers in-app purchases).
2. After that, open Solid Explorer and go to the hamburger menu on the top left corner. Here, scroll down and expand the “ Toolbox then open “FTP Server”.
3. Now just click on “ To start up and you’re done.
4. Open a web browser on any device connected to the local network and enter the FTP address. For example, I entered ftp://192.168.0.106:9999. Keep in mind that the FTP address may be different for you.
5. Upon opening the FTP address, you will find all your Android TV content available on your device. Now just click on any file and it will be downloaded to your device. Easy, right?
6. When the transfer is complete, open Solid Explorer and click “Stop” to terminate ftp server. Now you can just start the server from Solid Explorer and access all your TV files and folders.
7. If you use Chrome to open the FTP server and the web the browser does not open the URL then you have to activate an indicator. Open chrome://flags and enable the “Enable FTP URL support” flag. Now restart Chrome and the FTP URL will start working again.
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AfDB
Unlike the two methods above, this one is a bit technical by nature and only applicable for transferring Android TV to desktop. So if you have tinkered with ADB before, you can try this method. It’s actually a pretty simple process, but you need a common WiFi network.
1. Just set up ADB on your computer and open Settings -> Network & Internet -> Your WiFi network on your Android TV. Right here, write down the IP address.
2. After that run adb connect ipaddress to connect to your Android TV wirelessly. Be sure to replace ipaddress with the actual IP address you noted above. Then press enter and your Android TV will be connected to your computer via ADB wirelessly.
3. Now run the below command to extract files from your android tv to your computer. Here you need to replace the filename with the actual name including the file format. The file will be saved in the ADB folder on your computer.
adb pull /sdcard/filename
If the file is inside the To download case:
adb pull /sdcard/Download/filename
If you want to shoot a completed case:
adb pull “/sdcard/Foldername”
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cloud service
If you are not in a common WiFi network Then you can use cloud services to transfer files from Android TV to PC. We have already written a guide on setting up a cloud service on Android TV. So follow the step-by-step tutorial and you will have a working cloud setup. Now you can simply upload your files to the cloud service and access them on any device, from anywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How to transfer files from Android TV to USB?
You must plug the USB drive into the USB port on your TV. After that, install Solid Explorer (free, offers in-app purchases) or any other file manager for Android TV and from there you can transfer files from Android TV to your USB drive.
Q. How do I transfer videos from my Android smartphone to my TV?
As I mentioned above, you can use the SFTV app (To free) to easily transfer videos from your Android smartphone to TV and vice versa.
Q. How do I transfer files from my phone to my LG Smart TV?
On LG Smart TV, you need to use a USB drive to transfer files from your phone to the TV.
Q. What is the best file manager app for Android?
I would choose Solid Explorer as the best file manager for Android, but you can also take a look at FX File Explorer.
Q. How do I install Google Drive on my Android TV?
You can’t officially install Google Drive on your Android TV, but you can certainly access all your files via cloud integration. Just follow the steps in the Cloud Service section of this article and you will be able to use your Google Drive files on Android TV.
Q. How do I use AirPlay?
To use AirPlay, you need an iPhone or iPad and an AirPlay-enabled TV.
Q. How do I put images from my phone onto my TV?
You can browse the SFTV section of this article and then you can put pictures from your phone on the TV.
Q. How do I stream to my TV without Wi-Fi?
You can use a USB-C to HDMI cable to cast your smartphone screen to your TV without WiFi. You need to move to the correct HDMI input.
Q. How do I wirelessly connect my phone to my TV?
To wirelessly connect your phone to your Android TV, follow the ADB section of this article.
Q. How do you connect your phone to a smart TV?
You can use the SFTV app to connect your phone to a smart TV for file transfer. And if you want to mirror your phone screen, use the Screencast feature on your smartphone.
Q. How do I connect my Android phone to my non-smart TV?
Unfortunately, you cannot connect an Android phone to a non-smart TV.
Q. How do I transfer movies from my phone to my TV?
You can use the SFTV app to transfer movies from your smartphone to the TV.
Send Files from Android TV to PC or Smartphone in Four Ways
So here are the four ways you can send files from your Android TV, whether it’s an APK file or a document, to your PC/smartphone. I would say for most users the SFTV app would suffice. But if you’re using an iPhone, try the Solid Explorer method. It is just as transparent as the other methods. Either way, that’s all about us. If you want to learn more about these Android TV tips and tricks, follow our linked guide. And if you have any questions, let us know in the comments section below.
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