Ubuntu 14.04 and Android, can't see phone on my computer

Question

I have installed gMTP and tried to follow this tutorial to solve this problem: http://www.webupd8.org/2013/01/upgrade-to-gvfs-with-mtp-support-in.html

But neither worked. I tried to connect both my phone (Nexus 4) and my dad's phone (Galaxy Note 2), and neither is being detected by Ubuntu. They don't show up on my files and on gMTP.

Is there another fix? or something more specific for Android 4.3 and Ubuntu 14.04

Would it be correct to say you have Ubuntu 14.04 installed, but you followed the instructions to enable the 12.04 and 12.10 PPA? Remove that PPA sudo ppa-purge ppa:langdalepl/gvfs-mtp "13.10 (Saucy) and newer versions of Ubuntu contain all of these changes, so you don't need to use this ppa any more." — bain, May 08 '14 at 22:19
I purged it, and I installed that ppa, but nothing is detected still... — asosnovsky, May 08 '14 at 23:00
Possible dupe Unable to mount/access phone after upgrade to Ubuntu 14.04 — bain, May 08 '14 at 23:31
sudo apt-get install mtpfs worked with a note 3 with android 4.4.2. Thanks! — , Jun 13 '14 at 06:20
This guide (Connect an Android device using MTP in Ubuntu 14.04 LTS) solved my problem. The 51-android.rules is missing in ubuntu 14.10. It works (at least in my case) without libmtp-dev, fuse and rebooting system. — bartolo-otrit, Mar 24 '15 at 19:58
Me, I just had missed the "USB plugged in" notification, that I can click to set it from "charge phone" to "transfer files" (Android 7, Ubuntun 16) — yPhil, Jun 19 '17 at 01:16

score 59 · Accepted Answer · edited May 31 '16 at 23:18

59

I had the same problem this fixed it:

sudo apt-get install mtpfs

Once that's installed, plug in the phone to your computer. If nothing happens, on the phone go to Settings > Storage > Upper Right Corner (⋮) > USB Computer Connection > Media Device.

edit:

Settings > Search (type in "usb") > USB configuration ... If non existent make sure developer options have been enabled.

Open Settings> About> Software Information> More.
Then tap “Build number” seven times to enable Developer options. ...
Go back to Settings menu and now you'll be able to see “Developer options” there.
Tap it and turn on USB Debugging from the menu on the next screen.

Once they have been enable and the above package installed, also be sure to have the phone plugged in and then go back into developer options and update the USB configuration as shown in the picture below.

edited May 31 '16 at 23:18

jmunsch

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answered May 10 '14 at 15:40

Chris

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That didnt work... – asosnovsky May 12 '14 at 23:50
Worked fine for me with Ubuntu 14.04 and Samsung Galaxy GT19100-T / Android 4.1.2. – Michael J May 25 '14 at 16:49
5

Yea this finally worked out lol It didn;t work originally because my phone didn't has mtpfs enabled facepalm – asosnovsky Jun 13 '14 at 23:47
I can see directories but no files after installing mtpfs and browsing the phone. – Whippy Jan 14 '15 at 04:42
There's nothing in the upper-right corner. – DanielLC Feb 05 '15 at 00:56
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I already had mtpfs installed but the phone would not mount. I plugged the phone into a different USB port and it worked...not sure why. – Jerinaw Feb 25 '15 at 01:31
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Something buggy about this. I too plugged in a different USP port and it worked. – Donato Apr 30 '15 at 04:31
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In fact, sometimes you even have to restart the phone. – Donato Jun 02 '15 at 03:30
After installing mtpfs I had to change my phone's USB config from MTP to charging and then back to MTP. Remounting the phone from Nautilus didn't do it. The strange thing is that this all worked fine before I upgraded Android a few days ago. Ubuntu 14.04, Nexus 5 with Android 6. – Dan Ross Oct 19 '15 at 17:34
"Upper Right Corner" just has "Help & feedback" – Nicolas Raoul Apr 10 '16 at 09:11
There is no "usb configuration" under developer options. – mchid Nov 01 '16 at 09:58
Can confirm this works perfectly with 16.04 and the latest Android. – Misterio Jan 01 '17 at 19:20

cvr · Answer 2 · 2017-08-02T16:42:09.090

I use Android 7, Ubuntu 16.04.

My phone did not connect via USB. Only blank Nautilus window opened. Installing mtpfs did not help. Phone was mounted, hovering the mouse over "Samsung Android" field in Nautilus showed "mtp://[USB 001, 014]/". Press eject did not change the condition. Pressing alert dialogue in phone to allow computer access just opened another blank Nautilus window. In Android 7 I can no longer find developer options or how to set phone as media device.

I gave the following commands in the terminal:

sudo apt-get install jmtpfs
sudo mkdir /media/myphone

After doing this, the phone connected without problems. I am not sure the second step is needed. Further steps (if someone may need them) can be found here: How to connect Android 7.1 to Ubuntu Linux with USB?

When I now connect the phone, Nautilus will still open with a blank window, but after pressing the alert box "Allow computer access" (that appears in the phone), a second window opens in Nautilus, showing both phone memory and external card.

WinEunuuchs2Unix · Answer 3 · 2016-08-10T22:46:57.497

1

With the phone (Android 6) plugged in via USB Nautilus (Ubuntu 16.04) shows "USB Driver". Clicking the eject icon in the name removes this label from Nautilus and a moment later the smart phone is mounted with internal storage and SD card opened in the window.

edited Aug 10 '16 at 22:46

answered Aug 10 '16 at 02:52

WinEunuuchs2Unix

106,122

Installed mtpfs. I press eject but Nautilus window still opens blank when phone is connected. I confirm one alert box in phone to allow computer access, that will just open another blank Nautilus window. I can not find developer options or how to set phone as media device in Android 7. Use 16.04. Any advice appreciated. – cvr Aug 01 '17 at 18:53
If I hover mouse over "Samsung Android" field in Nautilus it shows mtp://[USB 001, 014]/ I assume it means the phone is mounted. Nautilus also opens new window when I confirm computer access in the phone. But still blank Nautilus windows. – cvr Aug 01 '17 at 19:01
My problem is solved, using this: https://askubuntu.com/questions/854332/how-to-connect-android-7-1-to-ubuntu-linux-with-usb – cvr Aug 01 '17 at 19:12
@ycc_swe Thank you for sharing your journey. You might want to write an answer of your own and post it here. My answer here was one of the first ones I had written and now I deem it to be low quality. As such I will be deleting it soon. – WinEunuuchs2Unix Aug 02 '17 at 00:16

Ubuntu 14.04 and Android, can't see phone on my computer

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