In our guide on how to sideload apps on Android TV, we have described 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 bring you multiple ways to send files from Android TV to any device. We have also mentioned a method where you don’t need a common WiFi network to transfer the files. So without any delay, let’s go ahead and learn about the steps.
Here, you can find all the four methods that we have covered in this guide. To move to the relevant section easily, you can click on the link below.
SFTV
Solid Explorer
ADB
Cloud Service
SFTV
The easiest way to transfer files from Android TV to your PC or smartphone is through the SFTV app. It allows you to transfer files from both ends in a seamless manner. Keep in mind, your Android TV and the recipient 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.
SFTV
- Solid Explorer
Solid Explorer is another simple way to transfer files from Android TV to PC/smartphone. It uses the Solid Explorer app to create an FTP server on your Android TV. After that, you can access the whole internal storage on any local device including iOS. Keep in mind, just like the above method, both your devices must be connected to a common WiFi network.
Solid Explorer
- After you are done with the transfer, open Solid Explorer and click on “Stop” to end the FTP server. Now onwards, you can just start the server from Solid Explorer and you can access all your TV files and folders.
ADB
Unlike the above two methods, this one is a bit technical in nature and only applicable for transfer from Android TV to a desktop computer. So if you have tinkered with ADB before, you can try this method. It’s actually a fairly straightforward process, but you need a common WiFi network.
- Just set up ADB on your computer and open Settings -> Network and Internet -> Your WiFi Network on your Android TV. Here, note down the IP address.
adb pull /sdcard/filename
If you want to pull a complete folder:
- 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 how to set up a cloud service on Android TV so follow the tutorial step by step and you will have a working cloud setup. Now, you can just upload your files to the cloud service and access them on any device, from anywhere.
Cloud Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How Do I Transfer Files From Android TV to USB?
You need to plug the USB drive into your TV’s USB port. After that, install Solid Explorer (Free, offers in-app purchases) or any other file managers for Android TV and from there, you can transfer files from Android TV to your USB drive.
As I have mentioned above, you can use the SFTV app (Free) to easily transfer videos your Android smartphone to the TV and vice versa.
On LG Smart TV, you need to use a USB thumb drive to transfer files from your phone to the TV.
I would pick Solid Explorer as the best file manager for Android, but you can also give a look at FX File Explorer.
You can’t install Google Drive on your Android TV officially, but you can definitely access all your files through cloud integration. Just follow the steps under 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-compatible TV.
You can go through the SFTV section of this article and then you will be able to put pictures from your phone to the TV.
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 appropriate HDMI input.
To wirelessly connect your phone to your Android TV, follow the ADB section of this article.
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 then use the screencast feature on your smartphone.
Q. How Can I Connect My Android Phone to My Non-smart TV?
Sadly, you can’t connect an Android phone a non-smart TV.
You can use the SFTV app to transfer movies from your smartphone to the TV.
