How to set Android M default USB config to MTP rather than "charging only"?

Question

Whenever my device (Nexus 5, Android M Preview 3) connects via USB, the USB config always defaults to "charging only".

This is quite problematic because the USB port on my device is faulty and sometimes disconnects and reconnects when bumped and so I have to manually change the mode to MTP (media transfer protocol) from the notification drawer each time.

Debugging mode is enabled
Develop settings -> USB Configuration is set to MTP.

This is [documented behavior](http://developer.android.com/about/versions/marshmallow/android-6.0-changes.html#behavior-usb): "Device connections through the USB port are now set to charge-only mode by default. To access the device and its content over a USB connection, users must explicitly grant permission for such interactions." I have [a fresh question](https://stackoverflow.com/q/33545537/115145) on how to more easily turn MTP back on for debugging. — CommonsWare, Nov 05 '15 at 13:15
This is very annoying. Everytime I connect my Mac to the device, the Android file transfer dialog throws an error. I really cannot understand why Google implemented it this way. :-/ — waldgeist, Jan 06 '16 at 11:32
hello, did you find a solution how to set "files transfer" as default? — user25, Jul 16 '16 at 16:51
@user25 No. This answer to similar question says that it needs some kind of super user permissions: http://stackoverflow.com/a/33549060/1696114 but that "it is fixed in N developer preview". — Will Hardwick-Smith, Jul 17 '16 at 06:52

score 51 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 13 '16 at 10:37

51

I just tried this on my Nexus 5 (Android 6.0.1) and it worked:

Make sure your phone is NOT connected to any device over USB cable
Go to Settings - Developer options - Select USB Configuration
Set your desired default connection type

The trick was to have a phone disconnected from USB. I guess the idea behind such a behavior was that if you set an USB connection type while your phone is not connected to any device, it will be treated as a default behavior.

answered Oct 13 '16 at 10:37

Mladen B.

2,784
2
23
34

It works until you restart phone... At least on nexus 6p. Damn you google. – HRVHackers Feb 09 '17 at 04:34
11

it didn't work for me either, it'll revert back to Charging after the first try. – Hank Feb 09 '17 at 21:17
Works also on "O" (8.0.0). Thank you. – freewheeler Jul 07 '17 at 06:36
1

I had to unselect an reselect mtp – Becario Senior Aug 09 '17 at 13:05
On Android "O" Nexus 5x this only works the first time you connect. Second time onward it defaults to USB Charging. – Dojo Sep 14 '17 at 13:18
1

it works for me only if `[persist.sys.usb.config]: [adb,mtp]`. – Benny Oct 09 '17 at 13:45
1

@Benny where do you set the above config? – Janaka Bandara Nov 25 '20 at 09:54
This trick works on a Huawei with Android 9. – anishjp Dec 19 '20 at 03:13
@HRVHackers. yep, restart is dangerous ;-) I'm looking for inexpensive Linux phone. – Alex Martian Dec 30 '21 at 20:10

Nikhil Nanjappa · Answer 2 · 2016-05-09T06:17:35.803

By Default, Android 6.0 does not provide an automated method to select MTP when the device is connected as USB. After much wait and research through XDA, blogs, stackoverflow etc, the best solution I found to this was a small application, named MTP enabler PRO Marshmallow(4.5 MB) - built by one of the users to overcome this problem.

This requires a rooted device.

Below is a link to download the APK file.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/app-mtp-enbaler-t3263467

Below is a link to the app in PlayStore(paid app)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mtp_enabler.esolutions4you.de.mtpenabler&hl=en

Hope it helped.

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 26 '16 at 17:27

This is a major problem for a layman to use. To access the files on your PC you need to follow the steps mentioned below:

Swipe down on the screen, tap on "USB for file transfer".
Select the option "Transfer Files(MTP)".

Primarily this should solve the problem. But, if this DOES NOT solve the problem, then follow the following steps.

Make sure the SD card is inserted properly.
Go to "Settings-->Apps".
Tap on the three dots on the TOP RIGHT corner of the screen and tap on "Show system apps".
In that list of apps, find the apps "External Storage" and "Media Storage".
Now clear the data and cache for those apps.
Reboot your device.
Now go to "Settings-->Developer options" and enable "USB debugging".
Then tap on "Select USB configuration" and select the option "MTP(Media Transfer Protocol)".

Now connect your device to your PC and you should be ready to go.

You have to follow these steps only once, however, you need to select the type of connection every time by swiping down on screen and selecting the option "MTP".

Hope this helps...!

_"Select USB configuration" and select the option "MTP(Media Transfer Protocol)"._ it works only one time, on the second device connecting to pc it's again charging — user25, Jul 16 '16 at 16:42
Does this offer any improvement to what I said I have tried already? It seems like the conclusion is the same as I am dealing with. — Will Hardwick-Smith, Jul 17 '16 at 06:55
Only uses MTP the next time USB is plugged in -- doesn't default to MTP every time. — NateS, Jun 03 '17 at 16:58

How to set Android M default USB config to MTP rather than "charging only"?

3 Answers3

Linked