In our guide on how to sideload apps on Android TV, we’ve covered all the ways to transfer files to Android TV. But what if you want to transfer files from Android TV to PC or smartphone? In this article, we provide multiple ways to send files from Android TV to any device. We also mentioned a method where you don’t need a public WiFi network to transfer files. So without any delay, let’s go ahead and learn the steps.
Transfer Files from Android TV to PC or Smartphone (2021)
Here you can find all four methods we covered in this guide. You can click on the link below to easily move to the relevant section.
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SFTV
The easiest way to transfer files from Android TV to your PC or smartphone is with the SFTV app. It allows you to seamlessly transfer files from both ends. Remember, your Android TV and the receiving device must be connected to a public 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 (Free) both on your Android TV and on your PC/smartphone.
2. Then open the SFTV app on your Android TV and PC/smartphone. From now on, “To send” on Android TV.
3. On the next page, select file from your internal storage that you want to stream from Android TV.
4. Now, SFTV will detect the receiving device. Just click on it and in 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 simple way to transfer files from Android TV to PC/smartphone. It uses the Solid Explorer application. Create FTP server on your Android TV. After that, you can access all internal storage on any local device including iOS. Just keep in mind that both of your devices must be connected to a public WiFi network, as in the method above.
1. Open Play Store on your Android TV and Install Solid Explorer (Freeoffers in-app purchases).
2. Then open Solid Explorer and go to the hamburger menu in the upper left corner. Here, scroll down to the “toolbox” menu and then open “FTP Server”.
3. Now, “Beginning” and you are done.
4. Open a web browser Enter the FTP address on any device connected to the local network. For example, I entered ftp://192.168.0.106:9999. Note that the FTP address may be different for you.
5. When you open the FTP address, you can find all the content of your Android TV on your device. Now, simply click on any file and it will be downloaded to your device. Easy peas, right?
6. After completing the transfer, open Solid Explorer and click “Stop”. Terminate FTP server. Now you can start the server from Solid Explorer and access all your TV files and folders.
7. If you use Chrome to open FTP server and web browser does not open URL then you need to enable a flag. Open chrome://flags and untick “Enable support for FTP URLs”. Now restart Chrome and FTP URL will start working again.
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ADB
Unlike the two methods above, this method a little technical in nature and only applicable for streaming from Android TV to desktop computer. So if you have dealt with ADB before, you can try this method. It’s actually a pretty simple process, but you need a public WiFi network.
1. Install ADB on your computer and open Settings -> Network & Internet -> Your WiFi Network on your Android TV. Here, Note down the IP address.
2. After that run adb connect ipaddress Make sure to change it to connect wirelessly to your Android TV ipaddress with the actual IP address you noted above. Next, hit enter and your Android TV will connect to your computer via wireless ADB.
3. Now, run the following command Pull 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 your computer’s ADB folder.
adb pull /sdcard/filename
If in file download file:
adb pull /sdcard/Download/filename
if you want to take a complete file:
adb pull "/sdcard/Foldername"
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cloud service
if you not on a public 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 upload your files to the cloud service and access them from any device, anywhere.
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 other file managers for Android TV and from there you can transfer files from Android TV to your USB drive.
Q. How Can I Stream Videos From My Android Smartphone To My Television?
You can use the SFTV app as I mentioned above (Free) It is possible 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 flash drive to transfer files from your phone to the TV.
Q. Which 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 cannot officially install Google Drive on your Android TV, but with cloud integration you can definitely access all your files. Just follow the steps in the Cloud Service section of this article; 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.
Q. How Can I Put Pictures From My Phone To My TV?
You can check out the SFTV section of this article and then you will be able to put pictures from your phone to the TV.
Q. How Can I Stream to My Television Without WiFi?
You can use a USB-C to HDMI cable to cast your smartphone screen to your TV without WiFi. You need to switch to the appropriate HDMI input.
Q. How Do I Wirelessly Connect My Phone to My TV?
Follow the ADB section of this article to wirelessly connect your phone to your Android TV.
Q. How to Connect Your Phone to 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 screenshot 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 Can I Stream Movies From My Phone To My TV?
You can use the SFTV app to stream movies from your smartphone to TV.
Four Ways to Send Files from Android TV to PC or Smartphone
So these are four ways to send files from your Android TV to your PC/smartphone, whether it’s an APK or a document file. For most users, I can say that the SFTV application will be sufficient. But if you are using an iPhone, try the Solid Explorer method. It is as hassle-free as other methods. Anyway, that’s it for us. Follow our linked guide if you want to know more about such Android TV tips and tricks. And if you have any questions, let us know in the comment section below.
