Unable to change USB mode

[SigSoldat]

I plug my phone into my PC via a USB cable. It charges, but it will not allow me to access my phone via the USB connection.

I search the forums and everyone says I should be able to pull down my notification bar and it will show the USB mode under "Ongoing". But it doesn't. It doesn't show that it is set for Camera, Charge Only, or anything else. And it doesn't give me an option to change the settings.

I went through the settings menu, I have searched this board, and I have searched Google, but I can't find an answer. I am using the Galaxy S3, Version 4.1.2, no root or other changes.

How do I change the USB settings so that I can access my phone files from my PC via a USB cable?

 

[SigSoldat]

Nothing? Bueller?

 

[CJM]

Make sure you have the drivers for your setup: http://m.samsung.com/us/function/es...ware&input_keyword=usb+driver+mobile+software

May have to have usb debugging on too

Tapped from a Nexus

 

[tucsonbella]

I went through the settings menu, I have searched this board, and I have searched Google, but I can't find an answer. I am using the Galaxy S3, Version 4.1.2, no root or other changes.

How do I change the USB settings so that I can access my phone files from my PC via a USB cable?

I hope you've found the answer since this thread is a few months old, but in case you didn't, I experienced the same frustration and finally figured it out. I haven't done it enough to know if it actually works all the time, but here's what I did.

I should mention that I've had the Galaxy s3 for a couple of months and know that at some point the USB option WAS available, and that I likely changed a default at some point and just cannot find it again.

Anyway, here's what I did to get the USB mass storage just like any other phone.

After discovering that the USB mass storage option was missing when I would connect the USB cable to my computer...

1. Disconnected USB and powered the phone off.

2. Powered the phone back on.

3. Went to Settings>Wireless and network

4. Selected "More settings"

5. Found the USB/Broadband option. Connected the USB. Tried to select the USB/broadband option and discovered it only works with a mobile hotspot plan (which defeats the purpose of the USB mass storage, um...). Went no further with that since my phone is a work phone and I really don't need the mobile hotspot.

6. Backed out to the main Settings screen. Discovered that the USB "magically" became available for mass storage. The AutoPlay window displayed on my computer and I was able to navigate to my files and voila, regular USB mass storage again.

Again, that could totally be non-repeatable but I'm betting that if it happened once, it can happen again.