Transfer files between Zorin OS and Android phone (without additional downloaded programs)

Let's say you've got a file on your computer (running Zorin OS), and you want to transfer it to your Android phone.

Open Zorin Menu > Settings > Bluetooth, connect the phone via Bluetooth, then click the line for the connected phone. You'll see a dialog box like this:
xfer1
Click the      Send Files...     button, navigate to and select the file you want to send, click the Send button, give permission (on the phone) for the transfer to proceed, then check the "Downloads" directory on the phone for the file.


Let's say you want to transfer a file from the phone to your computer (running Zorin OS):

Open the file manager on the phone and navigate to the file you want to transfer. Select it by pressing and holding your finger on the file's icon. At the top of the window, you'll see the File Share icon:

Tap that icon, select "Bluetooth", select your computer and the file will be transferred to the computer's /home/$USER/Download directory (where $USER is your username, but you can use $USER since it's a pointer to the current user's username).

If the phone says the file transfer failed, it's likely due to permissions. Open Zorin Menu > Settings > Bluetooth on the computer and leave it open for the duration of the file transfer, and the file will transfer.

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13 posts were split to a new topic: Discussing Transfer files between Zorin OS and Android phone

Thanks for the tutorial.

I did want to add something here just in case someone else doesn't think to mention it:

It should be noted that due to Google/Android privacy policies and updates, since Android 11, Google has introduced new permission restrictions that limit access to certain parts of the file system, including the root directory. This is intended to improve security and protect user data but as you can imagine, many file manager applications that previously had access to the root directory may no longer have this capability without specific permission granted by the user or other workarounds.

This severely limits the functionality of the filesystem expose used by ZorinConnect and other similar applications like KDEConnect or GSConnect (from which ZorinConnect is based, I think), and only allows files to be transferred to non-root storage areas of your phones; like the Downloads, Pictures, or Documents folders.
Similarly, when transferring files to the computer from the phone, ZorinConnect will only be able to allow filesystem browsing to show files to transfer which are in the same type of folder.

I came across this problem early in my use of the above-mentioned application programs and I must say... I really wish there could be some kind of workaround/patch that would allow us to bypass the non-root storage areas restrictions for this application. Unfortunately, until the time we can receive such an update, the only way I can think of to bypass this filesystem permission restriction is to have a non-Android phone, or to be able to root your Android phone with a custom ROM installed.

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