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How to manually transfer music to your Android's SD card

Learn about one of the most organized methods of transferring music to your Android.

Nicole Cozma
Nicole Cozma has an affinity for Android apps and devices, but loves technology in general. Based out of the Tampa Bay Area, she enjoys being a spectator to both sunsets and lightning storms.
Nicole Cozma

Phones that can browse the Web, e-mail, and check Twitter usually include a music player. And what better to listen to on your phone than your own music? Here's an easy guide to help add some tunes to your phone's library without any third-party software.

Step 1: Locate the music files on your computer.

Step 2: Connect the phone via USB cable and select "Turn on USB storage," which will allow you to mount the SD card to add music. If no prompt appears, there will be a USB icon in the notification shade (at top) that will bring up the prompt to complete this step.

 
Screenshot by Nicole Cozma

 
Screenshot by Nicole Cozma

Step 3: Once connected, access the SD card through its respective drive location (a prompt may appear for this, too, depending on personal settings).

 
Screenshot by Nicole Cozma

Step 4: Navigate through the media and then audio folders to find "music." This is where you will add your music files. Here's an example of where it will be located on Windows 7:

 
Screenshot by Nicole Cozma

Step 5: Once you're finished adding music, turn off USB storage on the phone. This option may appear when unlocking the phone, or it can be located in the notification area. Then unplug the USB cable.

 
Screenshot by Nicole Cozma

Now you have your own music selection to take anywhere with you. Note that some versions of Android offer additional settings for handling incoming sound notifications. These settings (if applicable) can be found in the settings menu within the music player.