How to Find and Install an MTK MTP Driver in Windows

If a phone or tablet with a MediaTek (MTK) chipset charges over USB but does not show up in File Explorer, the problem is usually the MTP driver. MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) is the mode Android uses to share photos, videos, recordings and other files with a computer. Windows includes a standard MTP driver, so a MediaTek device rarely needs a separate download. The fix is usually to get Windows to assign its built-in driver correctly.

Before you start

MTP file transfer runs locally between the phone and the PC over the USB cable. It does not need an online account or a cloud service. The only part that may go online is Windows Update, if you use it to fetch a driver.

• A USB cable that carries data. Some cables only charge, and with those the phone never appears as a device.
• A direct USB port on the computer rather than an unpowered hub or a front-panel port with a loose connection.
• The phone unlocked with its screen on. Android hides its storage from the PC while the device is locked.
• A Windows account with administrator rights, which you need to change drivers in Device Manager.
• The Windows edition name. N and KN editions ship without media components that MTP depends on. To check, open Settings, then System, then About.

There are several kinds of MediaTek driver. The MediaTek USB VCOM (preloader) driver is used by flashing and repair tools when the phone is powered off or in a special boot mode. It is not the driver for everyday file transfer, and installing it does not make the phone appear in File Explorer. Avoid unsigned driver packs that ask you to disable driver signature enforcement just to copy files.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Switch the phone to file transfer mode

Connect the phone and unlock it. Pull down the notification shade and tap the USB notification, which often says the device is charging over USB. Choose the option for file transfer. Depending on the manufacturer and Android version, it may be labeled File transfer, Transfer files or MTP. If you choose photo transfer (PTP) or charging only, Windows uses a different driver or none.

If no USB notification appears, try another cable or port first. On some Android versions, Developer options has a Default USB configuration setting where you can pick file transfer. That menu is hidden until developer options are enabled, and its exact name can vary.

2. Look at the device in Device Manager

Right-click the Start button and open Device Manager. With the phone connected in file transfer mode, check these places:

• Portable Devices: a correctly installed phone appears here under its model name or a generic name.
• Other devices: an entry with a yellow warning icon, often named MTP, the phone model or an MTxxxx name, means no working driver is assigned.
• Universal Serial Bus devices or Android Device: entries here usually belong to ADB or other interfaces, not to file transfer.

3. Assign the built-in Windows MTP driver

If the phone appears with a warning icon, right-click it and choose Update driver. Select Browse my computer for drivers, then Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer. If the list is filtered, clear the compatible-hardware checkbox. Open the Portable Devices category, pick Standard MTP Device or the generic MTP entry, and select MTP USB Device. Confirm the warning, finish the wizard, then unplug and reconnect the phone.

Wording and grouping in this wizard differ slightly between Windows 10 and Windows 11, but the built-in MTP USB Device driver is part of standard editions of both.

4. Check Windows Update for an optional driver

If the generic driver does not appear, or the phone maker publishes its own USB driver through Windows Update, look in optional updates.

• Windows 11: Settings, then Windows Update, then Advanced options, then Optional updates.
• Windows 10: Settings, then Update & Security, then Windows Update, then View optional updates.

Install only driver entries that match the connected device, then reconnect the phone.

5. Add the Media Feature Pack on N editions

On Windows N or KN editions, MTP devices often fail until the Media Feature Pack is installed. In current Windows 10 and Windows 11 releases it is offered as an optional feature in Settings, under Apps, in the optional features section. Older Windows 10 builds handled it differently, so check what your version offers. Restart the computer after installing it, then reconnect the phone.

Keeping the change reversible

Each step in Device Manager can be undone. If a newly assigned driver makes things worse, open the device's Properties, go to the Driver tab and use Roll Back Driver if it is available. Otherwise, right-click the device, choose Uninstall device and reconnect the phone so Windows detects it again. Do not delete driver files manually from system folders.

Check the output

In Device Manager, the phone should appear under Portable Devices with no warning icon. In File Explorer, it should appear under This PC as a device, not as a drive letter. Open it and you should see internal storage, plus the memory card if one is inserted. If the device shows up but looks empty, unlock the phone and confirm that file transfer mode is still selected.

Copy one small file from the phone to the PC and one from the PC to the phone. Then open each copy at its destination. A file that opens correctly confirms that both directions work.

• MTP works through File Explorer and through programs that support portable devices. Some editing and media apps cannot open files directly from the phone, so copy them to a local folder first.
• New photos, videos or recordings may not appear on the PC until the phone indexes them. Reconnecting the phone often makes them visible.
• MTP copies whole files. Copies interrupted by a disconnect or a locked screen can be incomplete, so check large videos after transferring them.
• MTP does not change file quality or format. Files arrive exactly as stored on the phone. Any conversion, for example of HEIF photos, happens in the phone's own settings or apps, not in the driver.

Common problems and next steps

MTP USB Device failed or shows an error code

Open the device's Properties and read the status message on the General tab. On N and KN editions, install the Media Feature Pack first. On other editions, uninstall the device, reconnect it, and assign the MTP USB Device driver manually as described above. If the error stays the same across different cables and ports, try another computer to find out whether the problem is on the phone side or the PC side.

Searching for an MTK MTP driver download

For file transfer, standard Windows editions already include the driver that MediaTek-based Android devices use, so a separate download is rarely needed. If you do need a vendor package, get it from the phone manufacturer's official support channel and check that it is meant for your model and Windows version. Treat third-party driver bundles with caution, especially ones that also install VCOM, ADB and flashing tools you did not ask for.

MT65xx Preloader appears and disappears

A preloader entry that shows up for a few seconds usually means the phone was connected while powered off or starting up. That interface belongs to the VCOM driver used by flashing tools. For file transfer, turn the phone on fully, unlock it and select file transfer mode.

The phone only charges or shows as Android ADB Interface

Charge-only behavior usually comes from the cable, the port or the USB mode chosen on the phone. An ADB interface entry means USB debugging is active. ADB is separate from MTP and does not replace it, so file transfer mode still needs to be selected.

When to stop and use another method

If the phone is detected on other computers but not on yours after these steps, the cause is likely in that Windows installation or its USB controller drivers. If it is not detected anywhere, the phone's USB port or software may need service. In the meantime, copy files with a memory card reader or another transfer method you trust. Check where that method stores your files before using it for private photos or recordings.