Related articles * [USB storage devices](/index.php/USB_storage_devices "USB storage devices") [MTP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_Transfer_Protocol "wikipedia:Media Transfer Protocol"), or the *Media Transfer Protocol*, is a USB device class which is used by many mobile phones (all Windows Phone 7/8/10 devices, most newer Android devices) and media players (e.g. Creative Zen). ## Contents * [1 Installation](#Installation) * [1.1 Functionality](#Functionality) * [1.2 Integration with file managers](#Integration_with_file_managers) * [2 Usage](#Usage) * [2.1 libmtp](#libmtp) * [2.2 simple-mtpfs](#simple-mtpfs) * [2.3 jmtpfs](#jmtpfs) * [2.4 go-mtpfs](#go-mtpfs) * [2.5 mtpfs](#mtpfs) * [2.6 Android File Transfer](#Android_File_Transfer) * [2.7 Media players](#Media_players) * [2.8 gvfs-mtp](#gvfs-mtp) * [3 Troubleshooting](#Troubleshooting) * [3.1 libmtp](#libmtp_2) * [3.2 jmtpfs](#jmtpfs_2) * [3.2.1 Input/output error upon first access](#Input.2Foutput_error_upon_first_access) * [3.3 kio-mtp](#kio-mtp) ## Installation ### Functionality Linux MTP support is provided by [installing](/index.php/Installing "Installing") the [libmtp](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=libmtp) package. It can be installed on its own and used to access devices. However, a number of packages are available that use it as a dependency and add additional convenience (e.g. filemanager) functionalities and compatibility with particular device types - which includes improving transfer access speeds. These packages to choose from all implement a [Filesystem in Userspace](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filesystem_in_Userspace "wikipedia:Filesystem in Userspace"): * [mtpfs](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=mtpfs) - is reported to cause a critical error which prevents mounting * [jmtpfs](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/jmtpfs/) - is reported to work well for newer Android 4+ devices * [go-mtpfs-git](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/go-mtpfs-git/) - is reported to work well for newer Android 3+ devices * [simple-mtpfs](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/simple-mtpfs/) * [android-file-transfer](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=android-file-transfer) - MTP client with minimalistic UI All of them aim at better functionality and performance over `libmtp`. Since there are a lot of different USB devices, you might want to research first which one looks most suitable for yours. **Warning:** `libmtp` does not handle newer Android devices well - hanging transfers and problems with remote file system browsing are very common, poor performance is expected with most devices. Furthermore, if you have a damaged USB cable, programs utilizing libmtp may crash or hang indefinitely until you disconnect the device. It is recommended to connect your device with the USB Mass Storage (if available), or using [ADB](/index.php/ADB "ADB") (for example [adbfs-rootless-git](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/adbfs-rootless-git/)) to transfer files, which performs better on most devices and supports additional Android-specific features (like installing APKs, managing packages on the device, backing up data or accessing the device's shell). **Tip:** It is recommended to reboot your computer after installing MTP related packages. ### Integration with file managers To view the contents of your Android device's storage via MTP in your file manager, install the corresponding plugin: * For file managers that use [GVFS](/index.php/GVFS "GVFS") (GNOME Files), install [gvfs-mtp](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=gvfs-mtp) for MTP or [gvfs-gphoto2](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=gvfs-gphoto2) for PTP support. * For file managers that use KIO (KDE's Dolphin), MTP support is included in [kio-extras](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=kio-extras) (dependency of dolphin). After installing the required package, the device should show up in the file manager automatically and be accessible via an URL, for example `mtp://[usb:002,013]/`. ## Usage It might be required to create a mount-point directory first. The directory `~/mnt` is used as an example below. Also do not forget to unlock your phone's screen before connecting it to the computer. FUSE mounts can generally be unmounted using `fusermount -u *mountpoint*`. ### libmtp Run `mtp-detect` to detect your device. If an error is returned, make sure your user is in the see `uucp` [group](/index.php/Group "Group") and see [troubleshooting libmtp](#libmtp_2). You can transfer files using the `mtp-connect` command. Run `pacman -Ql libmtp` to see the other commands provided by *libmtp*. ### simple-mtpfs Run `simple-mtpfs -l` to list detected devices. To mount the first device in the list to `~/mnt`, run `simple-mtpfs --device 1 ~/mnt`. ### jmtpfs Mount device on `~/mnt`: ``` $ jmtpfs ~/mnt ``` Make this cohere to the rest of Linux (use regular mount/umount commands) by doing two steps ``` $# ln -s $ ln -s /sbin/jmtpfs /sbin/mount.jmtpfs ``` add this line to /etc/fstab; ``` #jmtpfs fuse nodev,allow_other, 0 0 jmtpfs /home/sam/run/motog fuse nodev,allow_other,rw,user,noauto,noatime,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0 ``` Now mount the device and see if the options "took" ``` $ mount /home/sam/run/motog Device 0 (VID=22b8 and PID=2e82) is a Motorola Moto G (ID2). Android device detected, assigning default bug flags $ mount ... jmtpfs on /home/sam/run/motog type fuse.jmtpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,noatime,user_id=1000,group_id=1000,allow_other,user=sam) ``` ### go-mtpfs **Note:** Mounting with `go-mtpfs` might fail if an external SD Card is present. If you try to access your device while having an SD card and go-mtpfs complains, try removing the SD card and mounting again. Install [android-udev](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=android-udev), which will allow you to edit `/etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules` and apply to your `idVendor` and `idProduct`, which you can see after running *mtp-detect*. To the end of the line, add your user `OWNER=""`. Mount device on `~/mnt`: ``` $ go-mtpfs ~/mnt ``` To unmount the device: ``` $ fusermount -u ~/mnt ``` **Note:** When using multiple devices you may want to use the `-d` flag to specify a device (id can be found by running `mtp-detect`) ### mtpfs **Note:** The following is likely to not work and you might have to resort to [gphoto2](/index.php/Digital_Cameras#libgphoto2 "Digital Cameras") or a file manager with gvfs support like [PCManFM](/index.php/PCManFM "PCManFM"). First edit your `/etc/fuse.conf` and uncomment the following line: ``` user_allow_other ``` Mount your device on `~/mnt`: ``` $ mtpfs -o allow_other ~/mnt ``` ### Android File Transfer FUSE interface Mount your device on `~/my-device`: ``` $ mkdir ~/my-device $ aft-mtp-mount ~/my-device ``` If you want album art to be displayed, it must be named `albumart.xxx` and placed first in the destination folder. Then copy other files. Also, note that fuse could be 7-8 times slower than ui/cli file transfer. Qt user interface Start the application, choose a destination folder and click any button on the toolbar. Available options are: *Upload Album*, *Upload Directory* and *Upload Files*. The latter two are self-explanatory. *Upload album* searches the source directory for album covers, and sets the best available cover. ### Media players You can also use your MTP device in music players such as Amarok. To achieve this, you might have to edit `/etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules` (the MTP device used in the following example is a Galaxy Nexus). Run: ``` $ lsusb ``` Search for your device. It should be something like that: ``` Bus 003 Device 011: ID 04e8:6860 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd GT-I9100 Phone [Galaxy S II], GT-P7500 [Galaxy Tab 10.1] ``` And entry to `/etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules` will be this: ``` SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="04e8", ATTR{idProduct}=="6860", MODE="0666", OWNER="[username]" ``` Also reload udev rules: ``` # udevadm control --reload ``` ### gvfs-mtp The [gvfs-mtp](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=gvfs-mtp) is available in the official repositories. With `lsusb` you can get information about your device where Bus and Device numbers can be used with `gvfs-mtp` and device ID for creating of an [udev](/index.php/Udev "Udev") rule. ``` Bus **002** Device **018**: ID **04b7**:**88a9** Compal Electronics, Inc. (...) ``` To see detected device with enabled MTP Use *gvfs-mount*: `gvfs-mount -li | grep -e ^Volume -e activation_root` ``` Volume(0): MT65xx Android Phone activation_root=mtp://[usb:**002**,**018**]/ ``` Use *lsusb*: `lsusb -v 2> /dev/null | grep -e Bus -e iInterface -e bInterfaceProtocol` ``` (...... ......) Bus 002 Device 018: ID 04b7:88a9 Compal Electronics, Inc. bInterfaceProtocol 0 iInterface 5 MTP (...... ......) ``` To mount all available connected MTP devices use inline script ``` gvfs-mount -li | awk -F= '{if(index($2,"mtp") == 1)system("gvfs-mount "$2)}' ``` To mount or dismount from a command with gvfs-mtp use Bus and Device numbers, e.g. to mount `gvfs-mount mtp://[usb:001,007]/` and to unmount `gvfs-mount -u mtp://[usb:001,007]/`. The mounted device will be available in a directory that begins with *mtp:host=* and is located under */run/user/$UID/gvfs/*. Disable automount of MTP devises with gvfs you will need to change value *true* to *false* for variable *AutoMount* that is located in `/usr/share/gvfs/mounts/mtp.mount`. **Note:** The file managers can have own options for automount. On start they checking for all available mountable devices. If your device isn't showing up in the file manager then the [libmtp](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=libmtp) is missing a native support and is not currently available in the list of the [supported devices](https://sourceforge.net/p/libmtp/code/ci/HEAD/tree/src/music-players.h). If you will try to mount by using command line you may also get an error ``` Device 0 (VID=*XXXX* and PID=*XXXX*) is UNKNOWN. Please report this VID/PID and the device model to the libmtp development team ``` The workaround to make it shown in the file manager is to write an [udev](/index.php/Udev "Udev") rule for the device but it is no guaranty that you will be able to mount it with by using MTP connection. Use ID number that represents by pattern **vendorId**:**productID**,e.g. **04b7**:**88a9**, and make an udev rule by creating a configuration file `/etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules` ``` SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="04b7", ATTR{idProduct}=="88a9", MODE="0660", GROUP="uucp", ENV{ID_MTP_DEVICE}="1", SYMLINK+="libmtp" ``` Reload the udev rules. ``` # udevadm control --reload ``` The file managers with support for [gvfs](/index.php/Gvfs "Gvfs") will be able to show MTP devices and mount them if supported by [libmtp](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=libmtp) but if has no support and cannot be opened then change settings in the phone to PTP and install [gvfs-gphoto2](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=gvfs-gphoto2) for having access at least to the photos, command line mounting of PTP is a little similar to mounting of the MTP devices: `gvfs-mount gphoto2://[usb:002,019]/`. **Note:** If you getting limited access to the device and cannot use standard commands from command line such as e.g. `cp`,`ls` then look for [gvfs](/index.php/Gvfs "Gvfs") own alternatives, `ls -1 /usr/bin/gvfs-*`. ## Troubleshooting ### libmtp ### jmtpfs #### Input/output error upon first access Symptoms: jmtpfs successfully mounts, but as soon as one attempts to access files on the device (e.g. via `ls`), an error is reported: ``` cannot access : Input/output error ``` This appears to be a security feature: MTP does not work when the phone is locked by the lockscreen. Unlock the phone and it should work again as long as the cord remains connected. ### kio-mtp If you are not able to use the action "Open with File Manager", you may work around this problem by editing the file `/usr/share/solid/actions/solid_mtp.desktop`. Change the line `Exec=kioclient exec mtp:udi=%i/` to `Exec=dolphin "mtp:/"`.