What to do if your Huawei P10 is not recognized by your Windows PC (easy steps)

You want to move some of your important files from your Huawei P10 to your Windows computer but you couldn’t because the computer doesn’t recognize your phone. If you are here for the same concern, then feel free to use this content as reference when you troubleshoot the problem.

One of the requisites in managing smartphone contents is a computer. First, you will need to download and install a device management software or app on your computer. Once the app is installed, you may proceed by connecting the phone to your computer using a compatible USB cable. But before you can start managing your phone contents, your computer still needs to recognize your phone. Normally it will do the recognition the moment you’ve attached the USB cable on both ends of your phone and computer. However in some cases, it won’t happen because something is preventing your computer from detecting your phone. This is the main issue that we are going to address in this post. Read on and get help.

Before we proceed, if you’re looking for a solution to a problem with your phone, try to browse through our troubleshooting pages to see if we support your device. If your phone is in the list of our supported devices, then go to the troubleshooting page and look for similar problems. Feel free to use our solutions and workarounds. Don’t worry it’s free. But if you still need our help, then fill up our Android issues questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.

Why does your computer unable to recognize your Huawei P10?

Among the possible reasons as to why your Huawei P10 couldn’t establish proper connection or unable to communicate with your Windows computer include but not limited to a faulty USB cable, damaged USB port, security software, missing drivers, and random software glitches. That said, be sure to look into each of these factors when you troubleshoot the problem and resolve the underlying cause.

How to fix the problem?

I have demonstrated a few effective solutions and workarounds that will help you determine what went wrong and what needs to be done so that your Huawei P10 will be recognized by your computer properly. Be sure to connect and test your devices after completing each method to find out they’re already able communicate with each other properly.

Use a different USB cable/connector

Switching to an alternative USB cable or connector can help you isolate whether or not the problem is with the USB cable or connector. Check for any visible signs of physical or liquid damage and if there’s none, retry connecting both your phone and computer.

Restart your Huawei P10 and your computer

A restart on both your Huawei P10 and your computer can help fix the problem is it’s due to a minor software issue.

To restart your Huawei P10, just press the Power key for a few seconds, then tap the option to Power off your phone. Wait for about 30 seconds then press the Power key again until your phone restarts. Alternatively, you can do a forced restart by pressing and holding down the Power key for about 10 to 20 seconds or until the phone power cycles.
To restart your Windows PC, you can do the usual procedure through the Start menu. To do so, click or right-click on the Start or Windows icon on the taskbar, then click the option to Restart. Wait for your computer to completely reboot then try to connect your phone again.

Make sure the USB cable is properly plugged into its respective ports.

Enable USB debugging on your Huawei P10

USB Debugging mode is integrated into various types of Android devices. The primary function of this mode is to facilitate a connection between an Android device and a computer using the Software Development Kit or Android SDK so it can be activated in Android after connecting the device to a computer via USB connection. Enabling this feature on your phone can help resolve issues tied to USB connections between your phone and a computer. Here’s how to make it work:

Turn on your Huawei P10.
Navigate to Application on your phone.
Then open Settings.
Under Settings, select About phone.
Scroll down and tap Build number several times until you see a message saying that “You are now a developer!”
Tap Back to get to the Developer options menu under Settings.
Select Developer options.
Then drag the Developer Options slider to the right to turn on the feature.
Check or mark the USB debugging option.
If you see the Allow USB Debugging message, click OK to confirm.

Your computer should now be able to recognize and communicate with your Huawei P10.

Verify and ensure necessary drivers are installed on your computer

Huawei USB drivers allow your phone to communicate properly with your computer. Huawei P10 drivers will be necessary if you have never owned a Huawei phone before. It’s because you would have never connected a Huawei device to your computer. Once installed, these drivers will help your computer recognize the Huawei P10 device and prevents any sort of issues with data transfers.

The official USB drivers for Huawei P10 usually come bundled with Huawei HiSuite that you can download for your Windows computer. Here’s what you should do then:

Download the Huawei USB drivers for your Huawei P10 ad install them on your computer.
Download the Huawei HiSuite and then install it on your computer. This app integrates the latest modem and MTP drivers required for your Huawei P10 to connect with the computer.
Connect your Huawei P10 to your computer using the supplied USB cable.
Make sure that both ends of the USB cable are properly secured then wait for the computer to recognize your phone.
Once the recognizes your phone, it will install and set up necessary files and drivers. Wait until all the required files are installed.
Then open My Computer or This PC to locate your Huawei P10 in the list of external (USB) devices connected to your computer.
Double-click on your phone to access its system on your computer. Now you are all set to browse through your phone folders and files on your Windows computer.

Other Alternatives

If none of these solutions worked for you, then you can always connect your phone over the network (wirelessly) using other tools like AirDroid. Doing so will not require Huawei drivers. Otherwise, contact your computer administrator for further assistance in installing the right drivers and configure your computer to detect your Huawei P10 among other external storage media.

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