Feature: Show phones connected via bluetooth in sidebar

[dharmababa]

What feature or improvement do you think would benefit Files?

If the new "Show mobile device in File Explorer" setting is toggled in Windows (Settings -> Bluetooth & devices -> Mobile devices -> Manage devices), then the phone should show up in the Files sidebar by default as well.

This gives the benefit of being able to browse the phone's file system wirelessly without having to connect it over USB. It just shows up in File Explorer as long as it is nearby and paired via Bluetooth. The device is already accessible in Files if you pin the device from File Explorer.

The feature is described here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/setting-up-and-using-your-phone-in-file-explorer-45ee7712-622c-4a9c-b9aa-a77fb145635e

Note: as of Nov 1, 2024 the feature is still being rolled out (requires update to Cross Device Experience Host via MS Store) so there is chance it won't show up right away.

Requirements

• Show devices from Phone Link in the sidebar

Files Version

3.7.11

Windows Version

26100.2161

Comments

Relevant Windows setting:

File Explorer view:

[Lamparter]

This was discussed in the Discord server, my phone appears correctly in the sidebar already 🤔

[dharmababa]

Hmm interesting. I did just get the Windows feature enabled but I tried rebooting and my phone is still not showing up in Files despite being in File Explorer.

[Josh65-2201]

Files doesn't put it on the sidebar automatically, but Files can still open it. You should be able to right click and then pin it to favorites in Windows File Explorer

[dharmababa]

Files doesn't put it on the sidebar automatically, but Files can still open it. You should be able to right click and then pin it to favorites in Windows File Explorer

Ah cool, thanks that worked. I suppose the request is then to put it in the sidebar by default since that's what File Explorer does (and is discoverable for those like me who rarely go into File Explorer anymore :). Any plans to do so?

[Josh65-2201]

Right now no, but I keep this open

[Lamparter]

It would make sense since that's the behaviour in File Explorer, I imagine it wouldn't do any harm to pin it to the sidebar by default, though I'm not sure where it would be most appropriate to put it

[yaira2]

Assuming we can detect the phone, we can create a dedicated section like what we do for WSL.

[Josh65-2201]

Does it really make sense to have a new section for one item? Even if Microsoft allows more I doubt many people will have more than 2

[0x5bfa]

FYI, here's the win32 API we might want to use for this.

[yaira2]

Does it really make sense to have a new section for one item? Even if Microsoft allows more I doubt many people will have more than 2

What about under drives?

[dharmababa]

What about under drives?

FWIW macOS groups connected phones with drives but calls the group something more generic ("Locations"). Actually it also seems to include network locations optionally.

(The File Explorer sidebar is such a mess that it doesn't seem like a good reference point at all :)

[Josh65-2201]

The best place to me would be under network since they are connected as a network device. Also they are linked as a folder in %userprofile%\CrossDevice

[yaira2]

Thanks for the feedback