Android USB Drivers for Windows and Mac: Official Downloads

You only need an Android USB driver on Windows, and only for developer tools like ADB and Android Studio: Google phones use the Google USB Driver, Samsung phones use Samsung's Android USB Driver, and other brands get theirs from the phone maker. A Mac needs no Android USB driver at all, and neither does Linux or ChromeOS.

This page covers when you actually need a driver, where to get each one from the official source, and how to install it. It replaces our older per-brand driver pages.

Do you need an Android USB driver?

It depends on what you want to do with the cable.

• Charging or moving photos and files on Windows: usually no. Google's file transfer instructions for Windows are simply: unlock the phone, connect the cable, tap the "Charging this device via USB" notification, choose File Transfer, and a window opens on the PC. No driver download is part of it.
• ADB, Android Studio or USB debugging on Windows: yes, if Windows does not already recognise the phone. Google says the Google USB Driver is required for ADB debugging on Windows with Google devices, and that drivers for all other devices come from the phone's maker.
• macOS, Linux or ChromeOS: no driver. Google's docs say Mac and ChromeOS need no extra setup. On Ubuntu Linux you add your user to the plugdev group and install udev rules instead of a driver.

A quick test: install Google's SDK Platform Tools, turn on USB debugging (steps below), plug in the phone and run adb devices. If your phone appears in the list, you do not need anything else.

Where do you get the Google USB Driver?

The Google USB Driver is for Pixel phones and other Google devices on Windows. Google offers it two ways on its Get the Google USB Driver page:

1. As a ZIP file: accept the terms on that page and download the ZIP.
2. Through Android Studio: open Tools > SDK Manager, go to the SDK Tools tab, tick Google USB Driver and click OK. The files go to android_sdk\extras\google\usb_driver\, and Android Studio tells you when a newer driver is available.

We checked: on 6 November 2026, the download link on Google's page pointed to usb_driver_r13-windows.zip, a file of 8,682,039 bytes (about 8.3 MB) that Google's server reports as last modified on 7 August 2020. So revision 13 is still the current Google USB Driver, and any site offering a "newer" Google driver is not offering Google's file.

Where do you get the Samsung USB driver?

Samsung publishes its driver on the Samsung Developer site. On 6 November 2026 the current version was Samsung Android USB Driver for Windows v1.9.5.0, a 35.5 MB download dated 6 May 2026. Samsung says you need it only if you are developing on Windows and want to connect a Samsung Android device to your development environment over USB. It is a Windows-only download; there is no Mac version because Macs do not need one.

This replaces our old Samsung driver pages, which pointed to Samsung Kies and third-party flashing tools. Neither is needed to connect a Galaxy phone for development.

Where do you get drivers for other brands?

Google keeps a list of OEM USB driver pages for Acer, Alcatel, Asus, Dell, FCNT, HTC, Huawei, Intel, Kyocera, Lenovo, LG, Motorola, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, Xiaomi, ZTE and others. Some links on that list are old, so if one does not work, Google's own advice applies: go to the support section of the maker's website and search for the USB driver for your model.

Official support sites we confirmed are online (6 November 2026):

• Asus: the Asus Download Center, searched by model.
• Huawei: HiSuite, Huawei's official PC app, is listed for Windows 7, 8.1, 10 and 11 (32-bit and 64-bit) and for macOS versions from Big Sur to Tahoe. The Mac version only handles pictures, videos, files and backup.
• HTC: HTC Support.

Brands such as Oppo, Tecno, OnePlus and Realme are not on Google's list. For those, use the maker's own support site, or skip the driver question entirely with wireless debugging (see below).

How do you install an Android USB driver on Windows?

For the Google USB Driver, or any driver that comes as a folder of files, Google gives these steps (written for Windows 10). If your maker's driver comes with its own setup program, run that instead.

1. Connect your Android device to your computer's USB port.
2. Open Computer Management and select Device Manager in the left pane.
3. Expand Portable Devices or Other Devices, whichever you see.
4. Right-click your device and choose Update Driver Software.
5. Choose Browse my computer for driver software and click Next.
6. Click Browse, pick the driver folder (for Google's driver, android_sdk\extras\google\usb_driver\ or the folder you unzipped) and click Next.

Google warns that editing the driver's android_winusb.inf file to add other devices causes security warnings, and that changing other driver files may break the installation.

How do you turn on USB debugging?

A driver alone is not enough for ADB. You also need USB debugging switched on:

1. Find Build number. On a Pixel it is in Settings > About phone; on a Samsung Galaxy S8 or later it is in Settings > About phone > Software information.
2. Tap Build number seven times until you see "You are now a developer!"
3. On Android 9 and later, go to Settings > System > Advanced > Developer options and turn on USB debugging. The exact menu can differ by brand.
4. Connect the phone. On Android 4.2.2 and later, the phone asks you to accept an RSA key that allows debugging from this computer. Unlock the phone, accept it, then run adb devices.

If you have not installed ADB yet, our guide on installing ADB and Fastboot on Windows walks through it.

Can you skip the USB driver with wireless debugging?

Yes, on Android 11 and later. Google's device setup guide describes wireless debugging as a way to avoid common USB problems "such as driver installation". Put the phone and computer on the same Wi-Fi network, turn on Wireless debugging in Developer options, and pair it from Android Studio with a QR code or a six-digit pairing code. You pair once; after that the phone reconnects on the same network. This is often the easiest route for brands whose USB driver is hard to find.

Why should you avoid driver packs and .rar mirrors?

Every driver on this page comes straight from Google or the phone maker. Repackaged "all-in-one" driver packs and .rar or .exe mirrors on file-sharing sites add nothing you cannot get officially, and you cannot check what is inside them. A driver runs with high privileges on your PC, so get it from the source. Earlier versions of this page linked to some of those mirrors; we have removed them.

FAQ

Does a Mac need an Android USB driver?

No. Google's developer docs say that if you develop on macOS (or Linux) you do not need to install a USB driver. ADB works as soon as USB debugging is on and you accept the prompt on the phone.

Is there a 32-bit and a 64-bit version of the Android USB driver?

Google and Samsung each offer a single Windows download, not separate 32-bit and 64-bit files. Pick the one for your phone's brand.

Why does my phone not show up in adb devices?

Check that USB debugging is on and that you accepted the debugging prompt on the unlocked phone. If it still does not appear, Google suggests trying another USB cable and restarting the ADB server; Android Studio's Tools > Troubleshoot Device Connections assistant walks through both.

Do I need a USB driver to transfer files to my PC?

Normally no. Choose File Transfer in the USB notification on the phone and a file transfer window opens on Windows. Drivers are for developer tools like ADB.