How to get photos from phone to windows 11 via USB. Files showing with mobile icon, not available until online. I am online..

Follow these steps to transfer photos and videos directly from the Samsung phone to Windows 11 and avoid the “mobile icon / online-only / 0 MB” issue:

1. Use classic USB file transfer (bypass Phone Link online view)
   This avoids the “online-only” mobile device view and treats the phone like a USB drive.
   1. Connect the Samsung phone to the PC with a USB cable that supports data (not charge‑only). If in doubt, try another cable.
   2. Unlock the phone. A locked phone will not expose storage.
   3. On the phone, pull down the notification shade and tap the USB notification. Set it to File transfer / MTP or Transfer files (not “Charge only”).
   4. On Windows 11, open File Explorer → in the left pane, look under This PC or Devices and drives for the phone (often shows as the phone’s model name).
   5. Open the phone → open Internal storage (or similar) → go to DCIM → Camera (and any other folders where the Samsung camera app saves media).
   6. Select the photos/videos and Copy → Paste them into a folder on the PC (for example, Pictures or Videos).
   This path copies the actual files; they should not show as 0 MB once copied locally.
2. Avoid the new “Show mobile device in File Explorer” online-only view
   On Windows 11, Phone Link photos have moved into File Explorer as an online-only view. Files there:
   • Show a mobile icon.
   • Are not stored on the PC.
   • Can be deleted from the phone if deleted in File Explorer.
   To ensure real copies on the PC:
   • Use the USB method above, or
   • If using the mobile-device entry in File Explorer, always copy files to a local folder before working with them.
3. Why videos show as 0 MB or won’t transfer
   Based on the behavior described, typical causes are:
   • The view is online-only (Phone Link/File Explorer integration) and not yet fully downloaded.
   • The transfer is happening from the Phone Link photos integration, which originally focused on recent photos and did not import videos.
   To fix this, always:
   • Switch the phone’s USB mode to File transfer/MTP.
   • Access the phone under This PC as a USB device, not via the Phone Link photos view.
   • Copy from DCIM (and other media folders) directly.
4. Alternative: use the Photos app’s USB import (still direct, no OneDrive)
   If preferred, Windows can import from USB without using OneDrive:
   1. Connect and unlock the phone; set USB mode to File transfer/MTP.
   2. On the PC, select Start → Photos to open the Microsoft Photos app.
   3. Select Import → choose the connected device (the Samsung phone).
   4. Pick the items to import and choose a local folder on the PC.
   This also transfers directly from the phone; OneDrive is not required.
5. If files still appear online-only or missing
   • Confirm the phone’s camera app is saving to device storage, not only to a cloud service.
   • If using Phone Link/File Explorer mobile view, remember those are online-only representations of what’s on the phone; always copy to a local folder first.
   • Try another USB cable and another USB port if the phone does not appear under This PC.

Once the phone is in proper USB file-transfer mode and accessed under This PC, videos should show their real size (not 0 MB) and copy directly to the laptop without involving OneDrive.

References:

• Import photos and videos from phone to PC
• Setting up photos in the Phone Link
• Seamlessly transfer content between your devices