Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) Explained
Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) is the protocol Windows and Android use to move photos, music, video and other files between a phone or media player and a computer. It is what makes your device appear in Windows File Explorer when you plug it in over USB. This article explains what MTP is, how it differs from the older USB Mass Storage Class (MSC), and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
MTP vs MSC: at a glance
MTP and USB Mass Storage Class (MSC) are two ways a device can present its files to a computer over USB. The key difference is who is in charge of the storage: with MTP the device stays in control of its own files, while with MSC the computer is given raw, block-level access, as if the device were an ordinary USB drive.
| MTP | USB Mass Storage Class (MSC) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who controls the storage | The device | The host computer |
| Use the device while connected | Yes, it stays usable | No, the storage is locked to the PC |
| PC must support the device's file system | No, works on any operating system | Yes, or a driver is needed |
| Files larger than 4 GB | Supported | Depends on the file system (e.g. FAT32 caps at 4 GB) |
| Open or edit files in place | No, copy to the PC first | Yes, it behaves like a drive |
| Appears in Windows as | A portable device, with no drive letter | A drive, with a drive letter |
| DRM / copyright protection | Supported | Not supported |
| Typical use today | Android phones, media players, cameras | USB flash and external drives, older devices |
In short, MTP is safer and more flexible for smart devices, while MSC is simpler and drive-like. On modern Android phones MTP is the default; MSC now mostly survives on USB flash drives and older hardware.
What is Media Transfer Protocol (MTP)?
The Media Transfer Protocol, introduced by Microsoft, is a protocol designed for intelligent storage devices such as phones and digital media players. It is based on, and fully compatible with, the Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP), and it lets files be synchronized between portable devices and a personal computer.
PTP was standardized in 2000 to copy images from a digital camera to a PC, but it only handled images. As phones and portable media players needed to move music, video, contacts and other file types, Microsoft introduced MTP to address PTP's shortcomings. MTP was standardized as a USB device class in 2008, and is now the standard way Android devices connect to a computer.
Advantages of MTP over USB Mass Storage Class
- The device keeps control of its own storage, so there is no risk of data loss or accidental formatting if the cable is pulled out mid-transfer. With MSC, the host computer has absolute, block-level control of the device's storage and could, for example, reformat it.
- MTP works on any computer regardless of the device's underlying file system. With MSC, the host PC has to understand that file system natively or have a driver installed.
- You can keep using the device while it is connected. With MSC the storage is locked to the PC during a transfer, so you cannot use the phone; with MTP you can still make calls and check messages while files copy.
- MTP supports file transfers larger than 4 GB.
- MTP supports digital rights management (DRM) for copyright-protected content; MSC does not.
Disadvantages of MTP
- Files on an MTP device cannot be opened or edited in place. They must be copied to the computer first, which makes working with large files slower.
- MTP performs one operation at a time (read, write or delete), so transfers are effectively single-threaded and a new operation cannot start until the current one finishes.
- File timestamps are often read-only and set by the device after a file is uploaded. SyncBack uses a number of strategies to work around this limitation.
- MTP devices are mounted as Windows portable devices and appear with no drive letter, so software that relies on drive letters cannot reach them directly.
MTP and SyncBack
Because MTP devices have no drive letter, older software written around drive letters cannot back them up. SyncBackPro and SyncBackSE have supported MTP since V7, including the current V12 release; MTP is not supported in SyncBackFree. Android phones and tablets connected over MTP can therefore be backed up directly with SyncBackPro or SyncBackSE.
For faster and more reliable transfers you can instead install SyncBack Touch on the device, which has several advantages over MTP.
Conclusion
MTP is the standard protocol for transferring files to and from modern portable devices, and for most people it is the right choice: it is safer, more flexible, and works across operating systems. MSC still has its place for simple, drive-like storage such as USB flash drives. If you back up an Android device with SyncBack, MTP works out of the box, and SyncBack Touch is a faster alternative where you need it.
