How to Remotely Access USB Storage With TeamViewer
What Is TeamViewer?
TeamViewer is a handy tool that is used for remotely accessing other computers and devices. Not only can you remotely control another PC with it, but you can also use the USB devices attached to it. Whether you want to check in on a USB webcam that you have plugged in, or you wish to use a connected printer, TeamViewer is an excellent program to be used for this use case.
TeamViewer’s USB passthrough capabilities are very impressive but do not be intimidated. it is straightforward to set up TeamViewer’s ability to access a USB storage drive on another computer. As such, TeamViewer is an awesome option if you want to grab files from a hard drive while you are out and about.
How to Set Up TeamViewer
Setting up TeamViewer is a very easy thing; assuming that there are no technical hiccups in the way, you should get everything done in about five minutes.
To share the contents of a USB external drive over TeamViewer, first, you need to download TeamViewer on the PC that you want to access. TeamViewer also has an Android and an iOS application if you are going to use your mobile phone to access your PC.
During the setup, ensure that you select “personal use” if you are using it for yourself, as this would give you free use of the service.
Once TeamViewer is installed on your device, open the software. At the bottom, you will see a connection indicator. When this indicator turns green and “Ready to connect” appears, you are good to go. Yes, that is all the setup that TeamViewer needs for its basic features!
How to Use TeamViewer USB Sharing
Now that the TeamViewer software is up and running on the target computer, you need to install it on the device that would be used to access the target device. If you are going to do this from another computer, repeat the installation steps that we did above.
Accessing the Target PC on TeamViewer
Once you have TeamViewer software running on the other device, enter the target’s ID under the Partner ID section, but do not go ahead just yet. You can find the target’s ID under Your ID on the targets TeamViewer window.
Before you progress, make sure that you have two options for connecting. You can choose Remote control and you will gain control of the target device, which is useful for grabbing files from them.
However, if you want to access the USB storage device on the target device exclusively, it is easier to use the File transfer option instead. This feature focuses only on the target’s file system, therefore removing the need to control the target PC fully.
When you select File transfer, TeamViewer would ask for a password. You can find the password on the target computer’s window, under their ID.
Once you enter in the details of the device, TeamViewer should connect immediately to your target PC. Now you can point TeamViewer toward your external USB drive to directly access your files.
Copying Files From the Target PC on TeamViewer
If you have connected through mobile, select the files that are on the target PC that you want to copy over. Then, once you are done selecting, go back to your Android’s file system and choose the download destination. Tap the numbered file icon that is at the top, then select Copy selected files here.
If you connected via PC, you should see a file transfer screen showing both your computer’s file system and the target’s. Navigate to the folder where you want to send to and copy from, then use the Send and Receive buttons to transfer files from one folder to the other.
