Android Files Not Available in Windows

Question

I have an Android Phone and Windows PC.

When I try to open new photos on my PC from Explorer (c:\users[Me]\Cross-Device[My Phone]\storage\DCIM\Camera), I get the error message "The cloud operation was not completed before the time-out period expired. [Error Ox800701AA]"

I can see a list of my photos. They show "Availability Status: Available When Online" but they do not open.

In the Windows Phone Link app on my PC, I can see and download photos. I can send and receive texts via Windows Phone Link.

My phone and PC are on the same Wi-Fi network.

This seems to be a sporadic issue. I HAVE opened photos in the past. But most of the time I get this message.

My Googling all points back to OneDrive - I fail to see how this is a OneDrive issue.

Answer 1

The error message "The cloud operation was not completed before the time-out period expired. [Error Ox800701AA]" typically indicates an issue with accessing files that are stored in the cloud, such as those synced with OneDrive. Since you mentioned that your photos show "Availability Status: Available When Online," it suggests that the files are not stored locally on your device and need to be downloaded from the cloud each time you try to access them.

Here are a few troubleshooting steps you can try:

1. Check Internet Connection: Ensure that your PC has a stable internet connection, as this is necessary to access files stored in the cloud.
2. OneDrive Sync Status: Verify that OneDrive is running and syncing properly on your PC. You can check the OneDrive icon in the system tray to see if there are any sync issues.
3. File Availability: If the files are not frequently accessed, they may be set to "online only". You can change the settings in OneDrive to make certain files always available offline.
4. Restart Devices: Sometimes, simply restarting both your Android phone and Windows PC can resolve temporary connectivity issues.
5. Update Apps: Ensure that both the Your Phone app and OneDrive app are updated to the latest versions.
6. Re-link Devices: If the issue persists, try unlinking and then re-linking your Android phone with the Windows Phone Link app to refresh the connection.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, it may be worth checking for any known issues with the Your Phone app or OneDrive that could be affecting functionality.

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References:

• Can't attach photos to applications on Android Enterprise work profile enrolled devices
• Seamlessly Drag and Drop files between your devices with the Your Phone app

Answer 2

Hello rjb, thanks for posting this in our community.

The files you see in C:\Users\[Me]\Cross-Device\[My Phone]\storage\DCIM\Camera are placeholders, not actual files. They sync on-demand from your phone through the Phone Link service. If the phone is busy, asleep, or the connection is unstable, Windows times out. This is not related to OneDrive, although it works similarly to OneDrive’s “Files On-Demand” feature.

To troubleshoot, first check your Phone Link settings. Open Phone Link on your PC and go to Settings, then Features. Make sure Photos and File Access are enabled. On your phone, confirm that Link to Windows is active and has permission for Files and Media.

Next, keep your phone awake when accessing files. Ensure the screen is on, the phone is unlocked, and battery optimization for Link to Windows is disabled. You can do this by going to Settings, then Apps, selecting Link to Windows, and setting Battery to “Unrestricted.”

Also, verify network stability. Both devices should be on the same Wi-Fi with a strong signal, and avoid using VPN or metered connections on your PC.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards, John Oli