How do you transfer music to the Xperia 10 iii SD card?

[Queryre]

My previous phone was the Xperia 10 which had an easy music transfer option. I just connected my computer to the phone, opened Xperia Companion and used the Music Transfer option to copy my mp3 files to the SD card on my phone. Then the Sony Music app on my phone updated itself with the new tracks and I was good to go.

I recently upgraded to the Xperia 10 iii only to find that Music Transfer is no longer available in Xperia Companion. (Apparently, it was removed from Xperia Companion about 2 years ago but this did not affect me using my Xperia 10.)

So I recently contacted Sony support to ask what alternative software Sony provided and, to my amazement, the reply was: 'Kindly note that we will pass your feedback to the relevant department for future develops' [sic]

That means that either the person who replied was unaware of any alternative or Sony removed a 'Music Transfer' feature that, at least, some customers like me found very useful - without a care in the world about the consequences to customers because, apparently, there is no recommended alternative.

I did research alternative Sony software such as Music Go and Music Centre and, as far as I can tell, neither are compatible with music transfer to the Sony Xperia 10 iii.

One of Sony's big selling points is the quality of the audio visual tech in its products. However, what is the point in making hardware advances if the software is going backwards? For example, why remove software to transfer music to a phone without providing an alternative? For example, why are there only two features available on Xperia Companion? It is almost becoming redundant software. Even then, the USB connection with my current phone  is not stable (no such issues when I used the Xperia 10) which leads me to wonder if the software is genuinely compatible with the Xperia 10 iii.

If any other Xperia 10 iii owner can tell me which Windows 10 software they use to easily transfer music from their computer to their phone's SD card without causing any issues with the Sony Music app then I would be most grateful to know the name.  Thanks. 

[Strampke · Accepted solution]

Normally Windows detects your phone and in your phone you will be asked to accept the connection.

If not then search for usb connection in the manual or take out your SD card, use an usb adapter, put your SD in and transfer.

[Queryre]

My thanks to Strampke. On my phone the mp3 files are stored in the SD card within the Music folder. However, the Music folder contains a subfolder called .thumbnails which contains a DATABASE_UUID file. That file properties shows a modified date pertaining to earlier this year so I doubt that it is an irrelevant file. How does DATABASE_UUID get updated if I manually transfer mp3 files to the Music folder?

[Strampke]

What I have learned from the past is that Android repairs it's databases by itself when those are erased.

I wouldn't worry too much about things lost.

[Preytheon]

I mostly use Spotify for my music, but in terms of MP3's, I just transfer music around using SolidExplorer. 

That said, it looks like you've transferred the files - the question is really how to get the Music player app to see the new files?

I'd be tempted to 7zip that database file and then delete it, then re-point the music app at your SD card, where it should re-index all your music.

[Queryre]

Unfortunately, I was not able to find and alternative to the Xperia Companion's now defunct music transfer so I tried the manual copy option as suggested by Strampke. I am providing the details about what I did in case it may be useful to others.

What I did was:

1. Insert the SD card into my laptop.

2. Backup the card to an external ad-hoc drive.

3. Manually copy the mp3 files for one album from my laptop to the Music folder on the SD card.

I am pleased to report that the Sony music app recognised the new album.

Then I tried connecting the phone directly to the laptop. The SD card was shown as a separate folder within Windows Explorer. Again, after copying them, the mp3 files were available in the music app. This second option is obviously more convenient than removing the SD card.

So, I am pleased to report that the manual copy method does work. The only downside is that one has to be careful to only select the mp3 files before the copy so that extraneous files such as album covers do not get copied to the SD card. Also, based on the lack of album subfolders on the SD card, I did not try copying any album folders from my laptop.

My thanks to Strampke. However, I am not grateful to Sony for removing a useful feature from Xperia Companion without providing any alternative - either software or suggestion.

[Queryre]

Thank you for your reply Preytheon.

I had never heard of Solid Explorer before so I did a quick search and it seems to be for managing files already on the phone (for which I use Files by Google). My problem was transferring mp3 files from the computer to the phone - which I can now confidently do with Windows Explorer.  

Fortunately, just ignoring the database file on the SD card Music folder and transferring my mp3 files has worked for me so I will continue to ignore the database. I assume that it is either managed by the Sony Music app or is a remnant of Xperia Companion.

[Preytheon]

Yes. My misunderstanding, I thought you wanted a way to do it over the network without moving SD cards over / tethering to a PC directly.

The normal way is a USB cable into the phone and into the PC, then drag and drop using Windows Explorer.... or take the SD card out the phone and insert it into a card reader and then drag and drop the files over (again, Windows Explorer).

For anybody else wondering what SolidExplorer is - it's a phone app, which will allow you to attach to just about ANY type of storage: local storage (internal + SD cards + OTG pen drives / drive caddies) and also to attach to just any network resources, e.g. NAS boxes, Windows media shares on your home network or even internet resources like FTP servers, DropBox, OneDrive, Google Drive, etc. Then you can just cut/copy/paste files around to your heart's content. 

[Strampke]

Let me add another alternative like Total Commander for file transfer, a very solid app with a Windows equivalent which hides many many options behind its interface.