Charge Motorola RAZR with standard USB cable from PC
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I have been charging my RAZR with a standard mini USB cable hooked up to my laptop. This keeps me from toting around an extra charger to work where my RAZR will inevitable run out of juice before I leave that end of the day. All you need are the right drivers and a mini USB cable, which most people have from digital cameras or mp3 players. If not a trip to Radioshack or Kmart will get you a cable for less than $3.00. Meanwhile Motorola charges over $20 for their “special” cable. Simple instructions below.
1. Download the driver, unzip to a folder.
2. Plug in phone with mini USB cable too computer USB port.
3. Will auto detect and ask for drivers.
4. Point install to folder and let it do its thing.
5. Your phone will now charge with a cheap mini USB cable.
I am not really sure where these drivers originated they have been on my PC for a while, but I am sure they are free and open source. For all of those surprised that I use a RAZR, keep in mind, mine is heavily modded and until I can get a smart phone in a smaller flip factor it will be phone of choice for no other reason than its light weight and durability.
Ok now for the drivers…
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hi, i just broke my charger for my lg vx 9900 ( Lg EnV ) and i was wondering if i can use this with the music essentials usb. i have the drivers for my phone, i plugged in the usb but it wont charge..i know that 90% this is’nt possible, but i was thinking if there is some kind of program or software that will detect it and make your phone charge from a usb cable..and verizon rips you off when it comes to buying accessories from them, but before i head down to their store, i was wondering if i were to get lucky, so please email be back: djaymystic@yahoo.com …thank you
Mad props bro…You just saved me $32 by not having to buy a new charger after leaving it in my hotel room. Verizon’s a bunch of scam artists. Thanks.
Thanks, it works in 5 sec. (Motorola V3c).
Alex V.
I lost my charger and have been looking for a simple guide like this for a long time. Verizon was no help when I called them. Thank you so much! (V3m)
Thanks man! Works great! Always wished I could do this.
Will this drive work with the MotoRIZR z3?
thanks man i got my cell from a buddy and he has gave me the charger and i was look all over the place kuss my usb fit my cell and you shit worked thanks alot and for all of the other people to vist this site it REALLY WORKS THANKS MAN
It works, it works, it works…
Even for L6
My computer warns me that this is not XP compatible. Can I ignore this message.
Yes it works perfectly on XP
I have another trick for my Razr (Verizon)….
Simply turn off the phone, and plug it into USB port in a MAC. Then it starts charging ….
If the phone is ON, it will not be charged.
No driver and software needed.
Haven’t try on PC USB port. But it may also work…
Fantastic, thanks. It worked immediately, and you just saved me having to purchase the Motorola software package.
Thanks a million
After visting quite a few sites for information on this I was amazed at how simple and easily you have made for us all.
You rule.
Many thanks.
Power and Possibilities,
Second e
Doesn’t seem to work for V3i on Windows Vista… got any idea how to get it to work?
Where can I buy the usb cord?
You can get the USB cable just about anywhere….
But just for you here is a link.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FRetractable-CABLE-MINI-B-Motorola-Blackberry%2Fdp%2FB000GC9210%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dwireless%26qid%3D1188311413%26sr%3D8-4&tag=nohcomtecnewt-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325
A whopping 26 cents on amazon.
THANKS!!!
When I first got my v3m it would charge when I plugged it into the computer with the USB cable but after I installed a memory card in the phone, all it seems to want to do is function as a flash drive when I plug it up to the computer. Any idea what this might be about? I have looked through the manual and it doesn’t seem to be any help.
Thanks in advance if anyone can give me some pointers on this.
On a side note . . . any idea how I can get in and delete some of the stupid factory images or ringtones? I’d also like to be able to e-mail images to my phone rather than have to load them via USB to the memory card and then move them from the card to the phone.
Guy
The USB charging is indeed nice and I use it every day at work. However, if you let your phone battery go dead (which happens to me from time to time) then you can’t recharge via the USB. So, if you travel you need to take your cell phone charger with you. Drat, I hate having to carry more of these things. Why couldn’t they just make it work?
Your a fking star mate - thanks…!!!!!
MY RAZR V3 WONT CHARGE BECAUSE SOME OF MY WIRES INSIDE THE CHARGE PORT ARE BENT.IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO OR IS IT A WRAP.
thanks
I have a usb cable and i have plug into my v3xx and it works without a driver. Where can I get a driver (free of course) so that i sync with my PC? Help help help.
Now if I could only get a download for the KRZR.
Nice mate, very nice - can’t be arsed paying for another copy of the phone tools, so this is handy for t’office and whatnot.
Thanks much! Those USB drivers are now allowing me to charge my Razr on my work dell notebook.
Groovy
Just wanted to say.. Thank you!
I’m happy.
If we use this USB cord, is there any way that this will let you put ringtones on your phone, or is it strickly just for charging?
Thanks for any help!
i got a dead razr v3, i aint got a wall charger 4 it but i got a usb charger 4 it, but i put da cable in but it dont charge or nothin, i already got a razr driver. is there any way i can make it charge
help - i found a cord like that lying around, and i lost my charger, but i connected the cord into my phone, then into the computer .. nothing happens, my computer doesnt even know its connected, i have WinXP Pro
Thanks so much!
I lost my charger and couldn’t charge my phone anymore… Yours is the fastest, simplest and cheapest way I found to solve the problem!
Thank you so much!
Oh this was great. Phone always dies on me at work and have usb cables here but phone wouldnt charge til I found this forum and downloaded the drivers. Thanks alot. You rock!!
Thank you so much for this valuable info. Worked like a charm on my almost-dead V3r!
You saved my sanity! After dealing with a nightmare with AT&T, family shared plan and wirefly, i finally got my phone and the charger would not work. I was doing everything i could and after 7 hours it still would not turn on. I saw this post, pulled the usb cord from my dig camera and plugged it into the phone and finally the green charging light came on (which i did not know existed btw) and it confirmed that my charger did not work, and it wasnt the phone. THANK YOU!
Sweet! My friend left on a trip — with my charger. This method works GREAT. You saved my week
Thanks man, you rock
GREAT POST!!! Worked in a minute with my Motorola RAZR (V3c)!!!
humm, isnt that reeeeaaallly obvious ? I mean its a mini-usb plug…. I just don’t know any device with USB that cannot charge on a computer?
Nobody here ever had an iPOD?
Well, no actually it isn’t. You can’t charge a RAZR with a USB cable without the proper drivers. The phone will tell you that its a unauthorized charger and not charge. I provide the drivers. Good question though.
brenden, install the drivers that are appropriate for your phone and it will charge with no problem.
My motorola v3 is totally dead, and i don’t have a wall charger. I downloaded the software and installed it, but it won’t charge. Is there anything else I can do. I have a blackberry charger, is there anyway i can use it
When the battery is completely dead sometimes it can take quite a while to come back to life. Make sure the USB is directly connected to your PC for the best performance to charge. These drivers don’t put out the milliamps like the regular charger does, so it will need some time to do its work.
You are the BEST!! Now, if you can only fix my water softener…
Thanks a big one. Now when I forget my charger at home I can charge at work. Well done.
hmm Craig I will get right on that water softener, lol. I am glad this information was able to help others.
Dan, When I had my RAZR it seemed the battery would never go the distance, so it would stay at work on my USB charger ready for use after I left at the end of the day. When it came time to hand down my phone I did end up replacing the battery which seemed to improve things quite a bit. I was surprised that for $5 on ebay a new battery would make that much of a difference but it did.
Since I got the Treo I have hardly looked back and don’t require a charger all day to keep a phone around. The Treo (now almost a year old) can still do an entire day and a half in standby mode.
However it was still a great phone with great speaker quality and reception.
Just like to say thanks works a treat
I have a RAZR V3 (1 month old), and with the software version that was originally on the phone, I was able to charge the phone through the USB port on my MAC PowerBook G4 laptop.
I recently had the local Verizon store install a software upgrade (to software version 24.1_01.19.07), which now allows me to add music, and exchange some pictures via Bluetooth.
However, now the phone won’t charge using the USB cord from the MAC. With the phone on, the battery strength indicator jumps to full, but once disconnected it goes back to where ever it was. With the phone off, you get the message “unable to charge” on the screen.
Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
Bill
Thanks a lot man. I was looking for this.
hey just a quick question…i got a motorloa L6i, i downloaded the above driver folder however my phone still isnt charging. I got vista and it keeps popping up saying that the dirver could not be found. Do i have to place the driver folder in any specific location? I read above that you have to wait awhile if your battery was completely dead…so I\’ll do that anad see what happens…but just wanted to see if i was doing everything right…im in the west indies right now travelling and im stuck! lol cant find a charger and this is my last resort!
help my phone is completly dead and it wont sync with my computer and i don\’t have a charger…. can i charge it through my computer without it being switched on?
hmm i havea problem.. i lost my cd.. the question is how can i charge my motorola krzr k1….
Thanks for this great tip dude or dudette!
Thanks for the driver files. My V3c now charges on my PC.
DUDE YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!!
Thank you SO much! I use my phone constantly while I am already in front of my laptop, so this is perfect for me!
Very nice - I just lost my charger yesterday (battery nearly dead) and found this this morning. Drivers installed perfectly and it immediately started charging. Thanks so much!
thanks a lot from the colonies - just bought a Razr v9 2 weeks ago and it had a faulty charger - 2 week wait to get replacement! this has helped enormously much appreciated
Thanks Man… This is great. I have a question I got a USB car charger. But when I tried My Moto RAZR v3 is not getting charged. But when I connect it to computer its working fine. So I guess these drivers are for PC only. Do you have any idea how to get my phone charged from a car USB charger.
Any way thanks for your help man it saved a lot….
Raj
You can get the best information on USB drivers, transferring pictures, software and useful guides at: http://www.somelifeblog.com/2007/01/motorola-razr-v3-how-to-charge-and.html
Thanks, I have been looking for a post like this. It solved my charger problem. It always gives me trouble.
Jennifer
my site:
free razr
dude….when i plug my rzr up to my computer via usb cord, it says that i need software to use it….is that true? i got it from a friend so if thats true then it sucks.
I usually have terrible luck with stuff like this - for some reason, nothing ever wants to work.
But THANK YOU! That was easy.
After it connected, it directed me to the Motorola website to download the drivers. Thanks!
Thanks for the tip. Worked great.
I found a retractable usb at Deal’s for $1.00. It works great
fan effin tastic man!!
nice one here… thanks..
Here’s the link to download the driver for the MOTOKRZR Km1 as well!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://direct.motorola.com/hellomoto/nss/driversNplugins.asp
On the right side of the page there should be an icon titled “USB Driver”
Click on the “32 bit connection CLICK HERE” and then extract the .zip file after the download is complete. Then click the installer package and you should be good to go!
It takes about a minute for your computer to recognize your phone after you plug it into the USB port, but be patient….. it WILL work!!
i have a wierd problem with my razr. im supposing the batteries are dead. i ordered this thing from ebay, and it came with 2 batteries. it was supposed to be unlocked, however when i used the sim chip out of a NET10 phone, the razr came up as cingular!! anyway, the problem i need help with is the razr is completely dead, and it will not charge via usb. i am using motorola phone tools, and it works on my v323i. the razr worked fine a few months ago, and has been sitting here in my rom ever since, but now it just doesnt work. i treid sawitching batteries, and niether of them seem to work. i remebr having to \
i have a wierd problem with my razr. im supposing the batteries are dead. i ordered this thing from ebay, and it came with 2 batteries. it was supposed to be unlocked, however when i used the sim chip out of a NET10 phone, the razr came up as cingular!! anyway, the problem i need help with is the razr is completely dead, and it will not charge via usb. i am using motorola phone tools, and it works on my v323i. the razr worked fine a few months ago, and has been sitting here in my rom ever since, but now it just doesnt work. i treid sawitching batteries, and niether of them seem to work. i remebr having to “adjust” the batteries, like pressing down on the back on certain spots, and it would owrk, but now niether of them work, and when i plug it in to the usb, nothing still. even let it on for 30 mins, still nothing. this is strange, and i dot undertand why even a dead battery would prevent it from having usb power. please help…
The V3 driver allowed me to charge my V3r from my Laptop with XP.
Thanks!
Thank you sooo much I new that my MP3 player did it so I figured it had to be a way …..THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
Sweet It works for V3r
the post above this one is mine
Great post - you saved me from spending $40.00 at the Verizon store. My daughter’s Razr stopped charging for whatever reason. So I gave her my old Samsung phone. As luck would have it - that phone just died, none of the keys work except the power button. I figured there had to be a way that I can test to see if I indeed had to buy a new battery or worse another phone. This worked like a charm. Thanks again.
I left my charger in a hotel room. The USB driver and a cheap cable now charges my phone. I can also charge my Motorola bluetooth earpiece with the same cable.
Thanks!
thanks so much! i’m at school right now and i accidentally left my charger at home. I’m not that willing to drive an hour back to just get my charger. this saved me time and gas money. Thanks!
“Charge Motorola RAZR with standard USB cable from PC”
Thank You!!
After being frustrated by the constant “unable to charge” message this solution worked.
I installed the V3c usb driver on my PC with my phone connected and it immediately responded by charging.
Great Job! Thanks again.
Wowwwww. You’re a genius HAHAHA. I can’t believe this actually worked. It took me about 10 unzips before anything was detected but then, VIOLA. Randomly my phone started charging. I think this is a miracle………….
THANK YOU!!!
RAZR V3r - Girlfriend lost her AC charger and took mine with her on vacation. Hmmm… only had a limited time left till my phone would die. So, I had on hand a USB to mini plug cord from an old camera, that got me thinking. A little Google search that go me to your posting, and the rest was sooo easy. Nirvana is your destiny!
it charge very slow for my Motorola Z3 !! may be it take >6 hours to fully charge the battery! I dont have a wall charger now please help me to make it charge faster with my PC
it charge very slow for my Motorola Z3 !! may be it take >6 hours to fully charge the battery! I dont have a wall charger now please help me to make it charge faster with my PC
please help
Further to my earlier post, I have also discovered that my ASUS Eee PC with Linux O/S accepts and charges my V3c phone simply by plugging it straight in with the USB cord, without the extra step of installing any drivers. Neat!!
if you have USB printing option select it and you can charge it any were no need a driver
my brother found a krzr k1 not k1m and it whent completely dead and I need drivers for it so I can charge it with my pc anyone got any idea where I can get some?
to the previous one I tried other drivers that I have found online but nothing seems to work.
awesome. even worked with vista. many thanks.
I just upgraged to a Motorola W755 from Verizon. Anyone know if there is a driver available to charge via usb? Also if it is possible to charge with a car adapter using usb?
whatever you do for a living, they should pay you more! you saved my life (line!) I can\’t thank you enough!!!
after i first installed the driver, it didn’t seem like it was doing anything, the phone didn’t beep, and i thought it was completely dead, but about ten minutes later when i tried again to turn it on, it started charging. this is a charm!
hello? does anyone know where to get usb drivers for the krzr k1. I’m sure others wouldn’t mind the info!!
Dude - You Rock!!! I left my charger at home and my phone died while on the road. Searched the Internet and found your page. Had a mini USB cable from my WD Mini external hardrive in my computer bag. Downloaded the drivers from your page and followed your instructions. Presto….It works like magic. Thanks again……
OR
Download for free from Motorola
Look for USB charging drivers
http://direct.motorola.com/hellomoto/nss/driversNplugins.asp#
you’re a total lifesaver. thanks!
THANKYOUUU.
You saved my fucking life.
umm i just found this moto razr and the battery was low. and i dont have a charger for it and i was useing mi usb cable but it wont charge. the setup files …. do they work on vista? and i have problems installing them. tyhere is no installshield . plz help.
thanks so much you really helped
THANKS! This even worked on my completely dead V3r. I installed the driver and then plugged the phone in. Ten minutes later it springs to life and tells me its charging! YOU ROCK MAN!!
Thanks!!!! It works Great!!! V3c
So I followed your instructions with my computer at work and my phone charged great. Then i took it home with my lap top and tried to do the same thing but it wont charge. I used the same phone, same chord, and same exact method of extraction. Both my machines are running a version of XP.
What could be my problem?
Thanks.
I like the design of Razr Motorola phone. It is sharp design as it is. I also like the ads that a guy and a smokin hot girl use Razr as a blade and do the wild moves cutting each other clothes. Cool!
gracias carnal
Thx for the charger info. Worked fast!
Thank you very much that was to easy.. lol
take care.
Awesome! You just saved me money, AND alot of aggrivation. Seems to be working just fine.
can someone please tell me where i can download a razr v3 usb driver??
i cant seem to find one that works.
can you please keep this comment confidential.
I own a razor v9 from motorola
i am hoping you can help me with the following
- how to transfer photos from my fone to the computer. i dont even know the basic basics so please if you know the answer be very very descriptive.
-how to download music on my cellfone via my computer
i know these are basic questions but i am sooo bad at this technical stuff
thanks
c
how do i install the drivers?
worked perfectly (again)/
much appreciated.
When I click the driver link, it asks “Open with, Save to disk” What do I do from there?
Awesome tutorial, thanks for the tips!
how do i uninstall it?
I’ve got a G4 imac running OS 10.4 Tiger and a V9. The computer will not mount the phone on the desktop (although the system profiler shows the phone as being connected to the computer), any ideas?
Thanks.
I freaking love you
well i didnt work probably because im an idiot but anyway thanks for the guide i hope it helps others.
You’re great. Worked like a charm. Thanks for the feedback. It’s much appreciated.
this doesn’t work, windows doesn’t ask for anything. It just pops up with the bubble saying the installation did not complete and your hardware may not funtion properly
it didn’t work for me it just isn’t working please help me!
uhhhh ok well first things first, anyone question why the ac charges with no problem, it only puts out 5 volts where as usb also put out 5 volts. hmmm this leads me to believe that it should work without drivers. there is a solution to this problem without drivers, buy the motorola cord, the reason it is so much is becasue it is specialy wired. a usb cord consists of 4 wires 5+ data data and ground or -. the motorola cord has the data wires grounded so you can charge off of any usb, including a cigerette lighter usb or an i pod usb wall outlet, anything with usb. if i am wrong someone please correct me, but i have this “rip off cord” and no drivers are required and i can also charge from any usb, but not with a standard usb cord.
Can you help me with Motorola w 375 , so i can also charge from a pc ?
I have the original usb cord which came with the phone, but it wont charge.
thanks
i downloaded the one for v3 and it dosent work, after i unzip it, how exactly do i install it ?
It just takes a standard USB to mini-USB cord, like the PS3 or many USB hard drives use. Unzip the files, plug in the phone, windows asks for drivers, specify the location and it usually works.
I’ve used a variety of cords and done it with at least a dozen computers for my V3R.
thanks bro!
Thanks for this hack. My wife can’t find her charger so I thought I’d try to charge it via USB but got the “can’t charge” error. Downloaded your hack and it’s working great.
Thanks again for the find!!!
how do i unzip he folder ? need HELP ?
Thank you - that is great!!!
Thanks for the drivers! They work and will come in handy at work.
I purchased this UBS cord being told that I could download all my Pics and my Videos off my Razor, but I can’t seem to get connected to the web sight that I need to be on. So could you please help,,, Anxious
Well, If you are not afraid of a little bit of hotwiring and have an AC adapter of some sort lying around that has absolutely no purpose other than to sit there, you could always whack off the end of the adapter and use the exposed wires to hotwire and charge your battery. I\’ve actually done this on countless occasions. Just remember to be careful, as hotwiring things in this fashion isn\’t really the… safest… And you should also use an adapter with lower power ratings - no sense in exploding a battery by hooking it up to a 19.5v laptop adapter or something of the sort.
[Addendum to previous post]
Oh, and if you have any device in your place of residence that doesn’t run on Micro$haft [Microsoft] Software (Device must have standard USB ports), I would encourage you try to plug your phone into it. There’s a very good chance that It will actually charge, W/O drivers of any kind! Miracles, eh?
Well, i’ll give M$ a little bit of a 1up, a little slack/credit, the usb ports on the Xbox360 are fully functional.
can I do this all with a totally dead baterry! My phone is dead and my wall charger is totally broke. Now I use my old cellphone. Can I install the drivers with the phone being totally dead?
nice!! I sent my blackberry curve in for repair and a buddy let me borrow this but he did not give me a charger and every 5 pin charger i had would not charge my razor!! But this worked like a charm! Thanks alot man!
and yes u should be able to install with your phone completley dead, not for sure though. cuz your PC may not find the new hardware, worth a shot though.
Thanks so much that was a great help!
hey a nother thing you can do is if you have a ipod charger and the usb cable that fits the razor phone you can use the ipod charger to charge your razor till you can get another charger and go to walmart and look at the batter charger with detactable usb plug I have used it to charge my razor plugging into a computer usb with out driver. I hope all of this helps it ya loose the drivers or ever away from the computer you have you have installed the driver on
also local thrift stores may have the charger you need for you phone,I went to one one time and found a replacement charger all ya have to do is hunt around at shops another place to go for that kinda stuff is go to http://www.newegg.com and you do not have to use a credit card you can get a money order they have really good deals on stuff and look at there stuff under free shipping
does it work if the mobile is switch OFF ?
this is great. i had looked previously and could not find anything online, but this did the trick. thank you so much. i clicked ignore in xp when it told me it was not verified btw and my computer did not blow up.
what if windows doesnt ask for the drivers? any way to manually do it?
If you put the phone’s data transfer in photo mode, it will appear as a camera to Windows and you won’t need drivers to charge it.
As an update, if you are running latest updates of windows. Just plug it in ( I did this while it was powerd on) let windows find the drivers automatically (connecting to windows update etc). And it finds the Razr V3m as a modem and does all the driver install for you. Awesome suggestion thanks for the idea.
That was windows XP… forgot to mention
Thanx so much for writing this up and hosting the files.
I\’ve been charging my phone with a usb cord and i didn\’t have to get drivers for it :p
thanks man
thank you SO MUCH!
please can anyone help me? i hawe a motorola K3, and i hawe a usb 2 charge, but i need thje driver for it can anyone help me how i can find and do it? i hawe been 2 this sitehttp://direct.motorola.com/hellomoto/nss/usb_drivers_pc_charging_drivers.asp but it didnt worck:( pleaze help
Hey man, thanks for the info. everyone in my family has razrs and we all have to
fight over a limited supply of chargers. this helps a lot! 1 question, can i transfer
music to my phone (v3c) to use as ringtones over the usb?
Yes! The man with the answers.. ..thank you.
Thanks, This message thread was helpful for me
thank you thank you thank you
omfg! searched the internet for hours lookin up how to do this before i stumbled onto this site. AMAZING! awards for this post??
Thanks for this, I really appreciate it, is there anything else I can do with the driver or just charge the phone?
Thanks a lot!
Often I find my Ph discharged at work.
The driver worked in the first try!
One less thing to worry about!
amit.
i am trying to charge my pink razor to the computer with a usb but i can’t because my phone needs to be on in order for it to charge. what do i do? i can’t even turn on my phone because its totally out of battery
Thanks soo much, i have had my phone for almost 3 years, and my charger broke, so this programs definately will help me save a few dollars.
Hi you guys
i am in San Francisco and I forgot my charger
I have a new mac laptop and a Motorola RIZR phone. Do I need drivers (if so where?) or do I just try it with the phone switched off like someone said back in 2007 on this page…
I dont want to spend time trying it all out. But would rather not buy ANOTHER regular wall charger…
thanks
awesome! You’ve made my day!
Yes it worked!!!
RIZR (turned off) + Macbook + cable.
Didnt have to buy a third power adaptor!!!!!
Thank!