Media Transfer Protocol

The Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) is an extension to the Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) communications protocol that allows media files to be transferred automatically to and from portable devices.[1] Whereas PTP was designed for downloading photographs from digital cameras, Media Transfer Protocol allows the transfer of music files on digital audio players and media files on portable media players, as well as personal information on personal digital assistants. MTP is a key part of WMDRM10-PD,[1] a digital rights management (DRM) service for the Windows Media platform. In 2011, it became the standard method to transfer files to and from Android.[2]

MTP is part of the "Windows Media" framework and thus closely related to Windows Media Player. Versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows XP SP2 support MTP. Windows XP requires Windows Media Player 10 or higher;[3] later Windows versions have built-in support. Microsoft has made an MTP Porting Kit available for older versions of Windows, back to Windows 98.

The USB Implementers Forum device working group standardized MTP as a full-fledged Universal Serial Bus (USB) device class in May 2008.[4] Since then, MTP is an official extension to PTP and shares the same class code.[5]

  1. ^ a b "Media Transfer Protocol Implementation Details". MTP defined in slide 3. Archived from the original on December 14, 2005.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ "Ice Cream Sandwich supports USB mass storage after all, Galaxy Nexus does not". Engadget. November 25, 2011. Archived from the original on February 5, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  3. ^ "Final Availability of Windows Media Player 10 Brings More Music and More Choices to Music Fans" (Press release). Microsoft. September 2, 2004. Archived from the original on October 18, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  4. ^ "MTP, Portable Player Standard? Microsoft's McLauchlan Sets Us Straight". July 31, 2006. Archived from the original on August 4, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  5. ^ "Media Transfer Protocol v.1.1 Spec and MTP v.1.1 Adopters Agreement". April 6, 2011. Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved September 29, 2018.