Media Transfer Protocol Specification

Microsoft has developed the Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) to manage content on any portable device with storage. It is based upon an existing protocol, Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP), and can be implemented to be fully compatible with that protocol.

The primary purpose of MTP is to facilitate communication between devices that connect to a computer or other host, exchange data, and then disconnect for standalone use. A secondary purpose of MTP is to enable command and control of a connected device. This includes remote control of device functionality, monitoring of device-initiated events, and reading and setting of device properties.

MTP was first shipped as part of the Microsoft Windows Media Device Manager 10 Software Development Kit (SDK). The complete MTP specification is now available for download by clicking Download the MTP Specification.