Struggling to move files to my macbook air

I have only had this computer for a couple of months (I bought it new, it runs on MacOS 14.6) but I'm having an issue connecting my phone/usb to transfer files.

Every time I connect a secondary device the little window that has you choose whether to connect or not just blips on and off the screen before I can click anything. I unplug and plug it back in and it shows up and disappears again. No application shows up and there's nothing in files that I can open.

I have tried all kinds of different cords to plug my phone in, including the one that came with my phone specifically for transferring files. I tried to connect my thumb drive through two different USB-C adapter that worked to transfer files through other computers. It's all the same.

I don't see any debri or damage either port, really not sure what's going on and it's starting to drive me mad.