The Media Transfer Protocol is described by Microsoft, who introduced it, as a protocol for intelligent storage devices based on and compatible with Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP). 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, a digital rights management (DRM) service for the Windows Media platform.

Media Transfer Protocol (commonly referred to as 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; later Windows versions have built-in support. Microsoft have also made available an MTP Porting Kit for older versions of Windows back to Windows 98. Apple Macintosh and Linux systems have software packages to support MTP.

The USB Implementers Forum device working group standardised MTP as a fully fledged Universal Serial Bus (USB) device class in May 2008. Since then MTP is an official extension to PTP and shares the same class code.