5 Ways to Transfer Files Between Android and Mac
Jan. 6, 2021As I said before, there are a lot of ways you can use to share files between these two operating systems. Some of these are very straightforward and wireless, whereas some others are slightly less intuitive to use.
Either way, you have a lot of options forfile sharing between your devices. We’ll be taking a look at all of the best file transfer tools for Android and Mac, and you can use the one that suits you best.
As always, you can use the table of contents below to jump over to any section of this article.
With an iPhone and a Mac, you can simply use AirDrop to share files. However, if you want to use AirDrop on Android, this is the bestAirDrop alternativeyou can get so far. Snapdrop basically does the same thing as AirDrop, but it’s open for any operating system to use. Here’s how to use it.
Personally, Snapdrop is my go-to choice for sharing files between Android devices and my Mac. It works quite fast, it’s completely free, and you don’t need to install any apps on your devices. Plus, it’s the closest thing to AirDrop I’ve seen so far.
Sometimes, at least for me, Snapdrop refuses to work properly. If that’s happening with you, or if you don’t want to use Snapdrop for any reason, you can use FTP to share files between Android and macOS.
You will need anFTP clienton your Mac for this. I suggest FileZilla, but if you don’t like that, you can use aFileZilla alternativeas well.
On your Android phone, you will need afile explorerlike Solid File Explorer (download) which has the capability to create FTP servers.
What if you don’t want to use Snapdrop, and you don’t want to go through the trouble of using FTP? If you’re looking for a straightforward plug-and-play solution for sharing files between Android and Mac, you should take a look at OpenMTP.
All you have to do is install the OpenMTP app (download) on your Mac, open the app, and then connect your Android phone to your Mac with a USB cable.
The app shows your Mac’s files on the left pane and the connected Android device’s storage on the right. You can simply drag and drop files between your Mac and Android to share them.
OpenMTP is completely free and open source, which means you can go look at the source code if you’re interested in that. Plus, if you want, you could fork it from GitHub and add new features to it as well.
You can also use AirDroid to share files between your devices. Plus, the app gives you more features as well, including the ability to control your Android phone from your Mac, get notifications and more.
That’s it. Your phone is now connected with your Mac. You can share files, control your phone, and more with AirDroid. Also, if both your smartphone and Mac are on the same WiFi network, your data won’t be sent over the internet, which is definitely a plus.
If you don’t like AirDroid for any reason, you should take a look at our list ofAirDroid alternatives.
Lastly, you can check out Commander One if you’re looking for an option that will let you use your Android phone almost natively with your Mac.
Commander One is aFinder alternativeof sorts, with a bunch of advanced features. However, the one we are concerned with here is its support for mounting Android devices. Similar to OpenMTP, all you need to do is connect your Android phone to your Mac with a USB cable and it will show up in Commander One.
You can then copy and paste files across your devices with ease.
Download Commander One (Free, licenses available)
Easily Share Files Between Android and Mac
Well those were the 5 best ways to transfer files between MacBook and Android phones. We have included all sorts of methods, be it wireless transfer, wired transfer, and even AirDrop like solutions for your Android phone. Hopefully, you have found a method that works best for you.
While these solutions are fairly easy, if you still run into any issues while using them just drop a comment below and we will definitely try to help you out.
