When it comes to compatibility and interoperability, Apple is not a very friendly company. Mac computers sync and work great with iOS mobile devices, whereas when it comes to Android, users face difficulties. How to transfer files from Android to Mac desktop or laptop? Find the answers in the article.
Unlike Windows, macOS doesn't provide you with the possibility to natively browse the file system of your Android phone nor does AirDrop work with Android phones. So you need to rely on third-party apps concerning this issue and that’s why we've decided to make a list of several ways to transfer files from your Android to Mac or even vice versa, based on our experience.
The simplest method for transferring files from your Android phone to a Mac is to use a cloud service like Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, or OneDrive. All of these services are cross-platform compatible and you can use them on both your Mac and Android phone.
With this method you can simply back up all of the files on your Android phone to your cloud service (including photos), then sync that same cloud service on your Mac to access your files with ease. This method is by far the simplest solution, but it can have associated costs if you need to sync a very large amount of data from your Android phone to your Mac.
MacDroid is a macOS application that helps you quickly transfer files from Android to Mac computer and back. MacDroid is available in two different versions: the free one and the PRO edition. The main advantage of MacDroid is that files on Android are displayed directly in the Finder. Therefore, managing files is very easy and simple!
MacDroid allows you to send files of any type as well as move entire folders between your Android phone and Mac computer and vice versa. The app offers two modes of file transfer, namely ADB or MTP connection mode.
Once you know how to use MacDroid, you can transfer Android files to Mac in seconds. It’s really simple to make use of MacDroid for this, and we’re going to run through the necessary steps.
Android File Transfer is Google’s own solution to let users get around Apple’s Android issue. It’s an easy program to use and has been a popular choice for some time. While it doesn’t have all the features or speed of MacDroid or the handy wireless syncing of SyncMate, it’s still an ok choice if you’re just looking for a basic way of moving files around. If you want to use it, all you need to do is follow these instructions:
AirDroid is an app that allows you not only to transfer files from Android phone to Mac devices but also to perform lots of other things such as checking messages, taking screenshots, and more. You can even turn on mirroring, so your phone's notifications will be displayed on your laptop in real-time.
The app is also available as a special application, nevertheless, you can simply use the AirDroid web client to control your phone. Also, keep in mind that the free version of AirDroid only allows you to transfer files up to 200 MB/month. To increase the quota to 1 GB, you will have to purchase their subscription, which also does not allow you to transfer an unlimited number of files.
Google Drive is one of the most popular file transfer systems around. It’s free, with limited storage, and rather than using a USB to transfer files from Android to Mac, it makes use of an online cloud. It certainly has some benefits, especially when it comes to moving smaller files, but isn’t great for transferring entire folders or larger files.
It’s not quite the same as SyncMate or MacDroid as you’re uploading and downloading rather than transferring, but it basically lets you transfer files from Mac to Android.
If you’re looking for an alternative to MacDroid as a means of transferring files from Android to Mac, we can strongly recommend SyncMate. It’s a handy program that lets you organize files between two devices, ensuring that any changes made to one device are mirrored on the other. The great thing about SyncMate is that it can work wirelessly. That means that once it’s set up, it will automatically sync files when in range.
And that’s basically everything you need to know about file transfer solutions for Mac and Android. We have to say that we’d confidently recommend MacDroid as the ideal solution, no matter what your requirements. It’s a straightforward program, offers a range of different features, and carries out tasks completely smoothly. You can try it out in the free version, or get full usability by investing in the PRO edition.
