How To Transfer Files From Android To Mac.
While there are definitely some top-notch applications on the Mac that the Windows counterparts can never compete with, there are a few areas in which the Mac doesn’t offer the convenience of a Windows PC. One of them is connecting storage devices to your computer.
If you ever need to transfer files from your Android device to your computer, you can easily do it on your Windows PC. Your computer will quickly recognize the device as a mass storage device and display it in File Explorer. Then you can copy and move the files as you like.
However, things are not so simple on a Mac. Before you can interact with your Android device, you need to first install certain applications on your computer. Seasonal Mac users won’t have a problem with this, but if you’re a new user, you should definitely explore the different ways to transfer files from Android to Mac.
Use Android File Transfer to transfer files
Google understands that connecting an Android device to a Mac is not as easy as connecting an Android device to a Windows PC. Therefore, they developed a special application for Mac users to transfer files between two devices.
Android File Transfer is an application made for Mac to help your computer recognize your device. Once the device is recognized, the app acts as a file manager, allowing you to add files to your device, download files from your device, and perform several other file management tasks with your files.
The app is completely free to download and use, and it works regardless of the manufacturer of your Android device.
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- Open a new browser tab and go to the Android File Transfer web page. Download and install the app on your Mac.
- On an Android device, launch the Settings app and click Developer Options. Enable USB Debugging.
- Connect your Android device to your Mac using a compatible USB cable. Launch the Android File Transfer app from the launcher on Mac.
- The app will recognize your device and show you all your files and directories in a file manager format.
Now you can play with Android files just like Mac files.
- To copy a file from your device to your Mac, simply drag and drop it onto your desktop. To add a file from your Mac to your device, drag the file from your computer to the appropriate folder in the application.
- All file transfer tasks are performed inside the application. Remember this when closing the application. You will no longer be able to transfer files.
Use AirDroid to transfer files wirelessly
The Android File Transfer app works fine most of the time, allowing you to transfer files between your devices. However, there are times when it fails to recognize your device or closes down automatically too often.
Luckily, you don’t need to rely on this app for your file transfer tasks. There is a great alternative for it – AirDroid. This app allows you to transfer files between your Android device and Mac wirelessly if both devices are on the same network.
The app does not require installation on a Mac. You only need to install the app on your Android device and you are ready to start using it.
- Go to the Google Play Store, download and install the AirDroid app on your Android device.
- Launch the app on your device and click AirDroid Web in the main interface.
- On the next screen, you will see the IP address from which your Android device can be accessed. Write it down.
- Open a browser on your Mac and enter the IP address you wrote down earlier.
- Your device will ask you to grant permissions to your Mac. At the invitation, click Accept.
- AirDroid will launch in your Mac browser. Now you can choose any of the available options to play with your device’s files.
With AirDroid, you have the ability to access certain types of files on your device. For example, if you only want to view your photos, you can select the Photos option in the AirDroid interface in your browser, etc.
AirDroid is more than just a file transfer tool. Explore the options available and you can just try something new.
Use a cloud service to transfer files
If you have a stable and high-speed internet connection, you can use the cloud service to transfer files between Android and Mac.
Services like Google Drive and Dropbox let you upload files from one device and access files on another device. Here, we’ll show you how to use Google Drive to accomplish this task.
- Launch the Google Drive app on your Android device. Click on the + (plus) icon and select the Download option. Download the files you want to share on Mac.
- Open a browser on your Mac and go to the Google Drive website. Sign in to your account if you haven’t already. You will find all the files downloaded from your device on the screen. You can download them for offline access on your Mac.
This is a great way to transfer files between devices if you don’t have any problems with the Internet.
Use an SD card to transfer files
While most newer Android phones come with plenty of internal storage, they often have the option to add an SD card to add more storage.
If your phone supports an SD card, transferring files from your device to Mac is quite easy.
- Copy all files you want to transfer to Mac from internal storage to SD card. To do this, you can use the file manager app on your device.
- Insert your SD card into your SD card reader and connect to your Mac.
- Your Mac will display the SD card as a mass storage device and you can view the files available on it.
If you don’t mind copying files to SD card or SD card, you keep all your files, this is the easiest way to transfer files to Mac.
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