The iPhone and your Mac with OS X are made to work together. If you are using an Android phone and a Mac (Book), exchanging files is a bit more difficult. We show you what you need to make this a success.
Transfer files between Android and OS X
Just like the iPhone, you can connect your Android to your Mac with a USB cable. A pop-up will then appear on the screen of the smartphone, allowing you to choose how you want to pair the device. You can only charge your Android, connect it as a midi device, only transfer images or transfer media files. However, none of the four options gives you the option to search the Android device as USB storage, which is the case with Windows. Although you can use the Photos app to import media to the Mac, it is difficult to find specific photos or videos, for example.
Android File Transfer offers a solution. This Mac app makes it extremely easy to transfer all files on your Android device – including downloads, documents and other files – to your Mac. The other way around, you can also transfer data; useful if you have certain videos or MP3s on your Mac that you want to take with you on your Android. Follow the steps below to get Android File Transfer working. You need a device with Android 3.0 or higher to use it.
- Go to www.android.com/filetransfer to download the installation file. Click it and drag it to your applications;
- Connect your Android device to your Mac and start Android File Transfer;
- On your Android, allow your Mac to access the device data. Enter your unlock code if necessary;
- You will now see the folder structure on your Android and can search all files.
A handy thing about Android File Transfer is that the application starts automatically when you connect an Android device. You can then access all photos and videos (DCIM), downloads and other media. The only disadvantage is that you first have to drag the relevant files to your Mac in order to preview them. In terms of design, Android File Transfer does not deserve the beauty price, but the application does its job well.
→ 5 ways to exchange iPhone photos with your PC or Mac