It is often seen that tech enthusiasts are interested in cross-platform compatibility. They want to enjoy concurrent use ofdifferent devices they own. If you are a Mac user while you use an Android phone then you would definitely be interested in using both the devices together. But what exactly you can use these two devices together for? Well, all you can do is transferring media and files between two devices. It is possible with the help of certain apps or a few alternate options as well. You can go for whichever option suits you.
Jump To Section
- Android File Transfer For Transferring Media Between Mac And Android
- Connecting Mac And Android Using AirDroid App
- Use Of Google Drive As An Alternate
- Other Cloud Based Services For File Transfers
- SD Card Is Still An Option
Android File Transfer For Transferring Media Between Mac And Android
What’s best about Android is that it does not require you to get into those overloadeddetails of syncing processes just for transferring media (music, videos, files, etc.) Here is a simple way of transferring your media between the two devices using Android File Transfer.
- Download the Android File Transfer app
- Unlock the Android device
- Now connect the two devices using USB. Doing so will launch the Android File Transfer software automatically. But if that’s not the case then you can manually launch it as well.
- When the software prompts you, tap allow option on the Android device.
- The setup may ask you to select your connection type as well. You can opt for transfer media files there.
- Now go to your Mac and open Finder Window.
- You just have to drag/drop files from the Finder to your Android File Transfer interface. Even folders can be created and they’ll show up exactly in the same manner in your Android phone.
If your Android device has SD card as well then you can also drop files on SD card from Android File Transfer. The same mechanism works for transferring files back to your Mac from Android phones. You just have to drag things back to the Finder window on the desktop.
The thing that you may not like about Android File Transfer is that it sometimes doesn’t recognize the Android devices you are trying to connect it to. So, you should always ensure that your device is unlocked before you connect it to Mac.
Connecting Mac And Android Using AirDroid App
Another option you have for getting that interconnectivity between your Android and Mac is the use of AirDroid app. The app offers a wireless option to connect the two devices. Once you have set up this app, it gives you a kind of website that you can use for navigating to the phone, downloading different files and sending and receiving texts. You can get everything right from the web browser in your Mac. Furthermore, you don’t have to download any software on your Mac for that.
Opting for a basic service for free, the app will connect your Android phone to the Macbook with the help of Wi-Fi connection. After installing the app, you will have to visit the official website of AirDroidand sign in there after which you will be given access to all your data on Android phone – everything from contact lists to videos. You can consider this website a hybrid way of accessing your smartphone and Mac computer.
Once you have set up your account on the AirDroidwebsite and logged in, it will be easy to move files between the two devices without any trouble whatsoever.
Use Of Google Drive As An Alternate
It is also possible to use Google Drive as an alternate. Though it may not connect the two devices directly but it still allows you to have access to your important files on both the devices. Your Drive travels with you no matter where you go and you just need an internet connection to download your files saved on the Drive to your Mac or Android. You have 15GB free storage whereas there is no limit on the photo storage. So, save space on your Mac as well as Android phone and keep your data with you on the go.
Here are the steps to save stuff on Google Drive using your Mac:
- Open your web browser
- Visit Google.com
- Go to upper right corner of your browser window and click apps button
- Click on Drive
- In upper left corner of the screen you will see “New”, Click it
- Next, click on “File Upload”. Entire folder can also be uploaded together as well.
- Press Enter to upload your file/folder to Google Drive. Few minutes will be required for the upload to finish depending on size of your upload.
You can also drag/drop files and folders on Google Drive to make the process even easier. You will feel as if Google Drive is another folder on the Mac device and whenever you have to transfer something to your Android, you’ll just have to drag/drop it to the Drive. Pretty Simple!
Other Cloud Based Services For File Transfers
If you don’t have the option of connecting your Android device to your Mac directly and you don’t even want to use Google Drive for some reason, you still have other options available.
You can take refuge to other cloud-based storage options to easily and quickly access your files regardless of the device you are using. The apps of these services can be downloaded to your Android while the websites can be browsed on the Mac to have access to your account and files.
Dropbox is the one that we’d like to recommend here as it not just offers ease of use but also provides 2GB cloud storage without you having to pay anything at all. Quite similar to Google Drive, even Dropbox can serve as another folder on the Mac device you are running and you can similarly drag/drop files for transferring them. Once you have put them on the Dropbox, they will be available on the Dropbox app for Android.
SD Card Is Still An Option
Pick almost any Android device and you will see that slot for microSD card on your device. Though the basic purpose is to enhance the storage of the device but you can use your card for file transfers as well. You can use standard SD adapter with your Mac for transferring files from and to your SD card just like you do when you are transferring stuff from your camera.
So, these are a few options you have for connecting your Android Device with Mac. Nonetheless, the basic purpose for such connectivity is transferring files and media between the two devices.