AirDroid for Mac: what it does, and when it is the right tool

AirDroid Personal has a macOS desktop client and a web version that runs in a browser, and both pair with the Android app through an AirDroid account. On a Mac it lists file transfer, remote control, screen mirroring, SMS, notifications, calling and more. It is the right tool if you want to reach or control a phone that is not beside you, or want mirroring without Terminal. If your phone and your MacBook sit together and you mostly want files and notifications, free tools may cover it. Everything below is from AirDroid's own pages, and we have not tested the Mac app.

Publisher note: The Relay publishes this guide and is one of the products discussed. Details about other products come from each maker's own pages, checked on 2 October 2026. Prices and features change, so confirm before you buy.

What does AirDroid offer on a Mac?

AirDroid's download page lists three computer options: Web, Windows and macOS, and for the phone Android and iOS. Its product page gives the requirements:

The page's "What's New" note for the macOS client mentions fixes to the remote keyboard's space bar and to clicking the system menu bar. It carries no date.

Setup is three steps on the page: download and install AirDroid Personal on your devices, "Sign up and log in to the same account on PC/web and mobile", then pick the feature you need. The user guide adds that there are two ways to connect. Local Connection Mode is both devices on the same Wi-Fi. Remote Connection Mode is different networks, and you switch on the remote features in the phone app under Me, then Security & Remote Features.

What does it list for each job?

Two details from the guide matter on calls. It says you can start and end a call from the computer but "you would still need to have your phone to speak and listen", because using the PC microphone is not yet supported. And queued dialing is "available only for premium users".

The product page's FAQ says the desktop app and the web version "offer different sets of features": Find Phone and Remote Data Erase are web only, and Remote Keyboard, Notification Management, Queued Dialing and Auto Backup are desktop only. It recommends using both.

What does it cost on a Mac?

The same account works on every platform. The pricing page says a premium account works across "Android, iOS, Windows & Mac". As of 2 October 2026 its paid plans are $3.99 a month or $29.99 for a year. The free plan lists unlimited local-network file transfer and limits remote transfers to 30 MB per file and 200 MB of data, with other differences in a table. We list it row by row in AirDroid free vs premium.

What could we not confirm?

We found nothing on these points in the pages we read:

• Apple silicon. The pages give "macOS 10.11 and higher" and do not say whether the client runs natively on Apple silicon or in Rosetta, or whether it supports the latest macOS release.
• The Mac permissions it asks for. The guide describes permissions on the phone. We did not find a list of what the Mac app asks macOS for.
• Where it stores downloaded files on a Mac.
• How the Mac client handles Local Connection Mode networking, such as the ports it needs.

Check AirDroid's help center, which refused our automated fetch, or ask its support before you rely on any of these.

Is it the right tool for a Mac?

Use the jobs you actually do.

On accounts and data, read Is AirDroid safe?. It sets out what the privacy policy and Google Play listing say, and what passes through its servers in remote mode.

Where does The Relay fit?

The Relay is a Mac-first alternative for the desk case. You install it on the phone and the Mac and pair by scanning a QR code shown on the Mac. It syncs the clipboard both ways, shows notifications as Mac notifications, browses the phone's storage and moves files, shows incoming texts and copies login codes to the Mac's clipboard, shows incoming calls to accept or decline, hands links across, and makes the phone a webcam and microphone. It is one subscription through Google Play that covers your phone and your Mac, with a 7-day free trial, and it needs Android 8.0 or later and macOS 13 Ventura or later.

What AirDroid lists that The Relay lacks: remote access, screen mirroring and remote control, replying to texts, placing calls, Find Phone and remote erase, Windows clients, and a free plan. The Relay works only on your own network or in Bluetooth range. Your clipboard, files, texts, and notifications travel directly between your phone and your Mac over your local network and are not uploaded to The Relay's servers. There is no account or sign-up with The Relay; the subscription is bought through Google Play. See the privacy policy. The full comparison is in The Relay vs AirDroid.

How do I try it on my Mac without committing?

1. Install the Android app, and the Mac client from AirDroid's download page.
2. Sign in with the same account on both, with both on the same Wi-Fi.
3. Try the one thing you want, such as files or notifications. Note what you had to grant.
4. Leave the remote features off unless you need them.
5. If you buy a plan, note that it renews automatically; the payment terms describe a 7-day refund window with conditions.

We have not tested any of this, so that list is a plan for your own test.

Questions people ask

Does AirDroid have a Mac app?

Yes. Its download page lists a macOS client, and its product page says it needs macOS 10.11 or higher. There is also a web version.

Does AirDroid work on a Mac without installing anything?

Its web version runs in Safari, Chrome, Edge or Yandex. It has some features the desktop client lacks and misses others.

Can I answer calls on my Mac with AirDroid?

You can dial from the computer, but its guide says you still need the phone to speak and listen. The Relay shows incoming calls on the Mac to accept or decline.

Is AirDroid free on a Mac?

There is a free plan with limits, and a paid one. See AirDroid free vs premium.