Android to Mac file transfer, without the cable
Google no longer offers Android File Transfer, and emailing yourself a video stopped being reasonable years ago. The Relay puts your phone’s storage in a window on your Mac. Drag files in either direction over your local network.
Your phone,
mounted like a drive.
Browse your Android’s storage from Finder-style windows. Drag files either way at full network speed. No size limits, no upload.
Your phone,
mounted like a drive.
Browse your Android’s storage from Finder-style windows. Drag files either way at full network speed. No size limits, no upload.
iPhone owners get this free. Now you do too.
“wirelessly send documents, photos, videos, websites, map locations, and more from one Apple device to another”Recent flagship Android phones can now send to AirDrop through Quick Share. Many phones cannot, and it sends files without letting you browse the phone.
Browse the phone’s storage from a window on the Mac and drag files either way over the local network. The app sets no file-size limit.
Works with Android 8.0 or later and macOS 13 Ventura or later. Your data travels directly between your phone and your Mac over your local network.
Three steps. Then it just works.
- 1Install on both
Put The Relay on your Android phone and on your Mac. It needs Android 8.0 or later and macOS 13 Ventura or later.
- 2Scan to pair
Open it on both. Scan the QR code on your Mac with your phone. The two are now paired over your own Wi-Fi.
- 3Browse and drag
Open the phone’s storage on your Mac, find the photo, video, or document, and drag it across. Drag from the Mac to put a file on the phone.
What it will not do
- —Both devices need to be on the same local network, or in Bluetooth range. It does not work across the internet when your phone is somewhere else.
- —It is not AirDrop-compatible and does not make your phone appear in the Mac’s AirDrop list.
- —It is wireless. If you want a USB cable route, OpenMTP is free.
- —It moves files. It is not a photo-library backup; Google Photos does that.
- —If your phone is on Google’s Quick Share and AirDrop list and you only send the odd file, the built-in route is free.
People ask
What replaced Android File Transfer on a Mac?
Google no longer offers or documents Android File Transfer. For a cable, OpenMTP is free. For wireless, recent phones can use Quick Share with AirDrop, NearDrop and LocalSend are free, and The Relay lets you browse the phone’s storage from the Mac and drag files either way.
Is there a file size limit?
The Relay sets no file-size limit. Files travel over your local network between the two devices.
Can I send files from the Mac to the phone too?
Yes. Transfer works in both directions.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. Files travel directly between your phone and your Mac over your local network and are not uploaded to The Relay’s servers.
GUIDES ON THIS
How to Transfer Files From Android to Mac: Every Method
Every way to do an Android to Mac file transfer in 2026: USB, Quick Share to AirDrop, NearDrop, LocalSend, Bluetooth, cloud drives, and apps, with a table to pick one.
Android File Transfer Not Working on Mac? Causes and Fixes
Why Android File Transfer says it could not connect to your device or finds no Android device on a Mac, how to fix each cause, and what to use instead.
Android File Transfer Alternatives for Mac in 2026
Google no longer offers Android File Transfer for Mac. The replacements compared: OpenMTP, MacDroid, NearDrop, LocalSend, Quick Share to AirDrop, and The Relay.
AirDrop From Android to Mac: Which Phones Can Do It (2026)
Yes, some Android phones can now AirDrop to a Mac through Quick Share. The exact list of supported phones, the Mac setting it needs, and what everyone else can do.
How to Transfer Photos From Android to Mac (Cable or Wireless)
Four ways to transfer photos from Android to a Mac: USB cable, Quick Share, Google Photos, and local apps. What Image Capture does, and how to keep original quality.
Android to Mac Wi-Fi File Transfer: 5 Wireless Ways
Android to Mac Wi-Fi file transfer with no cable: Quick Share to AirDrop, NearDrop, LocalSend, The Relay, and Google Drive compared, with setup steps for each one.