Android File Transfer not working on Mac: causes, fixes, and what to use instead

If Android File Transfer on your Mac says "Could not connect to device" or "No Android device found", check four things in this order: whether the phone is set to charge only, whether the cable can carry data, whether the phone is locked, and whether another Mac app has already grabbed the phone. There is also a bigger problem: as of 1 October 2026, Google no longer offers Android File Transfer for download and no longer documents it, so the lasting fix is to switch to an app that is still maintained.

Is Android File Transfer still available from Google?

Not from Google's own pages. Two things were true when we checked on 1 October 2026:

• The old download address, android.com/filetransfer, redirects to Google's Quick Share for Windows page. That page offers a Windows installer and lists only Windows computers under its requirements. There is no Mac download on it.
• Google's help article Transfer files between your computer and Android device gives USB steps for a Windows computer and a Chromebook, and nothing for a Mac. Android File Transfer is not mentioned anywhere on the page.

Google has not published a notice explaining this, so we will not guess at the reasons. The practical meaning is simple. If you still have the app in your Applications folder, nobody is updating it. If you do not have it, do not download it from a third-party mirror. Use one of the maintained apps further down.

Why does it say "could not connect to device" or "no Android device found"?

Both messages mean the same thing: the Mac app asked for the phone's storage and got no answer. The phone shares its storage over USB using a standard called MTP, and that only works when the phone has agreed to it and nothing else on the Mac is using the connection.

The causes and fixes below come from Google's own USB troubleshooting steps and from the troubleshooting guide for OpenMTP, a free Mac app that uses the same kind of connection. They apply to any USB file transfer app on a Mac, not only to Android File Transfer.

Work down the table in order. The first four rows need no new software, so start there.

How do I check the USB mode on a Samsung, Pixel, or other phone?

1. Unlock the phone.
2. Connect it to the Mac with a cable you know carries data.
3. Swipe down from the top of the phone's screen and find the USB notification. Google's help page calls it "Charging this device via USB".
4. Tap it and choose File Transfer.

Google notes that some of its steps only apply to Android 14 and later, and Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and others rename these menus. If you cannot find the notification, open Settings and search for "USB". On a Galaxy phone, also watch for the prompt that OpenMTP's troubleshooting list calls "Enable MTP data access", and accept it.

Google's steps have you choose File Transfer after the cable is connected. So if the error returns on a later day, check the USB mode again before anything else.

What should I use instead of Android File Transfer?

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 1 October 2026. Prices and features change, so confirm before you buy.

For a cable replacement and nothing else, OpenMTP is the honest first recommendation. It is free and it does the one job Android File Transfer did.

When is a wireless app the better fix?

A cable is still the right tool when you have no Wi-Fi, or when you are moving a whole phone's worth of video and want a wire. For everything else, the cable is the fragile part: the USB mode has to be right, the cable has to carry data, and other apps compete for the connection.

The Relay skips USB entirely. You install it on the phone and the Mac, pair them by scanning a QR code shown on the Mac, and then browse the phone's storage in a Mac window and drag files in either direction over your local network. The app sets no file-size limit. It also handles the things a file tool does not: clipboard sync, texts and login codes, notifications, calls, and link handoff. It costs $19.99, paid once.

It is not the right tool if you specifically need a wired transfer. The Relay has no USB mode, and both devices need to be on the same network or within Bluetooth range. If that rules it out, use OpenMTP.

Questions people ask

Is Android File Transfer discontinued?

Google has not posted an announcement that we could find. What we can say is that on 1 October 2026 the old android.com/filetransfer address redirected to the Quick Share for Windows page, and Google's help article on moving files by USB covered Windows and Chromebook only. For practical purposes, treat the Mac app as unsupported.

Why does Android File Transfer not work with my Samsung phone?

Start with the general causes: USB mode, cable, and a locked screen. On a Galaxy phone, also accept the prompt that asks to enable MTP data access. If Samsung Smart Switch is installed on the Mac, quit it. OpenMTP's troubleshooting guide lists Smart Switch among the apps that can hold the USB connection and stop other apps from seeing the phone.

Do I need Android File Transfer to move files to a Mac at all?

No. You need some app that can talk to the phone, because Google's own USB instructions cover only Windows and Chromebook. OpenMTP does it over a cable for free. Wireless options such as NearDrop, LocalSend, and The Relay do not use the cable at all. The full list is in every way to transfer files from Android to a Mac.

Why does the error come back every time I plug the phone in?

Check the USB mode first. Google's steps have you pick File Transfer from the USB notification after you connect the cable, and the notification they describe starts out as "Charging this device via USB". If the phone is back on charging, the Mac sees nothing. If choosing the mode on every connection is the part that annoys you, a wireless tool removes the step.

Can a Mac app stop another app from seeing my phone?

Yes. OpenMTP's guide states that only one app can use an MTP device at a time. The apps it names are mostly photo and cloud sync apps: Preview, Image Capture, Photos, Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive among them. Quit them fully, then reconnect.