OpenMTP on Mac: how to use it to move files to and from Android

To use OpenMTP on a Mac, download the build that matches your Mac's chip, drag it into Applications, connect your Android phone with a USB data cable, unlock the phone, and choose File transfer in its USB notification. OpenMTP then shows your Mac's files on the left and the phone's on the right, and you drag between them. It is free, it works in both directions, and nothing is installed on the phone.

Everything below comes from OpenMTP's own site, its connection guide, and its GitHub page. We have not tested it ourselves.

What is OpenMTP, and what do I need?

OpenMTP is a free, open-source file transfer app for macOS, written by Ganesh Rathinavel and released under the MIT licence. It talks to the phone over MTP, the file transfer mode Android offers on a cable. Google no longer offers its own Android File Transfer app for Mac, and OpenMTP is the free tool that does that job now.

You need:

• A Mac on macOS 10.14 Mojave or later. The site says macOS 10.13 and earlier have limited support and need the older v3.1.15 release.
• A USB data cable. The connection guide warns that "some cables only charge".
• Your phone, unlocked.

The current release when we checked was v3.3.0, published on 22 August 2026 on the project's GitHub page.

How do I install OpenMTP?

1. Check which chip your Mac has. The site's FAQ says to click the Apple menu and choose About This Mac. A Chip line starting with Apple M means Apple silicon. A Processor line saying Intel means the Intel build.
2. Download the matching build from openmtp.ganeshrvel.com. The site offers "Download for Apple Silicon (M1 and later)" and "Download for Intel Mac", and says the buttons already pick the right one for the Mac you are reading on.
3. Drag OpenMTP into the Applications folder and open it. The site says releases are "signed and notarized by Apple".

If you use Homebrew, the command on the site is brew install openmtp --cask.

One warning from the project itself: there are copycat websites using the OpenMTP name and logo. The README says the only official sources are openmtp.ganeshrvel.com, the GitHub repository at github.com/ganeshrvel/openmtp, and the Homebrew cask page.

How do I connect my phone?

These are the steps from OpenMTP's guide for Android phones and tablets.

1. Quit apps that might hold the phone. The guide says "Only one app can use an MTP device at a time" and names Preview, Image Capture, Photos, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Android File Transfer, Garmin Express, iMovie, and Lightroom.
2. Connect the phone to the Mac with the USB cable.
3. Unlock the phone with its PIN, pattern, or fingerprint.
4. Pull down the notification shade and tap the USB notification.
5. Under Use USB for, choose File transfer. The guide notes it is sometimes labelled MTP or Transfer files.
6. Open OpenMTP. If the phone does not appear on the right, click refresh on either pane.

No USB notification? The guide says to open the phone's Settings, search for "USB" or "USB Preferences", and choose File transfer there.

On a Samsung Galaxy the wording differs. The guide says that when the phone asks "Allow access to phone data?" you tap Allow, and that if there is no prompt you tap the USB notification and choose Transferring files. It also says to quit Samsung Smart Switch if OpenMTP goes blank. More on that in OpenMTP not working.

How do I copy files?

The window has two panes. In the site's words: "Your Mac is on the left and your phone is on the right."

• Drag and drop. Drag a file or folder from one pane to the other. Left to right puts it on the phone. Right to left brings it to the Mac.
• Copy and paste. Select items, press Command-C, click into the other pane, and press Command-V.
• Queue several copies. Command-Shift-C is "Copy to Queue". The FAQ says list view, the one with checkboxes, is the easier way to pick several files, right-click, and choose Copy or Copy to Queue.

The site says OpenMTP handles files larger than 4 GB and many files in one go. Wait for a copy to finish before you unplug.

For where things live on the phone: camera photos are in DCIM, downloads in Download. A fuller folder list is in backing up an Android phone to a Mac.

Which keyboard shortcuts are worth knowing?

The full list is on the site. These cover most of the work:

Which settings should I know about?

All of these are in the site's FAQ.

Internal storage or SD card. In the right-hand pane, click the Storage button above the phone's file list, then pick internal storage or the SD card. Hit refresh if the contents do not appear straight away.

Hidden files. OpenMTP hides dotfiles by default. Click the Settings (gear) button above the file listing, open the File Manager tab, and under Show hidden files turn on Phone or Computer. Close Settings and refresh.

Grid or list view. Same tab: View as grid can be switched separately for Phone and Computer. There is also a dark mode.

What does OpenMTP not do?

• No wireless transfer. The FAQ's answer to "Can OpenMTP transfer files wirelessly?" is "No."
• No Finder integration. The phone appears inside OpenMTP's window, not as a disk in Finder. If you need a Finder icon, see mounting an Android phone as a drive.
• No phone app. That is a feature as much as a limit: there is nothing to install or keep updated on the phone.

When would I use something else?

OpenMTP is the right tool when you have a cable to hand and files to move, particularly large ones. Stick with it for that.

The cable is also the weak point. Every session starts with plugging in, unlocking, and choosing File transfer again. If you mostly move one or two files at a time and want to skip that, a wireless tool fits better. NearDrop and LocalSend are free; see NearDrop or LocalSend.

The Relay is the paid option. Its file transfer and browsing gives you a similar idea, a window on the Mac that shows the phone's storage, but over your local network with no cable. You drag files either way, and the app sets no file-size limit. It costs $19.99 once and needs Android 8.0 or later and macOS 13 Ventura or later. It has no USB mode, so when there is no shared network, or you simply want a wire, OpenMTP is still the answer.

Questions people ask

Is OpenMTP free?

Yes. The site says it is "completely free and open source, with no ads". The developer accepts donations through PayPal and Buy Me A Coffee.

Do I need to install anything on the phone?

No. OpenMTP's steps use only the Mac app and the phone's built-in File transfer mode. You do not need USB debugging or Developer options.

Does OpenMTP work on Apple silicon Macs?

Yes. The project ships a separate build for Apple silicon and one for Intel, so the app runs directly on your chip. Use About This Mac to check which you have.

Why is the right-hand pane empty?

Usually the phone is locked, the USB mode is still charging, or another Mac app has the phone. Unlock, choose File transfer, quit the apps listed above, and click refresh. The full checklist is in OpenMTP not working.