What is Android File Transfer, and does it still exist in 2026?

Android File Transfer is a small Mac app that Google made so you could plug an Android phone into a Mac with a USB cable and drag files between them. As of 25 October 2026, Google no longer offers or documents it: its old web address now opens Google's Quick Share for Windows page, and Google's help article on moving files by cable covers Windows and Chromebook only. Google has not published a discontinuation notice that we could find, and no Google page today says which macOS versions the app supports. On a Mac, the practical replacements are free third-party apps such as OpenMTP, or wireless options that depend on your phone.

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

What did Android File Transfer do?

It let a Mac read an Android phone's storage over USB. Android phones do not share their storage as a plain USB drive. Google's compatibility rules recommend that phone makers use Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) for that job, and neither Apple's nor Google's help pages describe a built-in way for macOS to open an MTP device. Android File Transfer was Google's own app for that gap.

The clearest description of its role is in a Google document that is still current. The Android 16 Compatibility Definition, the rulebook phone makers follow, says in section 7.6.2 that devices supporting MTP "SHOULD be compatible with the reference Android MTP host, Android File Transfer." In plain words: Android File Transfer was the yardstick that phone makers tested their USB file sharing against.

In use, it was a single window. You connected the phone, chose File Transfer in the phone's USB notification (the same step Google's help still gives for Windows), and the Mac app showed the phone's folders for you to drag files in or out.

Is Android File Transfer still available?

Not from any Google page we could find on 25 October 2026. Here is what Google's own pages show today:

So the name lives on in a specification, but there is no download or set of instructions behind it. We describe this as "Google no longer offers or documents it", not as "discontinued", because Google has not said the second thing. The dated story of how this happened is in what happened to Android File Transfer.

Which macOS versions does Android File Transfer support?

No Google page answers that today. The pages that used to carry the app's requirements now point elsewhere, and the current help article does not mention macOS at all. Any version number you see quoted for it comes from an old page or a third party, and Google has not confirmed it for current macOS releases.

If you already have the app installed and it works for you, nothing stops you from using it. Just know that if it breaks on a future macOS update, no fix is coming from Google. Our guide on Android File Transfer on Apple silicon covers how to check what kind of app your copy is, and the download guide explains why a copy from an unfamiliar website is a risk you do not need to take.

What replaced Android File Transfer?

Google did not ship a Mac replacement. Its file-sharing app for computers, Quick Share, is for Windows: the Quick Share for Windows page says it runs on "a 64-bit version of Windows 10 and up." Google's Quick Share help says Quick Share works on "Android 6+ devices, Chromebooks, and on select Windows PCs."

What a Mac owner can use instead, by situation:

OpenMTP's README warns that copycat sites use its name and says to download only from its official website, its GitHub page, or Homebrew. That advice applies to any file tool you install.

For photos only, some people use Apple's Image Capture. Apple's Image Capture guide talks about importing from "a camera, iPhone, iPad, scanner or other device" and does not name Android, so treat it as something to try rather than a promise.

The full comparison, with paid options, is in Android File Transfer alternatives for Mac.

Where does The Relay fit?

The Relay is not a USB tool, and it is not a drop-in copy of Android File Transfer. It is an Android app and a Mac app that pair over your own Wi-Fi, with Bluetooth as a fallback. Its file transfer puts a window on the Mac that browses the phone's storage, and you drag files either way, with no file-size limit set by the app. It also syncs the clipboard, shows notifications and texts on the Mac, and copies login codes. If you want a cable, or you only move files once a month, use OpenMTP: it is free. If file transfer is one of several things you want your phone and Mac to do together, The Relay is one subscription through Google Play that covers your phone and your Mac, with a 7-day free trial.

Questions people ask

What is Android File Transfer used for?

Copying files between an Android phone and a Mac over a USB cable. The Mac app showed the phone's folders in a window, and you dragged files in or out. Google's Android Compatibility Definition still calls it the reference MTP host that phones should be compatible with.

Is Android File Transfer discontinued?

Google has not published a discontinuation notice that we could find. What its pages show on 25 October 2026 is that it no longer offers or documents the app: the old address opens Quick Share for Windows, and the USB help article covers Windows and Chromebook only.

Does Android File Transfer work on the latest macOS?

No Google page says. Google no longer lists any macOS requirements for it. If you have a copy that works, it may keep working, but nothing guarantees it after the next macOS update.

What is the best free replacement for Android File Transfer?

For a USB cable, OpenMTP is the closest match: free, open source, and maintained, with Apple silicon and Intel builds. For wireless transfers, Quick Share to AirDrop works on supported phones, and NearDrop or LocalSend work with almost any Android phone.

Is there a Quick Share app for Mac?

Not from Google. Google's Quick Share app for computers is for Windows only. A Mac can receive from some Android phones through AirDrop, and the free NearDrop app makes a Mac appear as a Quick Share target.