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How to transfer photos from Android to a Mac

Android and Mac do not talk to each other out of the box, and AirDrop does not see Android phones. These are the options, with their pros and cons.

Step by step

  1. With a USB cable

    macOS no longer includes a tool for Android files. You need a third-party app or the Image Capture app, which can import photos from some phones when you choose “File transfer / PTP” on the phone. It works, but it is slow and depends on the cable and phone.

  2. With a cloud service

    Upload the photos with Google Photos or Google Drive on the phone and download them on the Mac. Easy, but your photos go through the cloud and you have to download them again, often compressed.

  3. With LocalSend

    Install the free LocalSend app on both the phone and the Mac, connect them to the same Wi‑Fi and send. A good free option if you do not mind installing an app on both devices.

  4. With a QR code, nothing to install on the phone

    In Make Mac Better, open Transfer and scan the QR with the phone camera. A page opens in the phone’s browser: compare the code, pick photos or videos, and they arrive on the Mac, end-to-end encrypted over your Wi‑Fi, without passing through any server.

Which is fastest?

Over the same Wi‑Fi, LocalSend and Make Mac Better send at the speed of your local network, without uploading anything to the internet. The cloud is the slowest because everything goes up and comes back down.

Does it keep the original quality?

With a cable, LocalSend or Make Mac Better, yes: the file arrives as it is on the phone. Make Mac Better also checks each file with SHA‑256 to make sure it arrived intact.

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Reviewed October 2026. Prices and features of other apps can change; check their websites.