SyncMate: The easiest way to sync your Mac with iOS and Android. How to Transfer Files from Android Device to Mac
1. Transfer files between phone and computer
One of the biggest problems facing Mac + Android users is copying files between their phone and computer. The fact is that Android, starting with version 4.0, does not actually support the Universal Mass Storage protocol, which was replaced by MTP (Media Transfer Protocol). It's worth noting that MTP, unlike UMS, is not a standard protocol (it's a Microsoft invention), so it's not surprising that Mac OS X doesn't support it. Be that as it may, you won’t be able to simply connect an Android smartphone to a computer with Mac OS X using a cord - the phone is simply not recognized as a removable disk.
To solve this problem, Google (the vast majority of whose employees, by the way, use Macs themselves) released the Android File Transfer application. Once installed, this application will automatically launch when you connect your smartphone to your Mac and open a window with a list of files and folders that you can copy from your smartphone and back with a simple drag-and-drop to/from the Finder. It's worth noting that this app (like most Google apps for the Mac) is terrible. In particular, it requires that the smartphone screen be unlocked, and if, while copying files, your smartphone suddenly “falls asleep” due to a timeout, then the process will have to start again.
Personally, I eventually gave up and solved the problem by installing an FTP server on my smartphone, which I connect to from a Mac using the excellent CyberDuck FTP client.
As a result, the process of transferring files occurs quickly and, moreover, wirelessly (via Wi-Fi), and the FTP server itself ensures that the smartphone does not fall asleep during file transfer. Although from the outside it looks, of course, a little wild.
To transfer a small number of files, it is easier and more convenient to use the cloud file storage service Dropbox, which for me personally is an indispensable working tool. If you're not using Dropbox yet, it's time to fix that.
2. Sync contacts, calendar and Hangouts
This one is simple: Mac OS X supports synchronizing contacts and calendar with Gmail and Google Calendar, respectively. Just go to System Preferences -> Internet Accounts, add your Google account and check the boxes for the services you want to use. As a nice bonus, the built-in OS X Messages app works great with Hangouts (formerly Google Talk), and message history is synced between your desktop and phone.
3. Media Sync
If you, like most Mac OS X users, use iTunes to listen to music, you may encounter several problems.
First, iTunes supports a fairly limited number of music formats by default: MP3, AAC and ALAC (Apple Lossless). You can install plugins for QuickTime that allow this combiner to play FLAC, but this option is associated with some inconveniences, the discussion of which is beyond the scope of this material. Personally, I went the other way: I transcoded all my music from FLAC to ALAC using the excellent XLD application (on a laptop with a 2.5 GHz 2-core Core i5 processor, the process of converting a library of several thousand files took about 3 hours), which at the same time can automatically download metadata from the Internet and fill in tags in ALAC files, including album covers. On my smartphone, I use the PowerAMP player to listen to music, which understands ALAC perfectly.
Even if you don't store your music in lossless formats, you may have trouble copying files between iTunes and your smartphone. The first option for solving this problem is manual copying: iTunes stores all the music in a clear file structure, from where it can be easily copied to the phone (see point 1).
If you want automation, you have two options. The first is to sync music to your phone via the cloud using Google Music. The second is to use applications like DoubleTwist AirSync, which can synchronize your iTunes library according to the criteria you specify with a client application on Android. My experience using DoubleTwist, unfortunately, was purely negative: as a music player, this application is no match for the already mentioned PowerAMP, and the synchronization function works through the roof, often creating duplicate files.
It is worth noting that users of Sony Xperia Android smartphones are very lucky - they have the excellent Sony Bridge for Mac application, which solves the problem of copying files and synchronizing media between a smartphone and a computer.
4. Sync photos
Everything is simple here. Apple's proprietary Photo Stream, unfortunately, does not work on Android devices. Synchronizing photos through Google services is also not an optimal solution, since I personally cannot describe the Picasa application for Mac using censored words. Accordingly, the optimal solution is to use the above-mentioned Dropbox, which has an ultra-convenient function for automatically uploading photos taken on your phone.
5. Instant messages
I mentioned above that the Messages app on Mac works great with Hangouts, and message history syncs between your computer and phone. As an additional option, I personally use Viber - an excellent cross-platform messenger that also has a convenient "desktop" application with support for full functionality, including voice and video calls.
Bottom line
I hope I was able to show that Android and Mac get along well in the hands of one user. With the exception of copying files, all synchronization problems are perfectly solved using Google services (Gmail, calendar, contacts) or third-party solutions (Dropbox). So Mac owners can safely buy an Android smartphone, just as owners of Android smartphones and tablets can buy a Mac without fear of interaction problems between these devices.
Unfortunately, in the usual way (as Windows and Linux users are used to doing using a file manager), you cannot transfer files from an Android smartphone to a Mac and back via a USB cable. Previously, that is, before the Ice Cream Sandwich version, smartphones with Google OS used the UMS (Universal Mass Storage) protocol, which made it possible to connect these devices like a flash drive and you could easily exchange files between devices. But with the advent of Android 4.0, developers switched to a new standard - MTP (Media Transfer Protocol). That is why the “good corporation” released a special utility for this purpose called Android File Transfer.
Android File Transfer allows you to move absolutely any type of file, be it music, videos, photos, documents, applications and others. And in today's article, we will tell you how to use Android File Transfer to transfer files from Android to Mac and vice versa.
How to Transfer Files from Android to Mac and Back
Now, to transfer files from an Android device to a Mac, you just need to go to the desired folder in Android File Transfer, select the files and drag them to a random directory on your computer.
In the same way, you can transfer files from Mac to Android by moving files and folders from the file manager to the Android File Transfer window.
To create a new folder, you need to click on the folder icon in the upper right corner of the program.
To delete one or more files, you need to select them, right-click and select “Delete”.
It is worth noting that for the program to work correctly, versions of Android 4.4+ and Mac OS X 10.5 and higher are required.
New Year's holidays are not only kilograms of salads and artillery volleys of fireworks; When the New Year's frenzy passes, tons of photographs and videos are found on smartphones, proving that we are still wow, there is gunpowder in the flasks and we can celebrate the holidays like the last time.
And here a small problem arises, namely: how to transfer video from Android smartphone to MacBook?
Well, with old MacBooks, for example, everything is clear: connect a foreign smartphone using a USB cable, download Android Files Transfer or Samsung Switch for smartphones of the same name, and simply drag and drop the necessary files in a convenient window.
What if I have a new, innovative MacBook Pro for many thousands of rubles, which only has 2 USB-C inputs and doesn’t have a magic USB-C to USB adapter at hand?
Thank you Apple for Bluetooth
Yes, both MacBook and Android smartphones have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. But what good are they? Even if you put gadgets next to each other, or even rub your smartphone into the laptop screen, there will be no effect.
Because there is one secret checkbox in the Mac settings, without which the MacBook and the other device will not see each other wirelessly.
True, to Samsung's credit, it is still possible to directly transfer files from Korean flagships to Apple gadgets using Bluetooth Direct ( function similar to AirDrop). For this, a big bow to the developers. But if you have any other smartphone, see what to do.
How to connect MacBook and Android smartphone
You need to go to “System Preferences” – “Sharing” on your MacBook.
This is where the secret checkbox lies: in the left menu you need to activate the “Bluetooth sharing” item.
In the right field, be sure to change the values to “Ask what to do” to prevent unauthorized access to your MacBook by third parties.
That's it, now you can use the instructions for exchanging files with other devices via Bluetooth from the official Apple website.
In short:
- connect to your smartphone
- looking for the required file
- copy it to MacBook
- PROFIT!
Yes, get ready to wait a long time: the speed leaves much to be desired, but the main thing is that the files are transferred!
File transfer works in both directions, that is, you can transfer something from a MacBook to a smartphone. To do this, you need to find the desired smartphone in the list of devices connected via Bluetooth and call the context menu by right-clicking.
Then transfer the file to the device.
Yes, the smartphone may not immediately see the laptop ( My HTC deigned to connect to my MacBook for the 3rd time), yes, this is not at all similar to AirDrop in terms of convenience, but nevertheless, this method works.
Share videos and photos, happy holidays to you!
Most of the services listed below rely on the cloud to make the process of moving data between devices painless, while other methods require a proven method of transferring data over a USB connection.
Synchronizing documents
Unlike iPhone, transferring files is as simple as drag and drop. How you do this, however, will depend on what version of Android the phone is running. Not only can you sync documents for access on your Android device, but your phone can also act as a storage drive for important documents or an assistant for moving files between computers.Older Android devices have a USB Storage mode that can be activated when you connect the device to a Mac and a notification will appear indicating that USB is in use. From there, select "Connect as USB drive."
At this point, your phone will appear as a disk on your desktop. Open it and you can move files from different folders on your phone.
When using this method, make sure you turn off your Android device before disconnecting from your computer. To do this, open Finder and click the eject icon next to your device. If the shutdown is not performed before disconnecting the device, it may corrupt the data on the device, which in turn results in file loss.
New Androids require you to use an app to sync files between two devices. Google recommends using its Android File Transfer (AFT) program, which you can download from Android.com. With AFT, you can browse your Android device's system folders and drag and drop files between it and your Mac. The program is very simple, but it works.
While AFT is more than adequate for basic file syncing, other apps like the Droid NAS allow you to wirelessly share files between your device and your Mac with ease. The program effectively helps your phone or tablet appear as a shared computer in your Mac's Finder, allowing you to transfer files without using a USB cable. Read on for Droid NAS to see how you can set up profile syncing based on your Wi-Fi network. I use this application and I like it.
Another option for wirelessly accessing files and other content on your Android device is AirDroid, a free service that lets you remotely access and change your phone's files from a browser window. AirDroid 2 is currently in beta testing mode and will allow you to manage a long list of items on your device's memory wirelessly. Or you can install the original version of AirDroid if you don't want to bother with the beta version.
Music
There are several scenarios that will determine how you sync music files on your computer to your Android device. As you already know, you can simply drag and drop your entire music library onto your phone, but you'll run into a couple of issues. First, you may not want to do this every time you download a new song. Secondly, you may not have enough space on your device to store all these files.Luckily, Google Music solves this problem and makes syncing your music easy. With Google Music, you can download your entire library of music (up to 20,000 songs) and streams, or download to your phone as long as you have an internet connection. And every time you download a new song on your Mac, it will be available on your phone.
To get started with Google Music, you first need to download the Music Manager app.
After downloading the app on your Mac, you need to show it where your music is stored. Once you have defined a folder to monitor, the application will automatically upload music to the Google music service. Not only does this method provide an easy way to get your music on your device, but it also frees up storage space that would otherwise be filled with music.
Once you've built your library, you can download any artist, album, or playlist using Wi-Fi or cellular into the Android music app itself. Simply click on the pushpin icon to begin the download process.
The best thing is that you don't have to fiddle with iTunes when syncing music from your computer to your Android device. You simply tell Music Manager where your music library is, and when new files are added, they are automatically downloaded. You can store 20,000 songs for free.
Photo
There are a few different ways to sync photos from your Android device to your Mac so that every time you take a photo of something, it's copied to your Mac. The beauty of some of these solutions is that after the initial setup, you won't have to do anything to transfer photos from your phone to your Mac. Not only does this type of system make it easy to access photos on your computer, but it also ensures that you always have a backup of your photos if you ever lose your phone. Before you continue, sign up for a Dropbox account if you don't already have one.Dropbox provides a free way for your photos to automatically sync with the service, which in turn uploads them to your camera's download folder on your Mac. This is the fastest way to transfer photos from your device to your Mac, but it's not the only way. SyncMate Expert will also help you achieve the same results as the AFT and Droid NAS apps, although not automatically like Dropbox does.
There is also an app called DoubleTwist which has AirSync feature. The application requires software installation on both an Android device and a Mac. After installing and setting up the program, you can sync music, photos, videos and wireless communications between two devices.
Movie
The large screens commonly found on Android devices make them ideal for watching movies. But not only do you have to rely on Netflix, Hulu Plus, or HBO Go for your entertainment, you can download movies to your phone and watch them anywhere, even when you're offline. Transferring large movies or videos between Mac and Android is time-consuming, so make sure you don't do it in a hurry.Solutions like AirDroid, DoubleTwist, SyncMate, Droid NAS, and AFT all let you stream movies and videos to your Android device from your Mac. But, keep in mind that some of the wireless solutions may be slower than the wired solution offered by Android File Transfer.
No matter which method you choose, you will have to add any movie files to the Movie folder located on your Android device. If there is no such folder, create it.
You are likely to encounter problems playing different types of video files on your Android device, although the built-in player supports many formats. But if you don't want to worry about it, download MX Player from Google Store and use it as your main video player. It supports a long list of file types.
Of course, all this video transfer quickly eats up precious storage space, so consider turning on a cloud solution. One option is to stream videos stored in your Dropbox account through the Dropbox app. Just keep in mind that streaming video over a cellular connection consumes a lot of data.
Contacts and calendars
Many of us would be shocked if we suddenly lost contacts in our address book. Long gone are the days of memorizing phone numbers, addresses and birthdays, we now rely on our devices to store this vital information. Also long gone are the days of needing a USB connection to sync this kind of information between devices. Now there are services like Google and Apple that ensure all our devices keep important information up to date as soon as you log into your account.
The good news is that Google and Apple actually play well together when it comes to syncing contacts and calendars. On your Mac, sign in to your Google Account in both the Contacts and Calendar apps. You can do this by launching the application and going to settings (in the menu bar, click on the application name, click "Settings"). Once you've entered the settings page, click on the account icon at the top. In the Contacts app, click on the "To My Mac" button, and then check the box to start syncing with Google. You need to sign in to the same Google account as on your Android device.
The process in the Calendar app is similar, but instead of choosing "to my Mac", you need to click on the "+" sign at the bottom of the window and select Google from the list of services you can add. Again, sign in with the same Google account as you did on your Android device.
On your Android device, launch the settings app and find your Google account in the "Accounts" section. Click on your account name and check the box next to Calendar and Contacts. Any changes made to this information will be synchronized between your Android device and Mac on an ongoing basis. Most of the time these changes are almost instantaneous, but there may be slight delays in synchronization.
If you're an iCloud user who wouldn't want to switch to Google services for your contacts and calendar needs, check out SmoothSync for the cloud-based Calendar or Contacts apps. Any of these apps will allow you to sync your information from iCloud to your Android devices.
Bookmarks and Tabs
Syncing your browser's bookmarks and tabs is one of those features that once you start using it, you won't know how you ever lived without it. It makes it easy to switch from your computer to your smartphone (or vice versa) and continue browsing where you left off. Instead of sending links via email or messages to yourself, you just fire up your browser and you're done.The easiest way to make sure that your bookmarks, open tabs and other browser settings are synced from your computer to your Android device is to use the built-in Google Chrome browser.
If your Android device does not come with the Chrome browser pre-installed, you can download it for free. And, of course, you need Chrome for Mac, which you can also download.
Sign in to Chrome on both devices with the same Google Account, and then sign in to the settings page. Check the box to synchronize the services you want.
Please note that you need to use a device running Android 4.0 or higher to install Chrome. If you are running an older version of Android, you can try using SyncMate. The free version doesn't provide bookmark syncing, so you'll have to pay $35 for the Expert version.
Obviously, we can't cover every app or service when it comes to using an Android device with a Mac, so if you have one that you like best, please mention it in the comments.
Devices based on Android OS are extremely popular. If earlier people bought gadgets from certain systems, for example, Apple, now the number of such “partitas” is falling every day. But this leads to some problems, one of which is the synchronization of Android and Mac, which is simply impossible using standard means. Now we will look and evaluate a non-standard tool for solving this problem, or rather the SyncMate application.
SyncMate appeared relatively recently, but now it can do everything you need and even a little more. The program allows you to synchronize contacts, messages, browser bookmarks and calendar marks, photos, music, videos and any other files, and immediately in automatic mode - all this is configured in the application itself. True, in the free version of SyncMate, the functionality of the program is noticeably simpler - we can view SMS messages, as well as synchronize contacts and important dates in the calendar. The application is of high quality, it took a lot of time to develop, which is why the developers want financial returns.
By the way, to synchronize information we need to download SyncMate for Android. Surprisingly, data can be “exchanged” via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and even via a USB cable - everyone will choose the most convenient connection method for themselves.
Well, there’s one more point that we simply couldn’t help but note. SyncMate will also be useful for owners of iOS-based smartphones and tablets, since the application can interact with such devices.
Overall, SyncMate is a very good program for synchronizing Android devices on Apple computers. True, you need to pay for all the functions - by purchasing the paid version of the application.