Send Files from Mac to Android

Macs and Android phones do not share a built-in wireless transfer feature. AirDrop is Apple-only, and the usual alternatives are a USB cable, a cloud service, or an app you have to install on both sides first. Nearsend does it in the browser, with nothing to install.

The usual problem

Moving a file from a Mac to an Android phone tends to mean one of three detours. A cable and a cable-based Android transfer tool can be fiddly, with the phone needing to be set to file transfer mode and the Mac needing helper software. A cloud service means an upload, a download, and a storage quota. And a messaging app often compresses photos and videos, or caps the file size.

How Nearsend solves it

Open nearsend.app in a browser on the Mac and in Chrome on the Android phone. Pair them with a QR code, a PIN, or a spoken phrase, then drop files or a folder onto the Mac page. They stream directly to the phone, encrypted and at their original quality, with no cable, no app, and no cloud upload.

How to do it

Open Nearsend on both devices — Go to nearsend.app in any modern browser on the sending and receiving device — no app to install.
Pair them — Scan the animated QR code, enter the 6-digit PIN, or say the voice phrase to connect the two devices directly.
Send your files or folder — Drop files or a full folder onto the page, or pick them from the file browser. They stream straight to the other device.

Why it works well here

No app to install — runs in the browser on both devices
No account or sign-up required
Works across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and ChromeOS
Files stream directly device-to-device — nothing is stored on a server
Files arrive exactly as sent, with no compression of photos or video
No helper software on the Mac and no app on the phone

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to install anything on the Mac or the phone?

No. Nearsend runs in the browser on both devices.

Which browsers work on Android?

Chrome works well, and other modern Android browsers should too. On the Mac, Safari, Chrome, Edge, and Firefox all work.

Where are received files saved on Android?

Files are saved through the browser, normally to the Downloads folder, where you can open them from any file manager or gallery app.

Does it need a USB cable at any point?

No. Everything happens wirelessly over the internet connection each device already has.

Do both devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi network?

No. Pairing goes through nearsend.app, so each device just needs its own connection. Being on the same network usually makes the transfer faster.

Will photos and videos lose quality?

No. Files are sent exactly as they are, without the recompression that many messaging apps apply.

Can I send in the other direction too?

Yes. Once paired, either device can send to the other, and you can switch roles in the same session.

Is it encrypted?

Yes. Transfers use DTLS-encrypted WebRTC data channels and are never stored on a server.

Can I send a full folder from the Mac?

Yes. The folder structure is preserved and the receiving phone approves it with a single prompt.

What about very large files?

Nearsend imposes no cap, but the receiving device holds the data in memory until it is saved. For very large files, sending from the phone to the Mac is the safer direction than the reverse.