MAC → ANDROID · QUICK SHARE GUIDE
Send Files from Mac to Android with Quick Share
Nearby Drop is an independent macOS menu bar app for sending files to compatible Android Quick Share devices and receiving files back on the Mac. Transfers run over a reachable local network; the app does not use a cloud relay.
Send over Wi-Fi
- Install Nearby Drop on a Mac running macOS 14 or later. The universal release supports Apple silicon and Intel.
- Connect the Mac and Android phone to a reachable local Wi-Fi network, then open Nearby Drop from the menu bar.
- Choose Send, select the files, and choose the Android device when it appears.
- Accept the incoming transfer in Quick Share on Android. Speed and discovery depend on the devices, signal, router, and network settings.
Share from Finder
Select files, folders, or a web link in Finder, open the Share menu, and choose Nearby Drop. Pick a nearby Android device in the app to continue the transfer.
Use a Mac-generated QR code
Nearby Drop can display a Quick Share QR code for the phone to scan. This Mac-to-Android path passed with a Pixel 8 Pro in a development test build; the packaged release was not separately device-tested for this flow.
The in-app camera also receives Android-generated codes. Pixel 8 Pro to Mac QR receiving passed during v2.3.2 validation, and the fix is included in the current release.
If your phone does not see the Mac
Both devices need a network that allows local discovery. Guest Wi-Fi, client isolation, firewall rules, or hotspot settings may prevent them from appearing. LTE-only phone-hotspot discovery has not been verified. You can also transfer files to or from Android storage over USB MTP.
Nearby Drop is free to download for macOS 14 or later, uses a proprietary license, and is not affiliated with Google or Apple. The current download is ad hoc signed and not notarized, so macOS may show a Gatekeeper warning.