The lack of native Android support can make it difficult to transfer files between macOS devices and Android. Google’s Android Team took the initiative in order to make file transfers between Mac and Android as smooth as possible.
Android File Transfer can be a simple tool to use but it can also stop working. You might get errors such as “Couldn’t connect to device.” You can try reconnecting your device or restarting it. Try these fixes to fix Android File Transfer problems on Mac.
1. Update your phone’s USB preferences
After connecting your USB cable, you should update your USB preferences. This may seem like a Windows and Android thing, but this also applies to Mac. Android does not use File Transfer mode when you connect your data transfer cable by default.
You’ll need to do it by yourself. If you get an error message with the title “Can’t Access Device Storage,” then the USB preferences may be the problem.
Swipe down to reveal the notification shade after plugging in the cable. Tap twice on Charging This Device via USB to open USB preferences within the Setting application. Select File transfer / Android Auto. (Some Android phones use MTP.) Under Use USB For.
The steps to change USB preferences can vary, but they all follow the same basic principles.
After selecting this option, your Android device will allow you to access its internal memory via USB. You’ll then be able browse your Android device files and folders on your Mac. To avoid any further problems, keep your Android Phone locked throughout the entire transfer process.
2. Quit apps from accessing USB devices on your Mac
If you have updated your USB settings but still experience problems, it’s possible that another app is already reading the USB devices. It’s possible that another app has already read your USB devices. Android File Transfer will not be able see your files in this situation because it does not have access to the connected devices.
You can avoid this by shutting down all apps on your Mac which are accessing USB devices. Some examples include cloud backup applications like Google Drive and Dropbox. If closing an application doesn’t work on Mac , you can Force Quit it.
This method has a major drawback: it’s hard to know which apps are open on your Mac that can read USB. Cloud backup apps are often the culprits, but if that doesn’t work, you can try trial and error. Close all open Mac apps one at a time and use Android File Transfer to check if it fixes the problem.
3. Try a different USB port or cable
Try another USB cable, or change the port on your Mac to see if that fixes Android File Transfer problems. Start by troubleshooting the cable. Not all USB cables are capable of transferring files. Some USB cables are only meant to charge.
Connect the cable to another device and test it. To test if the cable works, you can try a different one. It is best to use the original cable that came with your Android device first. Most smartphone companies provide high-quality USB cables for file transfer and charging.
Another possible source of the problem is the port in your Mac or Android device. No file transfers will occur if either port is defective. Macs have more than one USB port. Try using another. Most Android devices don’t offer this option, so you can connect your device to another computer to test if it works.
4. Install Android File Transfer Again
You may encounter issues when using Android File Transfer for to move files between Android and Mac . These include cache problems or conflicts with resources. These are hard to detect, but they can be the cause of an app that was working previously and suddenly stopped.
You can try uninstalling and reinstalling an app if you have tried everything else and still are having issues. Instead of dragging the software into the Trash, we recommend use AppCleaner. You may be able to start over without any transfer problems.
5. Restart your Android Phone and Mac
It may sound like a cliché, but restarting your smartphone fixes the majority of problems . This is not limited to phones, but also applies to other electronic devices and software. It does this by refreshing your system’s resources and clearing the memory.
This will allow you to start over if the problem was caused by conflicts between accumulated temporary data and cache files, which prevented Android File Transfer working as it should. Then restart your Android device and try again. If the problem is still not resolved, restart your Mac and try to transfer files again.
6. Update Your Software
The team behind Android File Transfer claims that it is compatible with macOS 10.7 or higher. It may not work if you are using an older version without official support. Start by updating your Mac software .
Download Android file transfer and install it from the official website to make sure you have the latest version. updating your Android phone is the final piece to the puzzle.
We recommend that you keep your software updated as a general rule. Updates can enhance your software experience, improve security and fix bugs.
You can also use other methods to transfer files between Mac and Android
It may be worth trying another method of transferring files if nothing works. Android File Transfer does not receive regular maintenance, so if you continue to have problems with it, try another tool.
OpenMTP is free and open-source. If you have stable, unlimited internet access, another alternative is to use cloud storage services such as Google Drive or Dropbox.