Apple will hate this free app that makes it easy to exchange files between Mac and Android

Apple is often praised for the efficiency of its ecosystem. Exchanging files between Mac, iPhone or iPad is easy thanks to AirDrop, a feature that is sometimes abused by bad jokers. Things are less obvious when it comes to transferring content from an Android device to macOS without a USB cable, the procedure is much less intuitive and sometimes requires pairing the Mac and Android smartphone via Bluetooth. Far from impossible the operation is no less boring.

CloseDropA clever combination of Google’s Nearby Share and Apple’s AirDrop, macOS program that makes it possible to overcome all these steps and exchanging files between an Android smartphone and a Mac as long as they are connected to the same local network via WiFi. As Grishka explains, its principle couldn’t be simpler: “the application is located in the menu bar and the files are saved in the Downloads folder”.

NearDrop sends files from Android smartphone to Mac like AirDrop

The developer acknowledges in the app’s Github documentation: “NearDrop for macOS is a partial implementation of Google’s Nearby Share”. Software still suffers some limitations :

• Mac can only receive files
• NearDrop does only works if both devices are connected to the same network Local over WiFi, Nearby Share also supports other communication protocols
• your smartphone and Mac are visible to all devices on your network while the app is running

Grishka offers NearDrop for free. To install the software, go to the Github page on your Mac and Download the latest build from the Product Releases page. Open the file, then place the NearDrop icon in Applications. Run the application on the computer and Accept notifications from Android smartphone. Send a file using your Android’s Nearby Sharing feature and accept the transfer in the notification on Mac.

Source : Android Authority