Sharing files across devices is something we all have to do at some point, but when it comes to different platforms entirely, there's still some annoying friction at times. Windows 11, macOS, Android, and iOS don't all talk to each other that well out of the box. In recent years, Google introduced a Quick Share app for Windows, which makes sharing between Android and Windows much easier, but macOS is still left out. Thankfully, there's a solution.

NearDrop is a free third-party application that allows you to use Quick Share on a Mac. It only works one way, meaning you can send files from Android or Windows to macOS, but not the other way around. Still, it's a solid solution that makes things much easier if you splurged on a new Macrecently.

How to set up NearDrop for Quick Share on Mac

Setting up NearDrop takes a little bit more work than most apps, but once it's done, it's very easy to use. Here's how it goes:

1. Head to the NearDrop GitHub page and download the latest version's ZIP folder. At writing time, the latest version is 2.1.0.
2. Open the ZIP file to extract it.
3. Drag and drop the NearDrop application into your Applications folder on your Mac.
4. If you're launching NearDrop for the first time, macOS will refuse to open it due to the developer being unknown. For now, click Done.
5. To fix this, click the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen and then choose System settings.
6. From the sidebar on the left, scroll down and click Privacy & Security.
7. Scroll down to the Security section and you'll see a message saying NearDrop was blocked to protect your Mac. Click Open Anyway.
8. Click Open Anyway again to confirm, and then enter your computer password.
9. NearDrop will launch and you'll see the app's icon on your menu bar.

NearDrop doesn't allow you to sign in with a Google account, so while the app is running, your Mac will be visible to any device nearby. Depending on your environment, you may only want to open the app when you actually need to use it.

Share files easily from Android to Mac with NearDrop

1. Now you will be able to share files from your Android phone or tablet to your Mac. To do this on Android, select any files you'd like to share to your Mac and tap Quick Share.
2. Your Mac's name will appear as one of the available options. Tap it.
3. On the Mac, you'll get a notification with a pairing PIN to accept the request. Accept it and the file transfer will begin.

File transferred with Quick Share and NearDrop will be saved in the Downloads folder.

Can you move files from Mac to Android?

While NearDrop is a very convenient way to use Google's official Quick Share tool on Mac, it only works one way, so you can't use it to send files from your Mac to your Android phone.

If you need two-way file sharing, you may be better off setting up an app like LocalSend, which is a truly cross-platform service that works on almost anything. It's not quite as convenient as Quick Share, but it will work with all your devices much more seamlessly.