How to transfer photos from a Samsung Galaxy to a Mac

Transferring pictures from Galaxy to Mac is similar to Galaxy to Windows with an added step. Google has discontinued Android File Transfer for Mac, so you’ll have to use Samsung Smart Switch or a third-party app to transfer files via cable. Wireless options have got better, however, and some Galaxy phones can now AirDrop files to a Mac.

Mac transfer methods compared

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach since each method has its strengths and limitations. Below is a summary of the key considerations for each solution, sourced from the manufacturers’ websites. Those who are using a Windows PC will be happy to see coverage in our PC transfer guide for File Explorer and Phone Link.

Send a few photos with Quick Share and AirDrop

Samsung says it’s possible to send files from a Galaxy phone to a recent iPhone or iPad, or a MacBook (2020 or newer), with Quick Share, whose AirDrop support debuted on Galaxy S26-series phones with One UI 8.5.

It’s unclear exactly which Galaxy phones support sending files to Apple gadgets with Quick Share. Samsung’s German and Australian support pages list only Galaxy S26-series phones as compatible, while the company’s Austrian newsroom said in July 2026 that Galaxy S24-, S25- and S26-series phones, as well as Galaxy Z Fold6/Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip6/Z Flip7 phones running the latest software update can use Quick Share to send files to Apple devices. SamMobile reported in May 2026 that Galaxy S25-series phones received the ability to send files to Apple gadgets with Quick Share.

The best way to check if your Galaxy phone can send files to Apple devices with Quick Share is to look for a “Share with Apple devices” toggle under Nearby sharing in your Quick Share settings. On a Galaxy S25 Ultra running One UI 9, “Share with Apple devices” appears beneath “Who can share with you,” “Phone name” and “Show available devices on share panel” (checked November 2026).

1. 1

   Turn on Share with Apple devices

   On your Galaxy phone, head to Settings → Connected devices → Quick Share and switch on Share with Apple devices. If you don’t see that option, Samsung advises making sure Google Play services is up to date, and waiting as long as a day for the feature to show up.

2. 2

   Let the Mac receive

   On the Mac, open Control Center from the menu bar, click the arrow next to AirDrop and select Everyone. According to Apple, for AirDrop to work, both devices need to have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled and need to be within about 10 metres of each other.

3. 3

   Send from Gallery

   Share from Gallery on your Android phone to Mac using Quick Share. Select the photos in Gallery and tap Share → Quick Share, then pick the Mac from the list. On your Mac, a notification will appear, and you can click Accept. According to Apple, many items you receive on your Mac are saved to the Downloads folder.

Quick Share doesn’t compress your files, so what you send is what gets delivered. Samsung’s support site for Canada states that photos aren’t compressed when transferred using Quick Share. HEIF files can be opened natively on current Macs without any need for additional apps.

Copy a whole library over USB with OpenMTP

A cable connection is faster and more reliable than wireless file transfer, especially if you want to move a bunch of photos or lengthy 4K videos between devices. Unfortunately, Google pulled the plug on Android File Transfer for Mac (the android.com/filetransfer link now offers Quick Share for Windows). This happened back in February 2024.

Fortunately, there’s OpenMTP, an actively developed, free alternative to Android File Transfer for Mac. OpenMTP is open source software released under the MIT licence. Version 3.3.0 was released in August 2026. It should be compatible with macOS 10.14 and later (according to the GitHub page). As with any third-party software, download OpenMTP for Mac only from the developer’s GitHub or website to avoid potential malware.

1. 1

   Install OpenMTP

   Get the latest version of OpenMTP for Apple silicon or Intel (depending on your Mac) from the project’s releases page and drag it to your Applications folder. Quit Smart Switch if it’s running, according to OpenMTP’s troubleshooting advice, because Smart Switch can prevent your phone being recognised.

2. 2

   Connect the phone

   Connect your Galaxy phone to your Mac using a USB-C cable that supports data. If prompted, select Allow on your phone. Open the USB notification on your phone and select Transferring files / Android Auto.

3. 3

   Copy the Camera folder

   Open DCIM → Camera on the phone’s side of OpenMTP and drag the photos to a folder on your Mac. If they’re not in DCIM → Camera, open Gallery, open the photo and swipe up to find out where it is (it’s under Path). Different apps save images in different places. Once you know the directory, open that directory in OpenMTP (on the phone side) and drag the pictures to a folder on your Mac.

4. 4

   Check before you delete

   Before deleting anything from your phone, it’s a good idea to open a handful of pictures, and at least one video, on your Mac, to make sure everything’s been transferred. Interrupted copies can be easy to overlook in long lists of pictures.

Back up the whole phone with Smart Switch for Mac

Smart Switch requires macOS 10.13 or later. It’s Samsung’s own solution for transferring files, and its Canadian support site suggests transferring lots of photos is better done with Smart Switch connected over USB. Note that if you have Android File Transfer installed on your Mac, you’ll need to uninstall it as Smart Switch won’t work with it installed.

Connect your phone and tap Allow when prompted. On the Mac, click Backup and untick items you don’t want to back up. Your backup will be available on your Mac at /Users/[username]/Documents/Samsung/SmartSwitch/backup. Smart Switch backups are designed to be used to restore data to a phone rather than to access individual files, so OpenMTP is a better option for transferring specific files such as photos. See our Samsung Cloud photos guide for details on the backup procedure.

Image Capture and the Photos app

Samsung does not mention using a Galaxy phone with Image Capture, and Image Capture is not listed in Samsung’s article on transferring pictures between your phone and a computer. However, Image Capture is included with macOS for importing pictures from cameras and iOS devices (according to Apple’s article on using Image Capture). Galaxy phones also have a Transferring images USB mode (listed next to Transferring files on Samsung’s support pages), which is the camera-style PTP connection digital cameras use, so it’s worth a try. If your phone doesn’t show up in the sidebar of Image Capture, try using OpenMTP instead.

Once the photos are on your Mac, choose File → Import in the Photos app. In the window that opens, navigate to the folder containing the photos you want to import. If you’d like to maintain any subfolders within the folder you’re importing from, select Keep Folder Organization. Click Review for Import to import the photos to your Photo library.

HEIF and HEVC files on a Mac

HEIF files can be opened on Macs running macOS High Sierra 10.13 or later, since Apple says support for the format is built into the OS. The same applies to HEVC video support. Galaxy cameras can shoot pictures in HEIF and video in HEVC format to reduce file sizes. Problems tend to occur if you try to open those files on an older version of Windows or upload them to a website that only accepts JPEG images.

If the recipient uses Windows or you’re posting to an older video-sharing site, H.264 is your best bet. If you’re sending videos to other Mac users, it’s fine to leave HEVC enabled. Our camera settings guide explains the rest of that menu. RAW files shot in Pro mode or Expert RAW are DNGs, which you’ll open in an image-editing program such as Lightroom. Our RAW vs JPEG guide explains when they're worth the space, and Snapseed for PC covers editing on a Mac's bigger screen.

Cloud routes for a Mac

Photos uploaded to Google Photos can be downloaded from any Mac, even if it isn’t running an app that syncs with Google Photos. Just sign in to your Google account at photos.google.com and download individual photos by choosing More → Download, or get your entire library using Google Takeout. (Google warns that it removes Takeout archives after about seven days, so you’ll want to download them while you can.)

Similarly, photos stored in OneDrive can be downloaded from any Mac by signing in at onedrive.com. Select as many photos as you like, and OneDrive downloads them as a single zip file. Note that as of 30 September 2026 Gallery no longer uploads photos to OneDrive; only photos backed up using Camera backup in the OneDrive app will be uploaded to OneDrive. Our Samsung Cloud photos guide configures both services, including Gallery’s Sync with Google on One UI 9.

When the Mac doesn't see the phone

• Try a different cable. Samsung notes that cables that only support charging won’t work, so use the cable that came in your phone’s box or another cable that supports data transfer.
• On your phone, select Transferring files again when you see the USB connection notification, and allow access to your phone’s data if prompted.
• Close any programs that might be using your USB connection. Smart Switch and Dropbox are called out in OpenMTP’s troubleshooting guide, and restarting your Mac might also help.
• For Quick Share to find your Mac, make sure your Mac’s AirDrop setting is set to Everyone and both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are enabled on both devices.
• If you can’t open a photo saved as a RAW file, make sure the photo editing program you’re using supports RAW images (look for the file extension, which for RAW photos will be DNG).