OpenMTP showing a Mac folder on the left and an Android phone's internal storage on the right

Official website

OpenMTP Advanced Android File Transfer App for macOS

  • #1 Open-source MTP app for Mac
  • 1.4M+ Users worldwide
  • 180+ Countries
  • 7.4K GitHub stars

Thank you for making OpenMTP the most trusted and popular open-source Android file transfer tool for macOS.

Tired of using expensive, outdated, bug heavy, Android File Transfer apps for macOS?

Now, have an easy, smooth sailing experience and transfer multiple files in one go!

Introducing OpenMTP - Safe, Transparent, Open-Source and FREE for a lifetime!

Latest Version: Fetching....

System requirements: macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or higher. macOS 10.13 and earlier have limited support and require OpenMTP v3.1.15 with Legacy MTP mode.

Download for Apple Silicon (M1 and later) Download for Intel Mac View on GitHub

Or install with Homebrew:

brew install openmtp --cask

On macOS 10.13 or earlier? Use v3.1.15 and see the installation steps.

Features

Everything you need to move files between Mac and Android

Fast, private and free. Plug in your phone and start transferring.

OpenMTP in dark mode copying 305 files to an Android phone, with file progress, total progress and transfer speed
  • Speed
    5-6x faster file copies over USB
  • File size
    4GB+ files, many in one go
  • Price
    Free and open source, forever

  • Apple Silicon and Intel

    Works on both modern and older Macs, all the way back to macOS 10.12 (Sierra)*. Read more.

  • Samsung, Garmin, FujiFilm, Meta VR and more

    Phones, watches, cameras and Meta VR headsets that connect over MTP. View the supported devices.

  • Plug and play

    Easy, instant connection. No Wi-Fi setup or account.

  • Rename files and folders

    Rename right on your phone, which Android File Transfer can't do.

  • Internal memory and SD card

    Switch between storages from the toolbar.

  • Split pane with drag and drop

    Your Mac and your phone side by side. Drag files across.

  • Grid, list and dark mode

    Pick the view and theme that suit you.

  • Keyboard shortcuts

    Navigate, copy and paste your files without the mouse.

  • Private by design

    No collection of personally identifiable information.

How to transfer files from Android to Mac

Three steps. No Wi-Fi setup, no account, no cloud.

  1. Download OpenMTP

    Get the build for your Mac, Apple Silicon or Intel, and drag OpenMTP into your Applications folder. Or install it with Homebrew.

  2. Connect your phone with a USB cable

    Unlock your phone, tap the USB notification and choose File transfer. OpenMTP detects it right away.

  3. Drag and drop your files

    Your Mac is on the left and your phone is on the right. Drag files across, or copy with ⌘C and paste with ⌘V.

Kalam Kernel

OpenMTP 3.0 introduced Kalam, a new MTP kernel written from scratch and named after Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

It copies files at 20 to 30 MB/s on low and mid-range devices and 100 to 120 MB/s on high-end devices, with no 4GB file size limit.

Copying one 4GB video

How long does it take?

High-end phone at 100 to 120 MB/s
~40 sec
Low and mid-range phone at 20 to 30 MB/s
~3 min

Work faster with shortcuts

Copy, paste, rename and navigate your files from the keyboard.

Copy
⌘cmdC
Paste
⌘cmdV
Copy to queue
⌘cmd⇧shiftC
New folder
⌘cmdN
Rename
⌘cmdD
Delete
⌫delete
Refresh
⌘cmdR
Folder up
⌘cmdB
Select all
⌘cmdA
Switch tab
⌘cmd1
Open
↩return
Navigate left
←
Navigate right
→
Navigate up
↑
Navigate down
↓
Select forward (grid view)
⇧shift←
Select backward (grid view)
⇧shift→
Select forward (list view)
⇧shift↑
Select backward (list view)
⇧shift↓
Select multiple (with mouse)
⌘cmd/⇧shiftClick

OpenMTP vs Android File Transfer

Google no longer supports its Android File Transfer app for Mac. Here's how the two compare.

OpenMTPAndroid File Transfer
Still updatedYesDiscontinued
Apple Silicon and Intel supportYesIntel only
Files larger than 4GBYesNo
Stable connectionYesFrequent disconnects
Rename files on the phoneYesNo
Mac and phone side by sideYesNo
Grid and List viewYesList only
Dark modeYesNo
Open sourceYes, MITNo
PriceFreeFree

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers about installing and using OpenMTP.

Still have a question?

Search the existing issues on GitHub, or open a new one with your Mac and phone model.

Ask on GitHub

Is OpenMTP safe to use?

Yes. OpenMTP is open source under the MIT license, so anyone can read its code. Releases are signed and notarized by Apple, and the app doesn't collect personally identifiable information. Only download it from:

openmtp.ganeshrvel.com github.com/ganeshrvel/openmtp formulae.brew.sh/cask/openmtp

Which Macs does OpenMTP support?

Requires macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or higher. macOS 10.13 and earlier have limited support and require OpenMTP v3.1.15 with Legacy MTP mode.

I'm on macOS 10.13 or earlier. What should I do?

Use OpenMTP v3.1.15 on older Macs, in Legacy MTP mode. Download v3.1.15, then:

  1. Drag the app into the Applications folder.
  2. Turn off the internet.
  3. Launch v3.1.15 of the app.
  4. Go to Settings.
  5. In the Update tab, turn off auto-update.
  6. Turn the internet back on.

Turning off auto-update keeps the app from replacing itself with a newer version your Mac can't run.

Which macOS versions get Kalam Kernel updates?

The Kalam Kernel brings new device support, fixes and stability improvements. Those updates go to macOS 11 (Big Sur) and later, covering the latest three macOS versions. Kalam has to be compiled on a machine running the oldest macOS it supports, which isn't practical for versions below Big Sur.

On macOS 10.14, OpenMTP still runs, and macOS 10.13 and earlier keep working through Legacy MTP mode in v3.1.15. Releases keep coming for both Intel and Apple Silicon.

My phone isn't connecting, or I see a blank screen. What should I do?

Try these steps in order:

  1. Quit any app that might be reading USB devices, such as Preview, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Android File Transfer, Garmin Express, iMovie or Lightroom.
  2. If Android File Transfer opens every time you connect your phone, uninstall it.

Still stuck? See the troubleshooting guide.

How do I show hidden files?

OpenMTP hides dotfiles by default. To see them:

  1. Click the Settings (gear) button above the file listing.
  2. Go to the File Manager tab.
  3. Under Show hidden files, turn on Phone for your device, or Computer for your Mac.
  4. Close Settings and hit refresh above the listing.

How do I switch between internal storage and the SD card?

  1. Connect the device and open it in OpenMTP.
  2. In the right hand pane, click the Storage button above the device file listing.
  3. Pick the storage you want in Select Storage Option, such as the internal storage or the SD card.
  4. Hit refresh if the contents don't appear straight away.

How do I switch between list view and grid view?

  1. Click the Settings (gear) button above the file listing.
  2. Go to the File Manager tab.
  3. Under View as grid, turn it on for grid view or off for list view, separately for Phone and Computer.

List view is the one with checkboxes, so it's the easier way to pick several files, right-click and choose Copy or Copy to Queue.

Apple Silicon or Intel? Which download do I need?

It depends on the chip inside your Mac. Macs sold from late 2020 onwards use Apple Silicon (the M1, M2, M3, M4 and M5 chips). Older ones use Intel processors. OpenMTP ships a separate build for each, so the app runs directly on your chip instead of being translated.

To check which one you have:

  1. Click the Apple menu in the top left.
  2. Choose About This Mac.
  3. Read the Chip or Processor line: a chip starting with Apple M means Apple Silicon, anything saying Intel means the Intel build.

The download buttons on this page already pick the right one for the Mac you're reading this on.

What are the free alternatives to Android File Transfer for macOS?

OpenMTP is the free, actively maintained alternative to Google's Android File Transfer: it's safe, open source, ad-free, signed and notarized by Apple, and comes with no file size limits or other restrictions. Google's Android File Transfer for Mac is effectively abandoned: it hasn't seen any update in years, disconnects constantly, can't copy files over 4GB, and can't rename files or folders on the device.

Is OpenMTP free?

Yes, completely free and open source, with no ads. If you'd like to support its development:

PayPal Buy Me A Coffee

Does OpenMTP work with Samsung phones?

Yes. If the app goes blank when you connect a Samsung phone, uninstall Samsung Smart Switch, which blocks other apps from reaching the phone over MTP.

Can I transfer files larger than 4GB?

Yes. Google's Android File Transfer can't copy files larger than 4GB, but OpenMTP can, and you can transfer many of them in one go.

Can OpenMTP transfer files wirelessly?

No. OpenMTP connects over a USB cable using MTP, which is much faster and more reliable than transferring over Wi-Fi.

Is a new version of OpenMTP coming?

Yes. The next generation of OpenMTP is in active development and coming soon. It's a major upgrade with new features and big improvements to stability and performance. Stay tuned, and thanks for all the support!