Windows and macOS can share folders over the network, but SMB sharing, user accounts and firewall prompts take a while to get right. Photos are also where quality quietly gets lost: chat apps shrink them and email caps how many fit in one message.
Transfer photos from PC to Mac
Pick the photos on your PC, download them on your Mac. No cable, no app, original quality.
Keep for
Clipboard
Press ⌘V / Ctrl+V anywhereClips are visible to devices on your Wi-Fi for 30 minutes. Avoid sending passwords.
On your network
liveLooking for files…
The quick way, with fdrop
- 1
Open fdrop.cc on the PC
Open fdrop.cc in Edge or Chrome and drag the photos onto the page, or press Ctrl+V to paste a screenshot.
- 2
Open fdrop.cc on the Mac
On the same Wi-Fi, the photos appear under “On your network” automatically. Anywhere else, send yourself the link fdrop gives you.
- 3
Download
Downloads go to your Downloads folder. Drag them into the Photos app to add them to your library.
Other ways, and their catch
Shared network folder
Share a folder on Windows, then press ⌘K in Finder on the Mac and connect to smb://PC-NAME.
Good: Good for moving lots of files regularly. Catch: Both on the same network, plus passwords and firewall settings that are easy to get wrong.
USB drive
Copy onto a USB stick or external drive formatted as exFAT, which both Windows and macOS can read and write.
Good: No network needed. Catch: You need a drive at hand, and older FAT32 drives can’t hold files over 4 GB.
Email it to yourself
Attach it (or paste it) in an email to yourself and open the email on the Mac.
Good: Works on every device. Catch: Gmail attachments stop at 25 MB and Outlook.com at 20 MB, so most videos won’t fit.
Good to know
- Select several photos at once: each becomes its own download, and nothing is resized.
Questions
How do I transfer photos from PC to Mac without a cable?
Open fdrop.cc on both devices, pick the photos on the PC and download them on the Mac. No app or account needed. Of the built-in options, Shared network folder is the closest, with the trade-offs listed above.
Will the photos lose quality?
No. fdrop doesn’t compress, resize or re-encode anything. The receiver gets the same file you uploaded.
Do the PC and Mac need to be on the same Wi-Fi?
Only for the automatic “On your network” list. If the Mac is somewhere else or on mobile data, copy the link fdrop gives you and open it there.
Do I need to install an app?
No. fdrop runs in Edge or Chrome on the PC and Safari or Chrome on the Mac. Nothing to install and no account.
How long do the files stay online?
2 hours by default. Pick 1 hour, 1 day, 7 days or 30 days before uploading, or delete them yourself at any time from the device you uploaded on.