Remember when files had to be split across multiple floppy disks in order to move them between computers? Or the inconvenience of recording and extracting data from rewritable discs? Fortunately, we have moved on from such primitive methods.
While file transfers have never been faster than they are today, for many of us, file transfers still feel like they take forever to complete. Why can't there be a quick and easy way to transfer files from one phone to another or between a PC and mobile devices?
Well, here are some solutions that you should check out. You might be surprised how fast you can move files from now on.
The best method for a Windows to Windows data transfer depends on how often you perform those transfers. For one-time file transfer, it's best to use something like Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct.
For Bluetooth to work, both the sending and receiving Windows computers must support Bluetooth. Wi-Fi Direct is similar to Bluetooth, except files are sent and received directly over Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi Direct is much faster than Bluetooth, but the downside is that it's not as universally available on devices as Bluetooth.
On the other hand, if you need to transfer a lot of files every day, maybe it's part of your office routine or workflow, then it will be more convenient to set up a shared folder or shared external drive on your network that other computers can access and extract files on demand.
See our introduction to network attached storage drives 7 Reasons to Use a NAS for Data Storage and Backup 7 Reasons to Use a NAS for Data Storage and Backup External hard drives are great for data storage, but there are many more advantages to using a network - an attached drive instead. Here you have everything you need to know. Read further for more details.
In this situation, the main obstacle is that each PC may have its own unique way of storing file data. For example, most modern Windows computers use NTFS, while Mac computers use APFS or HFS+ and Linux computers use EXT3 or EXT4. Unfortunately, converting data between file systems isn't always easy.
But in the case of a Windows to Mac data transfer, things are not so bad. Starting with Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard), Macs have been able to read and write to the NTFS format, provided the user makes a necessary system configuration change. This means you can share a folder between Mac and Windows, then use that folder to transfer files.
The same concept can be applied to data transfers from Windows to Linux, but the process is a bit more involved.
Each computer must set up a folder for the other system to access, and you will need to install cifs-utils on Linux (to access Windows folders) and samba on Windows (to access Linux folders).
In most cases, you'll rarely need to transfer anything between Windows and iOS, except perhaps music, in which case you can go ahead and use iTunes to sync your media library, but iTunes tends to be a frustrating mess on Windows. The good news is that there is a better way!
FileApp is an app, available on iPhones and iPads, that acts as a mobile file manager. With it, you can find and open any file that's on the device you're using, including formats like PDF, DOC, XLS, and PPT. (You can decide which application the file is opened in.)
But what really interests us is FileApp's ability to share files over Wi-Fi . Basically, it turns your mobile device into an FTP server, allowing any computer to connect (using an FTP client) and download files.
Just keep in mind that anyone who connects will be able to see ALL the files on the device!
Like FileApp above, Android has several apps available on the Google Play Store that can turn Any Android device into an FTP server . While FTP is active, any computer can connect, browse the Android file system, and download files on demand.
I prefer to use WiFi FTP Server by Medha Apps. It doesn't look that special, but it's incredibly simple and allows you to use password-protected SFTP connections, which are more secure than plain FTP.
If you prefer to send individual files Instead of opening up your device as a full-fledged file server, consider using Pushbullet to send files over the network to any connected computer with the touch of a button.
Pushbullet's free plan has a 25MB file size limit for transfers, but there are plenty of alternatives to Pushbullet worth using, including AirDroid and Send Anywhere.
Of course, you can always connect your Android device directly to your computer with a USB cable, as explained in our guide to transfer files between PC and Android How to Transfer Files from Android to PC How to Transfer Files from Android to PC You must get A file from your Android phone or tablet to your Windows PC? It's actually quite easy. Here's how to do it. Read more.
In addition to all of the above methods, there are a few other techniques and services you can use that will likely work regardless of what devices you're trying to connect to.
Dropbox It is a strong choice. Dropbox is a cloud storage service that stores your files on its servers and makes them accessible from any Dropbox-enabled device, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, and any web browser. Use the public folder provided for easy file sharing.
The drawback to using Dropbox, or any other cloud storage service, is that your files must travel through an intermediary, which is inherently less secure and less private. Also, you need to upload from the source device to Dropbox first, then download from Dropbox to the destination device. It's a minor inconvenience, but an inconvenience nonetheless.
Another option is to transfer files via email use a file transfer service to send large email attachments 8 ways to send large email attachments 8 ways to send large email attachments to send large files via email Upload your email attachments to a file storage and sharing service. These are some of the best apps for the job. Read more.
But the best alternative is to use a cross-platform direct file transfer application called feem. This awesome tool is “like Bluetooth but 50 times faster,” allowing you to transfer files directly from one device to another as long as both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Yes, it works even if the internet is down.
Feem is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS devices. The only drawback is that Feem is ad-supported, and it costs $5 to remove ads on up to 4 devices or $10 for up to 19 devices.
If you're frequently shuffling files, I'd go with Feem . If you're working with the same files on multiple workstations, I'd stay in sync using Dropbox . But if you only need a one-time transfer, I'd like one of the more device-specific solutions.
You should now be equipped to transfer all files between two devices. If you're also interested in quickly sending files to someone else, check out these easy ways to share files over the web Top 15 Ways to Share Files with Anyone over the Web Top 15 Ways to Share Files with Anyone over the Web Internet Web There are many ways to share files between people and devices. With these 15 tools, you can quickly share files without app downloads, account registrations, or any cloud storage setup. Read more.
