Help How do you connect the galaxy s3 to a mac computer.

[NickKendrick]

Can't connect the s3 to my mac. Downloaded android file transfer onto mac and then changed setting on phone but whilst the mac picks up the phone it does not let me access anything on phone. Any ideas please?

 

[joemonkey]

Can't connect the s3 to my mac. Downloaded android file transfer onto mac and then changed setting on phone but whilst the mac picks up the phone it does not let me access anything on phone. Any ideas please?

i have a MBA and i can connect my s3 to it...

from your s3
1. turn on bluetooth
2. start 'bluetooth file transfer' app (you must install this app)

from your mac
1. turn on bluetooth (you should have paired your s3 to your mac already)
2. click on your s3 and browse device

you should be able to see all the folders

 

[tekchic]

Can't connect the s3 to my mac. Downloaded android file transfer onto mac and then changed setting on phone but whilst the mac picks up the phone it does not let me access anything on phone. Any ideas please?

My method (using Mac OS X Mountain Lion): (AT&T SGS3 ICS, not rooted)

1. Plug in via USB
2. Choose "Camera" USB mode from the notification screen after plugging in
3. Launch Android File Transfer -- explorer pseudo-Finder window comes up automatically.

The first time I tried to connect, I had all kinds of difficulty, and it was because I was in MTP mode and not Camera mode. Hope this works for you -- I wasn't sure from your original post if you were selecting Camera mode or MTP mode when trying to get a connection.

 

[Wisheezy]

Download AirDroid it's amazingly simple.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sand.airdroid&hl=en

5 star ratings even after 57,000 reviews.

 

[joemonkey]

Download AirDroid it's amazingly simple.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sand.airdroid&hl=en


5 star ratings even after 57,000 reviews.

wow, this app is amazing... thanks

 

[Robsa]

Although none of these are really answers sadly, just work-arounds. If you have updated to BLFB then Android File Transfer NO LONGER WORKS and you CANNOT CONNECT BY CABLE. This sounds ridiculous, but it is quite true!

I have been trying to find a solution for a while with no luck. Trying to contact Samsung is a lesson in frustration sadly.

-Robsa

 

[aficio]

updated att software and know niether kies or android file transfer works tried everything. i have a mac i called att and samsung and it was no help the only thing samsung wonts to due is reset the phone and this never works i am thinking about taken the phone back i had iphone4 and it was jb.

 

[joemonkey]

updated att software and know niether kies or android file transfer works tried everything. i have a mac i called att and samsung and it was no help the only thing samsung wonts to due is reset the phone and this never works i am thinking about taken the phone back i had iphone4 and it was jb.

i am still running ICS and airdorid works great. did you at least try that with JB? are you saying people with mac should not upgrade to JB?

 

[gme109]

Ice Cream Sandwich explained: MTP - what is it, why use it, and how to set it up | Android Central


Why use MTP instead of USB Mass Storage?



The folks at Android have made it easy as possible to use MTP devices on a Mac. Simply download and install the Android File Transfer program, connect your device to your computer, and double click the AFT application to start it up. You can then drag and drop any file (up to 4GB in size) to and from the device. There's even a dedicated help page in case you hit a snag.

 

[Covart]

Ice Cream Sandwich explained: MTP - what is it, why use it, and how to set it up | Android Central


Why use MTP instead of USB Mass Storage?



The folks at Android have made it easy as possible to use MTP devices on a Mac. Simply download and install the Android File Transfer program, connect your device to your computer, and double click the AFT application to start it up. You can then drag and drop any file (up to 4GB in size) to and from the device. There's even a dedicated help page in case you hit a snag.

This is not the case. AFT will not work with the S3 On a Mac. Nexus devices, Galaxy S and S2, it will, no problem. S3... a big whopping NO. I have no issues with Kies though, but it is limited to video and audio files.

I use dropsync to auto download any file I place in a specific folder to any device I have dropbox installed on. Idevices, android, laptop, imac: makes no difference. Of course, it helps to have over 7gb of space on dropbox if you do it this way.

 

[gme109]

This is not the case. AFT will not work with the S3 On a Mac. Nexus devices, Galaxy S and S2, it will, no problem. S3... a big whopping NO. I have no issues with Kies though, but it is limited to video and audio files.

I use dropsync to auto download any file I place in a specific folder to any device I have dropbox installed on. Idevices, android, laptop, imac: makes no difference. Of course, it helps to have over 7gb of space on dropbox if you do it this way.

Disappointing to hear. I guess when I get the S3, I'll be using AirDroid or Dropbox.

 

[Covart]

Disappointing to hear. I guess when I get the S3, I'll be using AirDroid or Dropbox.

You are gonna want to use a windows pc with an Android device. It just makes life easier all around. You can survive using a Mac, not saying that, its just a pia sometimes.

 

[Wisenos]

You are gonna want to use a windows pc with an Android device. It just makes life easier all around. You can survive using a Mac, not saying that, its just a pia sometimes.

exactly what i was about ot say... buy a pc, life is way easier lol

 

[gme109]

You are gonna want to use a windows pc with an Android device. It just makes life easier all around. You can survive using a Mac, not saying that, its just a pia sometimes.

LOL! Yeah I see how much easier it is with all my friends who own PC's. No thanks. I already have my Mac's "Address Book" and "iCalendar" synced with Google contacts and calendar, piece of cake. And transferring files from my Epic 4G to Mac is easy as pie via USB. With the S3, AirDriod, Bluetooth, or Dropbox is a better option than struggling with a PC.

 

[dengor]

I would also like to say that my S3 will not connect to my iMac using AFT. Even KIES is very tempermental! So I ended up using AirDroid. But it doesnt seem to allow access to my external sdcard...

 

[clamatoman]

I would also like to say that my S3 will not connect to my iMac using AFT. Even KIES is very tempermental! So I ended up using AirDroid. But it doesnt seem to allow access to my external sdcard...

You can access the sd card. you have to open files in airdroid in your browser, then open system, mnt then extSdcard. you can then upload to the sd card.

 

[tastytoast]

Android File Transfer works for my S3 to MBA 2013. Didn't need to modify any settings (MTP) and it reads both Phone and SDCard. Excellent stuff, thanks everyone!

 

[IsThisRandomNameUniqueYet]

Download AirDroid it's amazingly simple.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sand.airdroid&hl=en

5 star ratings even after 57,000 reviews.

A notice tells me incorrectly that there's no device connected, so it won't let me download. Do I need a carrier to download? what's happening?

 

[svim]

A notice tells me incorrectly that there's no device connected, so it won't let me download. Do I need a carrier to download? what's happening?

All that's required is your phone and the computer you're using are on the same local network -- i.e. your house has a router that you've got your PC or Mac connected to with an Ethernet cable or wireless card (it makes no difference), and your phone is using your WiFi. Start up the AirDroid app on your phone and it'll show an IP address (based how your network is setup so it will probably be something similar to 192.168.1.5 or maybe 10.0.0.5) plus a port ID. Mine is typically http://10.0.0.5:8888 so I just type that into the browser on my computer, hit Enter, and that's all that's required to connect my phone to my computer. Access is done through a browser page.

I think AirDroid is a really good solution. I never need to bother with messing with any mtp, ptp, or USB mass storage settings, I don't have to bother with carrying around a spare USB cable all the time, and it's a completely neutral way to connect a computer to my phone -- it doesn't matter if I need to copy files to/from a Linux, Mac, or Windows system using Firefox, Chrome, IE, Safari, or whatever. All that's required is the AirDroid app on my phone and a WiFi connection, I never have to install any additional things on a computer. No carrier connection is involved, it's all done on your local network, so you're not chewing up your account's Data plan if your transferring a lot of files back and forth.