TeamViewer for Mac is a solution for remote control, desktop sharing, and file transfer that works behind any firewall and NAT proxy. To connect to another computer just run TeamViewer on both machines without the need of an installation procedure. With the first start automatic partner IDs are generated on both computers.

Although file sharing has come a long way, there is still no single way or service which can fulfill all requirements of each and every user. So, come with us as we talk about the various ways in which you can transfer files between Mac, be it your own devices or with a friend’s device.

Read: 10 Ways to Share Files between Two Windows Computers

Teamviewer Mac To Pc

Transfer Files From Mac to Mac

1. Online Services

Cloud storage services are a viable option for file sharing if you have a high-speed internet connection. These services or websites allow you to host your pictures, videos and all types of files on their servers and all your files can be accessed from anywhere in the world with a computer connected to the internet. Cloud storage is extensively used as backup solutions by many people and they can even be used to share files with other people just by sending them a link to the hosted file.

Some of the popular cloud storage services include – Dropbox, One Drive, and Google drive etc. All of them offer 10-15 GB free storage once you sign up. If you need more storage space, you need to upgrade to a paid version, which usually cost $3-4 per month for 100 GB. All of these also come with smartphone clients, making all your files accessible even from your or your friend’s phone.

If you want to share large files with your client, but don’t want to pay for a service, then try pCloud. As of writing this post, the trial version the limit is 20 GB.

However, if the file to be sent is very small in size (less than 30 MB), you can also consider sending easily via emailing services like Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, etc.

Read: 7 Ways To Access Your Computer’s Files Remotely Over the Internet

Pros:

• Allows sharing between two( or more) devices anywhere in the world.
• Files can be accessed as many times as wanted.
• Compatible with also Windows, iOS, Android or almost anything that has a browser, including Apple TV.

Cons:

• Dependent on internet connection
• To share/host large sized files, might have to shell out some money

Conclusion:
Although all the cloud services offer plans, most offer a free limit (different for each) which should be enough to share files. Cloud offers you the ability to share files with devices or people with whom it is not physically possible to be with.

2. Physical Devices

Physical storage devices such as pen drives, external hard disks (HDDs), Solid State Drives (SSDs) have risen in popularity over the last few years owing to the ease of file sharing they offer. Just connect the device to the sender’s Mac, copy the files to it and then connect it to the receiver’s Mac and then copy from the device to the computer. Pen Drives are good for a quick transfer of small files, HDDs are great for sharing very large files (upto 4TB) and also backing up your computer. And if you want something more compact and much faster, SSDs will do the job pretty well but they do come at a price compared to hard disks.

Another great thing about them is that you can also use these devices to not only share files between two Macs but even Windows and Android device (using an OTG cable or adapter).

However, if plugging in a hard drive is too much work for you, consider getting a Wi-Fi drive like this one from ScanDisk. They cost more than the physical Hard Drive and offers less storage, but comes with the convenience to access those files over the network.

Quick Tip: Before using the same HDD with MacOS and Windows, make sure to format it to exFAT or FAT32 as Window’s default NTFS is read-only on MacOS and might cause problems.

Read: How to Format Hard Drives

Pros:

Teamviewer File Transfer Slow

• Very easy and minimal number of steps required to use
• Choose accordingly over a wide variety of sizes (all the way from 4GB to 4TB)
• Conveniently portable to take everywhere

Cons:

• Physical devices, so susceptible to damage or data loss

Conclusion:
Physical storage devices are better than cloud services for storing or transferring huge amounts of files as they offer a better bang for the buck and they even work without an internet connection while being portable to take with you. However, keep in mind, they still have to be physically given to the receiver which shouldn’t be a problem if you are sharing with yourself or with a friend at school or work.

3. File Sharing

Of course, most of you knew about the previous two ways, but very few know of the File Sharing System built right into Mac OS. File Sharing, which uses SMB, is one of the most efficient and fastest ways in which you can transfer files between two Macs on the same network.

Read: How to Access your Computer Files From Anywhere With TeamViewer

But first, you need to activate File Sharing on the Mac from which you want to access data. Go to
System Preferences > Sharing. Turn on File Sharing by clicking on the radio button next to it.

Under “Shared Folders”, remove or add the folders which you want to share, and under “Users”, you can manage the access rights of various users. Make sure the icon is green and says “File Sharing: On” and under it there should be your device’s address starting with “smb://“ which in my case is: “smb://anurags-mbp”

Now on the other device, go to Finder > Go > Connect to Server

And type in the smb address. Next, there should be a pop-up asking you for which folder you want to open. Select the required folder and input the username and password of the user of the hosting computer and you are good to go.

QuickTip: If you want the fastest transfer speeds, we recommend connecting both the devices to the network via wires.
Also, if you want to share with Windows computers, go to Options and turn on afp along with smb.

Pros:

• Very fast transfer speeds
• Rights to each user can be controlled

Cons:

• Devices need to be on the same network

Conclusion:
If you want to transfer files between your own computers or to a friend’s computer connected to the same network, File Sharing offers faster transfer speeds and even offers management of access rights for the various clients.

4. Using Wires

Most of the new Macs come with Thunderbolt ports which offer insane bandwidth, but did you know you can use them solely just for File Transfer? There are two ways in which you can do so: Target Disk Mode or Thunderbolt Bridge.

Target Disk Mode allows you to access the whole hard disk of one Mac from another Mac, allowing you to copy files to and from the target device. Using all the lanes of the Thunderbolt wire, you get the fastest speeds and this method is highly recommended for moving huge files, which is done in a jiffy.

To use Target Disk Mode, on the target machine, that is the machine who’s the hard drive you want to access, connect both mac with FireWire or Thunderbolt cable. You can buy it off amazon for $20 (the apple store sell it for a higher price). Next, go to System Preferences> Startup Disk> Target Disk Mode. This should black out the screen and display a Thunderbolt icon, after which you can connect the two devices using a Thunderbolt cable and the target machine’s hard disk should appear under “Devices” in Finder.

Using a Thunderbolt Bridge is also very similar, except that both the machines stay turned on and you can use both the Macs while the file transfer is taking place.

To use Thunderbolt Bridge, you need to enable it on both the devices. Go to System Preferences> Network> Click on Add(+)> Select Thunderbolt Bridge

Note: You may already have Thunderbolt Bridge enabled. In that case, no need to do anything.

Connect the two Macs via the Thunderbolt cable and you should see the “Not Connected” change to “Self-Assigned IP”. Once that is done, note the IP address and go to Finder> Go> Connect to Server. And input the IP address after which it is the same as File Sharing.

QuickTip: If you are using an old Mac which doesn’t have Thunderbolt, you can use Ethernet cables (will work also with an Ethernet Adapter), to achieve similar transfer speeds.

Pros:

• Fastest transfer speeds
• Suitable for moving huge sized files

Cons:

• The distance between the two Macs depends on the length of the Thunderbolt wire connecting them, which is generally very short.
• Newer Macbooks only comes with USB type C port, so you’ll have to invest extra for an adapter.

Conclusion:

This is the only fast and convenient way to transfer huge files like video files and games from one Mac to the other. However, as they need to be connected with a single cable, the machines need to be physically close to each other; this might not be a problem if one is a MacBook, but it might be troublesome to do this with two iMacs in different rooms.

5. AirDrop

AirDrop might be the easiest and most convenient way to share files between two Macs and even iPhones. It basically uses WiFi and Bluetooth to connect and transfer files between the devices.

What makes AirDrop so great is the fact that it is so simple and idiot-proof; just open AirDrop from Finder on both your Macs and wait for the other person’s device to show up. Once you can see their device, just drag and drop the files you want to send on their avatar/icon and Bam! File transferred! There may even be multiple devices, just drag the appropriate file to the appropriate person, that’s all it takes! It is wicked fast for small files like pictures and text files, however for much larger sized files, it does take a little time.

Read: Best Airdrop Alternatives for Android, iOS, and Windows

Pros:

• No setup or anything extra required
• Idiot-proof and convenient

Cons:

• The computers need to be nearby and connected to some WiFi network (not necessarily the same), or else AirDrop won’t work.

Conclusion:
If you can use AirDrop, that is the other Mac is in your vicinity, then you should be using AirDrop as it provides the most hassle-free experience of sharing files between two Macs.

Wrapping Up: Transfer Files From Mac to Mac

If the two Macs are in the vicinity of each other and the file to be transferred is relatively small, AirDrop is your best bet. However, for larger files, Thunderbolt cables or File Sharing seem to do the job just perfect. And if the two machines are not in proximity, physical storage devices can be used to carry the files from one Mac to the other and for even larger distances, online services are the way to go.

So this was our five ways to transfer files from Mac to Mac. Did we miss anything? Have any doubts? Let us in the comments below.

TeamViewer is a powerful and incredibly useful application which allows you to remotely access and control any computer connected to the internet, Mac or Windows. The app is 100% free for personal, non-commercial purposes and compared to its competitors, I found it packed full of groovy features making it my new defacto standard for “family tech support” needs… With that said, let’s take a closer look at all the features as well as a few screenshots detailing what I like about it.

Main Screen

TeamViewer has a very clean interface without any unneeded features on display. From the main screen, you can do the two most basic features: either send your ID and Password to another person to let them gain remote access to your computer, or input another person’s ID and password so you can begin controlling their computer.

You can also create a TeamViewer username and password which allows you to control your PC’s (work or home pc) remotely with a click of a button. You can see this from the lower right side of the main screen called Computers & Contacts. I’ll detail this in later groovyPosts for you.

The lower left has a small traffic-light style indicator letting you know whether you are using a secure connection. The light turns yellow when someone is attempting to connect and is inputting the password.

From the main screen you can also access some of TeamViewer’s other features, such as the Meeting tab, the available extras, and you can even setup unattended access to control your computer while you’re away from home at any given time.

Remote Access

Above is a screenshot of TeamViewer being used to control another PC with TeamViewer installed. One nice thing about TeamViewer is it acts as a proxy to connect both sides of the connection. This way, no firewall rules need to be updated to allow the connections to be opened.

TeamViewer also automatically optimizes the quality of the screen sharing based on the connection quality on both ends. Testing it out with a friend who had a very very slow internet connection, TeamViewer performed flawlessly!

File Transfer

If your remote controlling someone’s PC with TeamViewer or if you just need to drop them a file, TeamViewer allows you to copy files from one machine to another easily. Here’s what File Transfer looks like on the remote computer once a file transfer is initiated. A log file will appear to inform the user a file is being transferred.

…and here’s what it looks like on the local computer initiating the transfer (a full file browser UI + log). Notice the Interface is very compact and simple to use. You can copy, move and delete files including creating folders if needed as well.

Recorded Sessions

Right next to the File Transfer option on the top menu of the local computer is the Extras button. From here you can access additional features, such as VPN, Taking a Screenshot, Performing a Remote Update and more. The feature which impressed me the most however, is the ability to record sessions.

After recording a session, you can save it in a TeamViewer specific format, which allows you to view it as long as you have TeamViewer installed. Luckily, you have the ability to convert your video to any traditional video format, as well as choosing an output resolution.

Both the recorded and exported videos look very good, with little difference from the original and with a fairly acceptable frame rate.

Teamviewer File Transfer Log

Other Features

As we mentioned, TeamViewer packs a whole bunch of features, but since we won’t have time to cover all of them, here is a list of some other features which TeamViewer stands out with:

• Instead of installing TeamViewer, once you download the installation file (exe/tar.gz) you can choose the “Run” option, which runs TeamViewer as a portable application – great for single time use on remote computers.
• Built in VoIP functionality, chat, conference calls, and the option to add video via a webcam on any meeting or remote access session.
• “Switch sides with partner” option, which can be triggered from the local computer – where the local computer instantly becomes the remote one and vice versa.
• “Actions” menu – allows performing more advanced Windows actions, such as rebooting in Safe Mode, pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del, pressing Windows+L and so on.
• You can register a free account in order to keep a list of different computers and contacts which can be accessed instantly after authorization
• You can set a predefined password – useful when setting up unattended access or if you often need to use your computer remotely.
• You have the ability to get past the Windows Logon screen once a user connects to the computer remotely (requires a password and needs to be additionally configured).
• You can send invites to friends for TeamViewer meetings and remote access sessions via E-Mail with the pre-made E-Mail form.
• TeamViewer is also available for Mac OSX, Linux and Mobile Devices like Android Tablets and Phones, as well as the iPad and iPhone. Groovy!

Conclusion

Keeping in mind it is free, it has a friendly UI, and it packs so many useful features, TeamViewer is definitely a must-try for any tech geeks or for anyone who uses remote access daily.