You can move photos, videos and documents from your Android phone to a Windows PC, a Mac, a tablet or another phone over Wi-Fi, without a cable or cloud upload. Solid Explorer gives you three ways to do it, and none of them needs extra software on the other device. Which one to use depends on what the other device is and how often you transfer files.
Quick answer: to get files onto any device with a web browser (PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, another Android phone), use WebFS. To copy whole folders regularly to a Windows PC, use the FTP server. For a permanent link to a folder on your PC or Mac, use a shared folder.
Compare the three methods
WebFS (browser) | FTP server | Shared folder | |
|---|---|---|---|
How it works | Open your phone in a web browser on the other device | Open your phone in File Explorer, an FTP app, or Solid Explorer on another phone | Open a PC or Mac folder on your phone |
Setup on the other device | None | None on Windows; a free FTP app on Mac | Share a folder once |
Windows PC | Yes | Yes, in File Explorer | Yes |
Mac | Yes | Yes, with a free FTP app | Yes |
iPhone / iPad | Yes | With an FTP app | No |
Another Android phone | Yes | Yes, with Solid Explorer on both | No |
Copy whole folders | No | Yes | Yes |
Copy to your phone | Yes, with Pro | Yes | Yes |
Best for | Quick transfers to any device | Large folders, phone-to-phone | Permanent setup, photo backups |
All three need both devices on the same Wi-Fi network. WebFS and the FTP server also work when the other device is connected to your phone's mobile hotspot, which is handy when there's no Wi-Fi.
WebFS: your phone in any web browser
The easiest option, and it works with almost anything that has a browser. Tap Start in Solid Explorer, type the address it shows into the browser on the other device, enter the password, and browse your phone. View photos, play videos and download files. With Pro you can also upload files and organize your phone from the other device.
It's the simplest way to get files from an Android phone to a Mac or an iPhone, where Android's USB transfer tools don't help.
→ How to access your Android phone's files from a PC, Mac or another phone
FTP server: your phone as a network drive
Start the FTP server in Solid Explorer and connect to it from the other device:
Windows PC: type the address into the File Explorer address bar, and your phone opens like a network drive.
Mac: use a free FTP app such as Cyberduck or FileZilla.
Another Android phone: add the address as an FTP connection in Solid Explorer on that phone, then copy files between the two phones in two panels.
This is the best choice for moving lots of files, such as an entire camera folder.
→ How to turn your Android phone into an FTP server
Shared folder: your PC or Mac folder on your phone
Share a folder on your Windows PC or Mac once, add it in Solid Explorer, and from then on that folder is one tap away on your phone. It's the most "set and forget" option, and it also works for NAS drives.
→ How to copy files from your Android phone to a shared folder on your PC or Mac
What about a cable or Quick Share?
USB cable to a Windows PC. For a single large transfer, a cable is still the fastest option. Connect the phone, choose File transfer in the USB notification on the phone, and it appears in File Explorer.
Quick Share. To send a few photos to a nearby Android phone, Android's built-in Quick Share is the quickest option. Recent updates also made Quick Share compatible with AirDrop, so both iOS and Mac OS devices are supported.
Which one should I choose?
I just need these few photos on my laptop.
Use WebFS.
I want to copy my whole camera folder to my PC.
Use the FTP server.
I have a Mac
Use WebFS for a few files, or the FTP server with Cyberduck or FileZilla for large transfers.
I want to send files to my iPhone or iPad.
Use WebFS, and download the files in Safari.
I'm moving everything to a new Android phone.
Install Solid Explorer on both, start the FTP server on the old phone, and connect to it from the new one.
I want my PC's Documents folder available on my phone all the time.
Use a shared folder.
I'm on public Wi-Fi.
Use your phone's hotspot and connect the other device to it, so your files don't travel over a network you don't control.