Written by Once you switch from PC to Mac, there will definitely show up some needs that your files have to move from one to the other. Most users will choose to use WiFi to realized this job. In this way , no additional cables or hardware or flash driver are needed as long as both computers are on the same network. Here are three easy ways will be given in this article like free Cloud Services, Flash drive or Hard Disk. What’s more, for the format compatible problem between PC and Mac will also be referred to.
PC and Mac can be a total different running OS, but sometimes you do have to use them both. One at your office, one at your home. You want to finish your work that files from PC and transfer them to a Mac, how to do that? The easies method to transfer these files is over WiFi. But that will need you to make your computer on the same network, which is not practical for one for work one for home people. Here we will describe three ways to help you transfer you files, and file format problem will also be explored a little.
Part I ： Transfer files by WiFi
This is especially convenient for technical rookies, which you don’t need any additional hardware or cables.
1. Using Cloud Services
This will be the easiest way for you to go for. If your files are not very large and want to save the money for external hard disk, this way will be the best choice. When using the cloud services to transfer files, you can install the applications on both Mac and Windows. Then drag or copy your files onto the could drive, these files will then sync with your second system without any extra operation. Open the application in the second system, you can copy synced files from cloud drive to your system hard disk to make sure a local copy on your system hard disk.
Here recommend you several free Could Services Applications:
Dropbox:
- Features:2GB up to 18GB
- Compatible in almost all platforms like Mac, Windows , Android , iOS
- Box.net:
- Features: 10GB free
- Maximum uploading size is 250MB, not good for movie files transfer
Google Drive:
- Features: 15GB free
- Only need a valid Gmail to install the applications in your PC and Mac
Microsoft SkyDrive:
- Features: 7GB Free
- Offered by Microsoft, Mac and Windows are both supported to install and shard files.
2. Using Email
This way doesn’t need any additional setup or knowledge. Send the email attachment from one machine and open the email in second machine and download the attached file.
Done! Very easy, isn’t it? But for large file up to GBs this may not do as well as the Could Service.
Part II: Transfer files by Network
This way is not suitable for two machines in a remotely distance not like the Could Service , which can do the remote transfer. If you have a PC and a Mac at your home , then you can go for this way. The example below demonstrates Windows PC as the host.
Step 1. different Windows version, you have to go for different setting ways
* Windows XP: Control Panel-> double click Network Setup Wizard and run it.
* Windows Vista: Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Center -> Expand the File Sharing drop down -> click on “Turn on File and Printer Sharing”
* Windows 7: Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Center -> Choose Homegroup and Sharing options -> Change Advanced Sharing Settings -> click “Turn on File and Printer Sharing”.
Step 2. Connet Mac to Windows machine
If you have set your Windows properly and both computers are on the same network, then open the Finder window on Mac, on the left pane under the “Shared” you can see shared machines. Select the name of the windows machine and click to open up the folder. You can drag and drop files into this folder to share between MAC and Windows.
If you are unable to see the Windows machine on MAC finder, then Click on Finder -> Go -> Connect to Server (Command+K). Type in the prefix smb:// followed by the ip address or hostname of the windows machine. (like smb://192.168.1.101 or smb://windowspc )
Part III: Transfer files by Disks
There are plenty of flash drives on the market range from 16 GB to 256GB for a reasonable price. But one thing need to make clear before you using this way, which is no matter you use hard disk or flash drive formatted, they have to be FAT32. Only in this format, both Mac and Windows can accept.
Drawbacks on this format are that FAT32 can only support 4GB maximum, no security will also make it not such favored. If you just want to transfer your files from time to time, then you can select this way.
No matter what you choose for your file transfer, sometimes the format will also be a headache problem in front of you. You just transfer a movie from your Mac to PC , while turns out the videos can’t be played, what a frustrating thing it is! In order to make the transfer progress complete and success, you need an all-in-one converter, here recommend you Pavtube Video Converter (Here is a Mac free trial).
After transferring your files from MAC to PC, to solve this incompatible problem, just run this video converter app, then click “File -> Add Video/Audio” to load your videos, then choose a proper format to view, like H.264 MP4, H.265 MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI, etc. then click “Convert”. All done, simple and easy.
With the help of this converter, you will no need to worry that the videos can’t playback problem when you transfer your files between Mac and Windows.
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