File Transfer for iOS FAQs

Not necessarily. To exchange files between your iPhone/iPad and your Mac you can use File Storage Companion, available for free on the Mac App Store.

File Storage Companion is, however, more limited:

Built-in viewer for:

• Documents (pdf, doc/docx, xls/xlsx, ppt/pptx, pages, numbers, keynote, txt, htm/html, ...)
• Pictures (jpg/jpeg, png, tiff, gif, bmp, ...)
• Compressed files (zip, rar, 7z, and tar)
• Audio files (mp3, aac, wav, ...)
• Video files (mov, ...)

Please note: OpenDocument files (.odt, .odp, .ods, and .odg) can be sent and received with File Transfer, but must be open with specialized third-party apps.

Yes. File Transfer is a universal app that runs on both the iPhone/iPod Touch and the iPad.

File Transfer supports the most common video formats:

• H.264 video up to 1080p, 30 frames per second, High Profile level 4.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats.
• MPEG‑4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats.
• Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format.

Of course, you can also store videos in different formats that you can then open with specialized third-party apps.

Yes. File Transfer for iOS support both IPv4 and IPv6, the new standard protocol for the Internet.

You can send and receive files, folders, and clipboard in real-time over WiFi or Bluetooth(¹) using:

• File Storage for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.
• Local Cloud for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.
• File Storage Companion, free for Mac and Windows.
• File Transfer for Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and Android. The cross-platform system for file sharing.

(¹) Bluetooth can be used only between iOS devices.

No, File Transfer doesn't contain any annoying ads.

Read our Troubleshooting Guide →

In order to export from/save to your Camera Roll, File Transfer needs to have permission to do so. If you have previously answered no the system popup that says "File Transfer would like to access your photos," then you will have to:

• Open your iOS's Settings app.
• Select Privacy.
• Select Photos.
• Turn ON the toggle for File Transfer.

iOS limits the number of apps to appear in the "Open In" menu. The actual maximum number of apps depends on the device type and on the version of iOS. The only way to resolve this issue is to delete some apps that you don't need to make way to File Transfer.

You can:

1. Import files from any other app using the "Open in..." feature (more info in the Getting Started Guide).
2. Import photos and videos from the Camera Roll (more info in the next section).
3. Receive files and folders from another device on which is installed Local Cloud, File Storage, File Transfer, or File Storage Companion (more info in the Getting Started Guide).

Starting from iOS 8 you can get files stored in iCloud Drive and other third-party apps using the new Document Picker.

Follow these steps:

1. Tap on the Import button (bottom-right corner)
2. Select From location
3. Select a Document Provider among those present on your device (which depend on the apps you have installed).

You can import photos from your camera roll or albums by following these instructions:

1. Tap on the Import button in the toolbar
2. Select From camera roll
3. Select photos from your camera roll and albums

You can open a file with the built-in viewer by following these instructions:

1. Select the file you want to open
2. Tap on the Preview button (top-right corner)

In Pages, Numbers, or Keynote:

• Tap on the Edit button
• Select the file you want to export
• Tap on the Action button (top-left corner)
• Select Open in Another App
• Choose a format
• Tap on the Choose App button
• Select Open in File Transfer

No. There is currently no way for third-party apps to add or export songs. You can listen to the song, however, using the built-in player.

No. In creating iOS, Apple introduced a wide range of restrictions designed to protect users collectively known as the "application sandbox." A sandbox is a set of fine-grained controls that limit the app’s access to files, preferences, network resources, hardware, and so on. The purpose of a sandbox is to limit the damage that a compromised app can cause to the system.

Some of these restrictions affect how application data is stored and what data can be accessed. Each application is given a directory on the device’s file system, and applications are restricted to reading and writing files in their own directory.

No. If you need to transfer files via USB you should use File Storage or Local Cloud.

For personal uses no. If you own multiple devices you only pay once when devices use the same iTunes account to purchase apps.

For commercial uses you need a license for File Transfer for each device. In this case, we recommend you to enroll in the Apple's Volume Purchase Program.

No. Our Mac apps are only available through the Mac App Store. We think it is a great opportunity to guarantee to our users security and stability, no extra costs, friendly licensing terms, and better maintenance experience.

Yes. We develop custom versions of File Transfer with:

• Tailored look and feel, such as company logo or branding for business.
• Specific functionality for a business process or workflow.
• Special configuration for IT environments.
• Security features for sensitive or private company data.

Interested? Contact us →

Let us know, we will do everything to help you. Contact us →