This is how it goes. You’ve got a bunch of media you want to copy over, so you plug in a USB cable and connect your phone to your laptop. It’s a little bit tedious, but gone are those days, thanks to AirDroid.
AirDroid
AirDroid is an app that works very much like Apple’s AirDrop, except it works cross-platform so it’s even better. In a nutshell, it’s an app that allows you to transfer files to other devices wirelessly. This means that both devices need to be on the same network, so if you’re not somewhere where Wi-Fi is readily available then you can always use your personal hotspot and have the second device connect to it. It’s pretty simple really and it eliminates the need for a USB cable or mobile data usage. It even works offline but I’ll get to that shortly. First, let’s get into the essence of how it works.
How does it work?
It’s really easy. All you really need to do is download the app on both or all of your devices and ensure you’re signed in to the same account. Registering takes around 20 seconds, so it’s no bother. You’ve really just got the hardest part out the way.
Download for iOS | for Android | for Desktop
In the app, whether it’s on the desktop or the mobile version, there is a My Devices tab. This will have a list of devices that you’re using your AirDroid account on. By clicking one of them, you’ll enter a chat-like interface; it looks a lot like Whatsapp on mobile. From there, you can send messages and media. On the desktop version, sending files is that little bit easier as you can simply drag and drop files, which is nice. It’s really cool because it’s just so easy and it’s quick. Not having to use a USB cable is a great win. The best part has to be the fact that it’s cross-platform. I often use a USB cable to transfer video footage from my Galaxy S8 onto my Macbook but I can now do that with AirDroid #winning.
Aside from transferring files wirelessly, you can also clear the logs, which will essentially remove all the files and messages that have been transferred from the ‘chat’ history. The desktop version has an extra feature, which allows you to take a screenshot of any part of your desktop and send that as an image. Pretty handy stuff.
Use it offline
No mobile data? No Wi-Fi? No problem. AirDroid works without the Internet too. I mean, what an awesome app, right? It supports Bluetooth transfers so that could be used when you have no Internet. Not having internet is a pretty rare occasion in 2018 so it’s highly unlikely you’ll need to use Bluetooth but at least you know the option is there.
Don’t want to install it on your laptop or PC? Use the web instead.
If you don’t fancy installing AirDroid on your desktop then you have the option to use the web-based version. You just need to visit web.airdroid.com and either sign in to your Airdroid account or use the app on your phone to scan the QR code. It works in exactly the same way as Whatsapp Web does, in terms of how it connects.
Not only can you transfer files from your computer to your phone but you can also access the files on your phone on the web-based version and then download them to your Mac / PC if you want to. It also gives some information about your device, such as the amount of storage space used and the battery percentage.
Thoughts
Transferring files never got more convenient. As an Apple user with an iPhone and a Mac, Apple’s AirDrop is the perfect solution. However, AirDroid allows me to do exactly the same thing but with my non-Apple devices too, such as my Galaxy S8. Being cross-platform is what gives this app such a great advantage and it’s generally very convenient. The chat-like interface allows you to send messages to and from your devices too; this could be handy when you need to quickly drop yourself a note on something or a URL.
I’d recommend this app more for Android or Windows users but if you’re someone with devices across multiple platforms then AirDroid might just be ideal for you.
What do you guys think of it? Be sure to share your thoughts and thank you for reading 
Sadia produces tech reviews, tech tips & tutorial videos at XALIRATE and posts here on Wednesdays and Saturdays