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Samsung Galaxy S4 Mac Compatability

Hi everyone, I will be getting my Samsung Galaxy S4 tomorrow, and I was wondering if anyone of you who own the Galaxy S4 can tell me how simple it is to transfer music, photos, video, and other media to and from the Galaxy onto the Mac (iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie/FCP, etc). Thanks.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion, Quad Core i7 8GB Ram 750GB 7200

Posted on Jun 27, 2013 9:34 PM

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Posted on Jun 27, 2013 9:51 PM

I found it!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5qRjcR4fIs

33 replies

Jul 9, 2013 3:46 PM in response to NightNinjaPDX

I switched to the Galaxy S4 32gb (from iphone) on 6/28/13.

For me this is a Huge step up: The Galaxy S4 is noticabley faster, Stunning larger HD screen is magnificant, fully customizable, lightweight, excellent front & rear cameras, superb videos, adjustable sound per your hearing limits! Dual multitasking screens! Air Gestures are now a handy part of my time saving workflow! it's water proof! takes up to a 64gb micro chip! (which I also put in) and it's gorgeous. My new iphone 5 was actually dated across the board, small screen was frustrating and "Retina" is hardly HD...and that Siri scam was a 99 cent App way back on iphone 4, yeah folks do your research Apple can be very snakey.


My mac will not recognized Android Transfer even w/ the firewall off. Kies is slow & buggy.

Samsung SmartSwitch is a breeze (from my PC friends) to use & operate but the Mac version, which dropped to market about 8 days ago doesn't work.

It lockes up at step 2. Samsung is escalating the issue for me. Very frustrating especially since I've had the S4 for 12 days. They have sent me a $50 coupon in the mean time, a very exceptional customer service thing to do. I'm still researching how to get my music, audiobooks, videos over from itunes.

Jul 27, 2013 9:10 PM in response to NightNinjaPDX

Actually, I found that if you do what the video says, and you adjust your phone from MTP to PTP, then it opens up the ImageCapture.app for the device as a storage unit. If you have dropbox set to import photos, that opens up as an option as well.


What I wasn't able to do, however, was figure a way to get it to recognize the device as an external harddrive for storage of regular files and such. Still working on that.


But this works for photos, and you DON'T have to download the Android File Transfer program.

Jul 27, 2013 9:13 PM in response to koabehr

btw, I got my Galaxy S4 on 06/28/13 :3 hated it at first (upgrade from the iphone 4s), but it's grown on me, and yeah it's a lot more customizable. as for this:


Siri scam was a 99 cent App way back on iphone 4, yeah folks do your research Apple can be very snakey.

from user:gotham1


The Siri App was a backward compatibility option for those without the programing preallowing it on their phones. The iPhone 4 came out before Siri hit beta, so before it hit the market. It should have been free, but meh.

Jul 28, 2013 4:19 PM in response to koabehr

Hey there Koabehr, Thanks 4 the info!


But I solved most of the Iphone Tranfere issues to the Galaxy S4.


Here's how: After going around 4 weeks w/ Samsung Advance Support (literally 4 weeks + and they're Still working on the last part of the issue w/ the music).


The Greatest find for these transfer issues:

Got a new LEEF 32gb flash ($32 direct, Amazon only has the 16gb ($18), the 64 gb comes out in a couple weeks) with MIcro AND Regular usb. A miracle maker and quick!

One could just by a $6 adapter, yet this is a larger flash, it's all in one & convenient.


I transfered my exercises, music & work videos, DM free data, files, etc.

Just upload it from your Mac, slid the micro usb plug out and transfer to the S4 via Astro File Manager (free app). BAM done deal.

Wish I knew about this 3 weeks ago, the LEEF would have saved me weeks of hassle in to a 8 minute easy as pie transfer.

Aug 4, 2013 9:38 AM in response to NightNinjaPDX

On my old Thunderbolt I transfer files by pulling out the chip from the phone and transfering to/from the computer via a jump drive. Verizon has an adapter so the chip can be used on a standard SD reader. It's clunky, but it works. I need a new phone and was hoping that the S4 was sophisticated enough not to have to jump through a bunch of hoops. I guess not...but at least the chip can still be removed. Most phones these days don't have that option.

Sep 18, 2013 11:35 AM in response to gotham1

Did you use Samsung SmartSwitch or did you use the Astro File Manager along with the LEEF 32B flash card to transfer your files? Also, from your post, it sounds as though you are still unable to transfer your music to the Galaxy S4? I'm researching whether a switch from the iPhone to the Samsung Galaxy is a good idea or not. The file transfer issues I'm reading about are troublesome to me.


Are you able to backup your Galaxy to your Mac (like you can with an iPhone using iTunes) and sync your phone?


My apologies for the additional questions but since you recently switched, I'm hoping you (or someone else in the forum) can help.


thank you in advance...

Sep 18, 2013 5:49 PM in response to bevaa17

SmartSwitch for some reason didn't work w/ either of my Macs.

Samsung took it to their highest customer support (I was on conference calls to Korea, and they wrote 2 corrections).

Yet, in the meantime I found out that this Leef is a breeze, it transfers Everything where you want it with Astro File Manager. I also transfer photos/data (or use wi-fi) back to the Macs.

The Leef comes in a few sizes. I use mine frequently.

I only wish I figured it out sooner, it would have saved 3 weeks of trouble. It's fast & super easy.


I love this S4, it's superior to my iphone and I'm not locked into Apples possesive product line w/ very limited options & customization.

When the iphone 6 drops nexts year they're going to have a larger screen with some firepower. I checked out the 5S and it's tweaks are far too minor, it still lacks a HD screen and the screen is just too small for me.


For backup I prefer Dropbox, it's easy & swift.


Cheers, Derrick @GothamD

Oct 27, 2013 3:42 AM in response to bevaa17

I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 mini and simply cannot get photos from it onto my Macbook Pro!!!

Have tried over 7 different apps and online programmes and NONE of them work! Such a simple to task as getting photos from my phone onto my Mac should not be impossible. But at the moment it is.

Kies does not work!

Android file Transfer does not work

Air Droid does not work

Wondershare doesn't work


It really annoys me that they all say it's easy but it simply isn't. I have spent all day trying to perform a simple task.

And have now given up.

Oct 28, 2013 12:11 AM in response to margefromor

margefromor wrote:


The you tube video looks interesting. I'll check out that Android file transfer app, but still glad I have the option to pull the chip.


It depends on your music format. If its format is .mp3, you can copy-n-paste to your Galaxy S4. If its format is other formats which Galaxy S4 can't play, you can convert its format with Galaxy S4 Video Converter and copy-n-paste to your Galaxy S4.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mac Compatability

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