Home Tech & Gear The Best of Both: Introducing an Apple Device to Your Windows World

The Best of Both: Introducing an Apple Device to Your Windows World

As the entire world is relying on technology, it’s no surprise that many of us end up using two different platforms for different things. We may use an Apple phone and a Windows laptop or a Mac Book at work and a Windows PC at home! While both platforms, Apple and Windows, have their benefits, we invariably need to share files across both platforms.

It’s quite simple to work across machines in Windows (such as by using Work groups). Same goes for Mac users – they can use AirDrop. However, many of us have gotten very frustrated with sharing files across both these platforms as there are no simple methods of connecting them. But still, there are numerous ways to tackle this.

Data Sharing Options That Already Exist

Below are the most common options you can look for while sharing files from one platform to the other:

Using an external storage device – You can share files across both machines by saving files onto an external storage device such as a USB or an external memory drive or even an SD card.

Using cloud services – Even if it’s about sharing your business data related to manufacturing and distribution, you can create a backup of your data online, access it from the other device and download your files. This option works for Apple and Windows smartphones as well.

Though you can share your data by considering the above-mentioned data sharing options, there are other options too. That’s why advanced methods are here to let you share your data from one platform to the other.

How to Share Files from a Mac to a Windows PC

On your Mac, select the Apple logo and then select System Preferences. After this, turn on Sharing. Now, under the Service section, select the File Sharing box. Add the folders you want to share under the “Shared Folders” tab. Select Options and click on Windows File Sharing. Now, select your Mac name and enter the password. This will allow the Windows PC to connect to the Mac.

Now, from your Windows PC, go to Network and select the Mac PC. A login dialog will open up. Enter your Mac ID and password in it. Once it signs in, you’ll be able to see all the shared folders.

Another way is to select the Run Command box from the start menu and enter your Mac’s IP address. It should also open a login dialog and show the shared files.

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How to Share Files from a Windows PC to a Mac

You can connect your Windows and Mac on the same network. On your Windows PC, click on Cortana and open the Command Prompt. Locate your ipconfig. Also, note down your IP address – commonly written as the APv4 address (keep in mind that this includes 4 set of numbers).

Now, go to the Mac and press Command+K. In the box, enter smb:// and the noted IP address. Press return. Select the Registered user and sign in using your Windows ID and password. Click Connect. This generally takes time over Wi-Fi networks. When a window opens with an option of Users, click OK.

Go to a finder window; you will see the SMB address in the sidebar under shares. Click on it, then on Users, and your Windows username. This way, you’ll have access to all files on Windows.

Bridging the Gap between Windows and Mac

There are various options in Windows that are generally assumed to be missing from Mac books. However, they are simply named differently:

  • Windows Task bar is the same as OS X Dock.
  • Windows Explorer is the same as Mac Finder.
  • Windows Control Panel is the same as Mac System Preferences.
  • Windows Notepad is the same as OS X Text Edit.
  • Windows Task Manager is the same as Mac Activity Monitor.
  • Windows Command Prompt is the same as OS X Terminal.
  • Windows Paint is the same as OS X Paint.

The Bottom Line

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It has become quite normal to have at least 3 to 4 devices at once, all based on different platforms. However, it’s not that tough to learn the basics of file transfers across these platforms.

Now that data can be easily shared across platforms, there are more than one ways to share your files. Besides considering cloud storage, shared folders, and USB drives, you can try several programs, services, and apps and then figure out the one that makes a lot of sense.

Louise Hodgson enjoys writing useful technology related articles sharing how-to’s and information that is easy to understand no matter how tech challenged you might be. She also shares her favorite apps that make her day easier, hoping that her knowledge will be useful to a variety of online readers.

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