There are many different methods, apps we can use to transfer files from Android to iPhone. For example, we can use the Move to iOS app from Apple, the Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, even more third-party peer-to-peer wireless file sharing apps like SHAREit, Zapya, Xender, Send Anywhere, etc. It is hard to determine which is the best as choosing such an app or solution is very much dependent on your specific needs.
Recently we came across the file manager app, Owlfiles, on Google Play and found it to be very useful when we need to share files between iPhone and Android. Unlike those professional file transfer apps, this one can not only help us with file sharing, but file management on local storage, access server, NAS and cloud storage, stream video and music and many more. Other than upload your files from mobile phone to a cloud server, it directly copies data between two phones in the local network.
Several reasons you may like Owlfiles
- Free to download and use (you can subscribe to pro to access more features & tools)
- Clean UI, no annoying ads.
- It is a multi-functional file manager with the ability to access files on local storage, server, NAS and cloud storages.
- Stream movies and music to your mobile or desktop device.
- Nearby Drop to share files between iPhone and Android.
- Access WebDAV Server, FTP Server and SFTP Server.
- Built-in FTP server and HTTP server for file sharing with PC/Mac.
You can follow these steps to transfer data from Android to iPhone using this free app.
Method 1. Send files from Android to iPhone using Owlfiles
You can download and install this free file manager app from Google Play and Apple App Store onto the Android and iPhone separately and get your files copied from Android to iPhone following instructions below.
Step 1. Connect Android and iPhone to Wi-Fi or Hotspot
Ensure you’re connected to the same Wi-Fi network on both Android and iPhone. You can choose to connect them up via Wi-Fi hotspot on Android or Personal hotspot on iPhone when a Wi-Fi network is not available.
Step 2. Put iPhone into the Receive mode
Run Owlfiles file manager on the iPhone, choose More tab from the bottom, then select Nearby Receive in the Toolbox section.
Now your iPhone will enter the Nearby Receive mode waiting to be connected and shared files from Android.
Step 3. Select and send files from Android
On the Android mobile, launch Owlfiles file manager app, switch to More tab from the bottom, click Nearby Send.
Browse through the folders to select the files, like photos, videos, music, PDF or else, to share from Android phone. Tap on Select button.
Owlfiles file manager on Android will scan and find your iPhone. Simply tap on your iOS device name to start sending the selected files from Android to iPhone through Wi-Fi or mobile hotspot.
Tap on the avatar of the iPhone to connect and copy all selected files from Android to iPhone over Wi-Fi or hotspot.
Step 4. Find received files on iPhone
Files will be saved to the Downloads folder. Switch to the My Files tab in the Owlfiles app on iPhone, open Downloads folder to find all received files. You can share these files with other apps on iPhone from there. For example, you can copy those received photos from Owlfiles to your Camera Roll or the stock Files app, open them with your favorite image editor, etc.
Method 2. Download files from Android to iPhone using Owlfiles web share
Owlfiles offers the web share feature which can turn your phone into a file server so you can connect other mobile phones, tablets, computers to the server through web to download or upload files.
Step 1. Start web server on Android
Run Owlfiles file manager app on Android phone. Choose More tab from the bottom, then select Built-in Servers in the Toolbox section.
Once the Built-in Servers opens in a new screen, you will have the options to setup the web server and FTP server on your Android mobile.
- User name: the name you use to connect to the FTP server or Web server from other devices; you can leave it blank so anonymous login without user/password will be enabled;
- Password: the password for the user account above;
- FTP server port: by default it is set to 2121, change it according to your needs;
- Web server port: by default it is set to 8080, normally you don’t need to change it;
- Path: to limit the access to specific folder on your local storage on Android phone.
Hit Start Servers button in blue, you will get the FTP server and Web server addresses.
Step 2. Connect to Android web server from iPhone
You don’t need to download any app on the iPhone in order to access the web server on Android phone. Simply launch the Safari browser or any other web browser you prefer on iPhone to access the above web server created by Owlfiles app on Android mobile.
Step 3. Upload files from iPhone to Android
Click Upload Files… button from the web share interface to choose files on iPhone and upload them to your Android device.
Step 4. Download files from Android to iPhone
Browse through the folders on Android through the web share interface using your iPhone browser, find and download files from Android to iPhone. For example, if you like to transfer photos and videos from Android to iPhone, browse to DCIM > Camera folder, then hit the Download icon before the photo or video, then import them into your Photos app on iPhone.
Step 5. Stop servers on Android
Go to Owlfiles > More > Toolbox > Built-in Servers to stop the Web and FTP servers on Android phone once you finished the file transfer to iPhone.
Method 3. Download files from Android to iPhone via FTP transfer
Owlfiles supports FTP transfer as well. You can use it to create FTP server on Android, then connect to the FTP server from iPhone also with Owlfiles or another FTP client app to upload or download files between them.
Step 1. Create FTP server on Android
Firstly go to start the FTP server on Android phone using Owlfiles app following below steps.
Run Owlfiles file manager app on Android phone. Choose More tab from the bottom, then select Built-in Servers in the Toolbox section.
Once the Built-in Servers opens in a new screen, you will have the options to setup the web server and FTP server on your Android mobile. Here we will enable anonymous connection to the FTP server without an user account. So leave both User name and Password fields blank.
Hit Start Servers button in blue, you will get the FTP server addresses. The FTP server URL is ftp://192.168.50.145:2121 in this case. See below screenshot.
Step 2. Connect to FTP server from iPhone
As we have mentioned above, you can use Owlfiles app as the FTP client or use third-party FTP apps on your iPhone to connect to above FTP server created on Android mobile. Owlfiles app limits the number of connections you can create in the free version. You may be required to subscribe to its Pro version to create more device or server connections.
In the Owlfiles app for iPhone, choose Connections from the bottom, tap the Lightning button in the upper right to start creating connections with other devices or servers. Choose New Connection from the drop-down menu, then select a connection type from the New Connection screen. Here you can find various connection types such as Mac, Windows, Linux, NAS, Time Capsule, Redfish, External Location, WebDAV, FTP, SFTP, ownCloud & Nextcloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, etc.
Select FTP from the connection types screen. If you have enabled anonymous connection, you only need to input the Host Name/IP address. Double check the FTP port. Since the server port is set to 2121 on Android phone, make sure to input the port number here. Also if you have created FTP username on Android, you have to input Username and Password in the Connect As section. Finally tap the Save button to save the FTP connection.
Step 3. Upload/download files between Android and iPhone
In Owfiles app on iPhone, return to the Connections tab, tap to access the FTP server on Android, you can copy files from Android to iPhone; or copy files from iPhone to the FTP server on Android. It is just like how you download and upload files between a computer and remote server using an FTP program.