File sharing between iPhone and Android phones can be quite challenging without the proper tools or apps. There are different ways to transfer data from iPhone to Android or vice versa. Some requires data cables, some requires a PC in the middle. Today, we will introduce you a new file explorer app, Owlfiles File Manager, and walk you through the quick steps to copy your photos, videos, PDF, or any other documents from iPhone to Android wirelessly.
About Owlfiles File Manager
It may be the first time you hear it because Owlfiles is a new app which was released this month, Sep 2022. However many iPhone or iPad users may have already know the FE File Explorer, a very popular file manager app for iPhone and iPad. They are from the same company. The developer discontinued the FE File Explorer and renamed it to Owlfiles with completely new UI and some extra features.
It comes with both free and paid versions. Here we will use its free version on iPhone and Android to show you how this cross-platform file manager and transfer app can help with data exchange between them.
Step 1. Connect iPhone and Android to Wi-Fi
Ensure you’re connected to the same Wi-Fi network on both iPhone and Android. When a Wi-Fi network is not available, connect them up via Personal hotspot on iPhone or Wi-Fi hotspot on Android.
Step 2. Connect iPhone with Android via Hotspot – alternative
When you don’t have access to Wi-Fi, you can turn on personal hotspot on iPhone and then connect Android to iPhone hotspot. Or you can choose to enable Wi-Fi hotspot on Android, then connect iPhone to Android’s hotspot.
You can refer to following tutorial to share your iPhone’s internet connection via Personal Hotspot. Note that the file transfer via Owlfiles app does not consume the data. The mobile hotspot or Wi-Fi hotspot converts your smartphone into an wireless router, once connected via the hotspot, the app copy files between iPhone and Android directly, without uploading or downloading any files to or from the internet.
Android users can turn off cellular data on the phone with the mobile hotspot or Wi-Fi hotspot enabled for wireless connection from iPhone and data transfer between them.
Step 3. Put Android into the Receive mode
Run Owlfiles file explorer on your Android mobile, choose More tab from the bottom, then select Nearby Receive in the Toolbox section.
Now your Android phone will enter the Nearby Receive mode waiting to be connected and shared files from other devices.
Step 4. Select and send files from iPhone
On our iPhone, launch Owlfiles file explorer, switch to More tab from the bottom, click Nearby Send.
Browse through the folders to pick the files you like to share from iPhone to Android. Tap on Next button.
Owlfiles file explorer on iPhone will scan and find your Android phone. Simply tap on your Android device name to start sending the selected files from iPhone to Android through the Owlfiles file explorer app.
Tap on the avatar of the Android phone to connect and copy all selected files from iPhone to Android over Wi-Fi.
Step 5. Find received files on Android
Files will be saved to the Downloads folder. Switch to the My Files tab from the bottom menu bar of Owlfiles file explorer app. Tap to open Downloads folder to find all received files. Or open the stock Files app or File Manager on Android to find those transferred photos, videos, music or other files from the Downloads folder.
You can change the save location in app settings. Go to More > Settings > File Manager > Nearby Receive > Nearby File Saving Location.
Another two methods to share files between iPhone and Android
Except the above file sharing via Wi-Fi or hotspot, this Owlfiles app also offers another two useful file transfer solutions: the Web transfer and FTP transfer.
Send files from iPhone to Android via Web Share
Imagine you like to share certain files with someone who does not have Owlfiles app installed on his/her Android phone, can you still use Owlfiles to send the files? Just follow these steps.
Step 1. Create Web / HTTP server on iPhone
Run Owlfiles file manager app on your iPhone. Choose More tab from the bottom, then select Built-in Servers in the Toolbox section.
On this Built-in Servers screen, you have the options to tweak the FTP server and web or HTTP servers, start and stop the servers.
Here we will leave the User Name and Password fields blank to enable the anonymous access feature so other clients can directly connect to the HTTP server or FTP server without authentication. The web server port is set to 8080 by default. You can choose a different root directory from Path if need. This is the destination other devices, clients or apps can access to upload and download files. Hit Start Servers button to enable the Web Server and get the server URL address.
Step 2. Connect to iPhone web server from Android
You can use Chrome or any web browser on your mobile to access the above Web server or HTTP server. Make sure to type in the full web server URL in the address bar of your web browser on Android, including the http prefix and port number.
Step 3. Share files between iPhone and Android through web
Once you opened the web interface of the files server on iPhone from your Android browser, you can hit Upload Files… button to choose files on Android and send them to iPhone. Browse through the files and folders on iPhone, tap on the Download icon before a file to download it from iPhone to Android.
Share files between iPhone to Android via FTP
As you already know the Owlfiles can help us setup Web server and FTP server on iPhone at the same time. Other than using a web browser to connect iPhone storage from Android, we can also use an FTP client to connect to the FTP server to upload and download files.
Step 1. Setup FTP server on iPhone
Run Owlfiles file manager app on iPhone. Choose More tab from the bottom, then select Built-in Servers in the Toolbox section.
On this Built-in Servers screen, you have the options to tweak the FTP server and web or HTTP servers, start and stop the servers. Here we will leave the User Name and Password fields blank to enable anonymous access so other clients can directly connect to the FTP server without authentication. The FTP server port is set to 2121 by default. You can choose a different folder as server root directory from Path if need. Hit Start Servers button to enable the FTP server and get the server URL address.
Step 2. Connect to iPhone FTP server from Android
You can use Owlfiles app as the FTP client or third-party FTP apps on your Android phone to connect to FTP server created on iPhone. 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 Owlfiles for Android, 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, Redfish, WebDAV, FTP, SFTP, ownCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, Baidu, etc.
Select FTP from the connection types screen. If you have enabled anonymous connection, you only need to input the Host Name/IP address. 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 through FTP
In Owfiles app on Android phone, return to the Connections tab, tap to access the FTP server on iPhone, you can download files from iPhone to Android; or upload files from Android to the FTP server on iPhone.