How does it work?
Apple does ship a tool for this direction: Windows Migration Assistant. It's built for one scenario, the day you unbox a new Mac, and it moves accounts, mail, bookmarks and files wholesale, with both machines side by side and a pairing code between them. For "I just need these three folders," it's a sledgehammer.
With Quick Transfer, you pick exactly what to send on the PC, and the Mac pulls it straight through the browser: type the 6-digit code at transfer.zip/quick and the download starts. Files stream directly between the machines, end-to-end encrypted, with no server in the middle.
It works on any Windows version with a modern browser and any Mac, across different networks, with no size limit. Send one PDF or a hundred gigabytes of photo archive the same way.
How to Transfer Files from PC to Mac
- Open this page on the Windows PC, click the button above and select the files or folders for the Mac.
- On the Mac, open transfer.zip/quick in Safari (or any browser) and type the 6-digit code from the PC's screen.
- The files land in the Mac's Downloads folder. Keep both machines online until the progress bar completes.
When Migration Assistant is the better tool
Fair is fair: on a brand-new Mac, if you want your mail accounts, contacts, calendars and browser bookmarks carried over along with the files, Apple's Windows Migration Assistant is built exactly for that one-time move. Install it on the PC, keep both machines close, and follow the pairing code.
For everything after that day, selective transfers are the job, and that's where the browser route wins: no install, no pairing, just the files you actually want.
Where files land, and unzipping
Downloads arrive in the Mac's Downloads folder. If you sent several files or a folder, they come as one zip: double-click and macOS unpacks it next to the archive, folder structure preserved.
From there, drag photos into the Photos app, music into Music, and documents wherever they live. Nothing needs converting first.
Windows files on a Mac: what works
Nearly everything you'd actually move: JPG and PNG photos, MP4 videos, MP3s, PDFs and Microsoft Office documents all open natively on macOS, with Office files also opening in Pages, Numbers and Keynote.
The exception is Windows software: .exe installers don't run on a Mac, so skip the Program Files folder and bring the documents instead.
FAQ
Do I need an Apple ID or iCloud for this? No. The transfer runs in the browser on both machines. No Apple ID, Microsoft account or any other sign-in is involved.
How is this different from Migration Assistant? Migration Assistant is a one-time, everything-at-once move for setting up a new Mac, and needs its app installed on the PC. A browser transfer is selective: any files, any time, nothing installed.
Can I move my whole photo library? Yes. Select the folder on the PC and it streams across with structure intact, whatever the size. Afterwards, import the pictures into the Photos app on the Mac if you want them managed there.
Do the PC and Mac need to be near each other? No. The connection works over the internet, so the machines can be on different networks entirely, or different continents.
Is there a file size limit? No. The files stream directly between the two computers with nothing stored on a server, so there is no cap. Big moves just take longer, with live progress on both screens.
Will Windows files open on the Mac? The everyday formats all do: photos, videos, music, PDFs and Office documents. Windows programs themselves (.exe) don't run on macOS, so move documents rather than installed software.
Related
How to Transfer Files from PC to iPhone
Send files from a Windows PC to your iPhone wirelessly, without iTunes or a cable. Scan a QR code or type a short code and the download starts.
How to Transfer Files from PC to PC
Move files between two computers with your browser. Type a 6-digit code on the other PC and the files transfer directly, no USB stick or cloud upload involved.
How to Transfer Files from PC to Android
Transfer files from your computer to any Android phone over the internet, no cable or app needed. Scan a QR code or type a short code and the download starts.
How to Transfer Files from Android to Mac
Google discontinued the Android File Transfer app for Mac. Send photos, videos and files from any Android phone to a Mac through the browser instead, without a cable or an app, at any size.