How to transfer photos from a Nothing Phone to a Mac (USB cable)

howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-transfer-photos-from-a-nothing-phone-to-a-mac/ · Checked October 2026 · Nothing Phone (4a) Pro (A069P (EEA), Nothing OS 4.1, Android 16 (build FroggerPro-B4.1-260907-1153-EEA)) and Intel Mac with Image Capture (and Nothing Phone (4a) Pro (A069P, EEA), Nothing OS 4.1 (build FroggerPro-B4.1-260907-1153-EEA))

4 of 4 steps with real screenshots · 2 official sources below

Device

Android

Shown on

Nothing Phone (4a) Pro (A069P, EEA), Nothing OS 4.1, Android 16 (build FroggerPro-B4.1-260907-1153-EEA), Intel Mac with Image Capture, and Nothing Phone (4a) Pro (A069P, EEA), Nothing OS 4.1 (build FroggerPro-B4.1-260907-1153-EEA)

App

Settings

Path

Settings › Connected devices › USB › PTP

Real screenshots

4 of 4 steps

What we did

Performed: we made the change on our device and show the result

Checked

October 2026

Sources

2 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Open Connected devices, USB

   Plug the phone into the Mac first. Ours said Charging this device.

   Done

2. 

   Choose PTP

   Under Use USB for: File transfer, USB tethering, MIDI, PTP and No data transfer. Ours started on No data transfer; the shot shows PTP after we tapped it. File transfer options below has Convert videos to AVC, off on ours.

   Done

3. 

   Click the phone in Image Capture, then Download All

   On the Mac, open Image Capture. The phone shows under Devices by its model number (ours A069P). Choose a folder under Import To (ours: Pictures), then click Download All, or select items and click Download.

   Done

4. 

   Set USB back when you are done

   We picked No data transfer again, so the phone only charges from the Mac.

   Done

If you do not see this option

• Phone not under Devices? Apple says to connect the device with a cable and turn it on. Check the phone is still on PTP, and unlock it. Source: Image Capture User Guide for Mac
• Want folders, not just photos? File transfer is the other choice on the same page. Google gives File transfer for Windows and Chromebook; we used PTP because the Mac's own Image Capture reads it. Source: Transfer files between your computer and Android device

  

• No USB notification? With USB debugging on, ours only showed USB debugging connected. Use Settings, Connected devices, USB instead.

  

If this does not work

• Only charging? Under USB controlled by, keep This device, and use a data cable rather than a charge-only one. Source: Transfer files between your computer and Android device
• Mac shows other phones too? Each phone in PTP mode appears by its model number; ours listed two other phones as well. Click the one that matches your phone.
• Odd files such as .nomedia in the list? Ours listed a screenshot plus .nomedia and .database_uuid. Those are system files: select only the photos and click Download instead of Download All.

About this guide

Macs have no built-in app for Android files, but Image Capture reads a phone set to PTP (photo transfer) like a camera. We plugged our Nothing phone into our Mac to check.

The screenshots are from our Nothing Phone (4a) Pro, the European model A069P, with Nothing OS 4.1 and Android 16 (build FroggerPro-B4.1-260907-1153-EEA), in Dark theme. The Mac picture is from our Mac in Dark appearance. We set the phone back to No data transfer afterwards.

Good to know

To send a file to a phone nearby instead, see Quick Share and iPhone.

To make room after copying, see free up storage.

In short: Phone: Settings, Connected devices, USB, PTP. Mac: Image Capture, the phone, Download All.