Send a link
Whoever opens it gets the file in their browser, decrypted on their own computer.
Send files from a Mac to a Windows PC or an Android phone
AirDrop is for Apple devices. A link works on anything with a browser.
7 days free, no card. macOS 14 or later.
Why AirDrop doesn't reach them
AirDrop is wonderful right up until a coworker on a Windows laptop asks you to "just AirDrop it". AirDrop is built for Apple devices that sit close to each other, so a Windows PC can't receive one and most Android phones can't either. The way across is a link: the other person opens it in their browser and the file downloads.
Three ways that work
| Way | Works for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Crest Drop link | Any browser: Windows, Android, Linux, a Mac | Encrypted on your Mac; 2 GB and 1 hour without Cloud |
| iCloud Drive link | Any browser | Counts against your iCloud storage |
| Mail Drop in Apple Mail | Anyone you can email | Up to 5 GB, the link lasts 30 days |
Send it with Crest Drop
- Drag the file onto the notch and choose a link. The link is ready to copy at once, before the upload has finished; the page it opens shows the upload coming in.
- The key is in the link itself, in the part after the #, which a browser never sends to a server. Our server stores only encrypted pieces it cannot open.
- Whoever opens it needs nothing installed. Their browser downloads the pieces and decrypts the file on their own computer.
- If your Mac goes to sleep, the upload pauses and picks up where it left off when it wakes.
Send the link any way you like, in a chat message, an email or a text. Chat apps that load a link preview don't use up a download, so pasting it into Slack is safe.
Between Macs that aren't in the same room
AirDrop also needs both Macs in the same room, which doesn't help when your friend is in another city. If they have Crest too, drag the file to the notch and let go on their picture. It travels over the internet, lands in their notch encrypted for their Macs only, and waits there for 7 days. Receiving is free.
Bigger files
Without Cloud, Drop sends files up to 2 GB. Crest Cloud takes that to 20 GB, 50 GB or 100 GB, with links that last from 30 days to a year. The Cloud plans have the details.
Send to any computer from the notch, free for the first 7 days.
7 days free, no card. macOS 14 or later. Full refund within 7 days.
Or send it to a friend’s notch
If they have Crest too, it lands in their notch, encrypted for their Macs only.
Questions4
Can a Windows PC receive AirDrop?
No. AirDrop only works between Apple devices, so send a link instead, which opens in any browser.
Does the person need to install anything?
No. A Drop link opens in their browser, which decrypts the file on their device.
Is it as fast as AirDrop?
No. AirDrop goes straight from device to device in the same room, while a link goes through the internet, so it moves at the speed of both connections.
Is the file safe on the way?
Yes. It is encrypted on your Mac before it leaves, and the key travels only inside the link, so our server holds pieces it cannot open.