AirBridge is designed to work seamlessly across different operating systems. Unlike proprietary sharing protocols, AirBridge does not lock you into a single ecosystem, allowing your Mac to communicate directly with Windows PCs and Android devices.
System Requirements
To run AirBridge, ensure your devices meet the following minimum requirements:
- macOS: macOS 12.0 (Monterey) or later. Apple Silicon (M1+) is fully supported natively.
- Windows: Windows 10 (version 1903) or later. Requires a Wi-Fi adapter that supports Wi-Fi Direct.
- Android: Android 8.0 (Oreo) or later.
Note: All devices must have Bluetooth enabled for initial discovery, and Wi-Fi enabled for the actual file transfer.
BLE Discovery
AirBridge uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to continuously scan for nearby devices running the app. Because it uses BLE, the discovery process is extremely fast and consumes almost zero battery power. You do not need to be on the same Wi-Fi network to discover a device; you only need to be within physical Bluetooth range (approximately 30 feet or 10 meters).
Pairing Devices
Pairing devices with AirBridge is a one-time, secure process:
- Open AirBridge on both devices.
- On your Mac, click the AirBridge menu bar icon. You will see a list of discovered nearby devices.
- Click on the device you want to pair with (e.g., "Galaxy S23" or "Dell XPS").
- A 6-digit PIN will appear on both screens. Confirm that the PINs match, and click Accept on the receiving device.
Once paired, the devices establish a trusted cryptographic relationship. Future file transfers between these two devices will not require PIN confirmation.