How do people actually move files (books, PDFs, whatever) from the device over to a MacBook? I don’t see an official Mac app anywhere. Is this something that just isn’t supported well on Mac, or am I missing an obvious option? I’ve seen some people use MacDroid to connect Boox devices to a Mac. Does this really work?
I’d start with BooxDrop since it’s already built into the Palma 2. It creates a small local web server and gives you an address to open in any browser on your MacBook. From there, you can browse and transfer files in either direction. Both devices need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
LocalSend is another easy option. It’s free, works between macOS and Android-based devices, and transfers files over your local network without cables or an account.
There’s also MacDroid, which can mount Android devices over MTP so they appear in Finder more like a regular drive. I haven’t tried it with the Palma 2, so I can’t confirm how well that specific setup works. It should be compatible since the Palma runs Android, but BooxDrop or LocalSend would be my first choices since they’re free and require less setup.
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macOS doesn’t natively browse Android’s MTP storage in Finder, so the Palma 2 not appearing there is usually expected rather than a device fault. Make sure the USB cable supports data, unlock the Palma, then tap the USB notification and select “File transfer” instead of “Charging only.”
For a wired connection, you’ll still need an MTP app on the Mac. MacDroid is one option if you specifically want the Palma mounted through Finder, though it’s extra software for a fairly simple job. If you only move books occasionally, @epicpixel8696x’s BooxDrop suggestion is less hassle. I’d use wired MTP mainly for large batches or when Wi-Fi isn’t available.
A USB connection only exposes ordinary files, not everything you can see inside the BOOX library. Books stored inside Kindle or another reading app may be protected or kept in an app-only folder, so no transfer method will necessarily show them as normal EPUB or PDF files.
For documents you copied onto the Palma yourself, make a dedicated folder such as “Mac Transfer” in the device’s Documents or Download folder. Move the files there first, then use BooxDrop from your Mac’s browser. That avoids hunting through BOOX’s folder structure and is probably the least annoying option for occasional transfers.
Annotations and handwritten notes need an extra step. Export them from the relevant BOOX app as PDF, PNG, or another usable format, save the export into that transfer folder, and then send it to the Mac. Simply copying the original book may not include your notes.
For large batches, I agree that wired transfer makes more sense. Unlock the Palma, choose File Transfer from the USB notification, and use MacDroid because Finder itself does not understand Android MTP storage. Check the cable before troubleshooting software, since plenty of USB-C cables provide power but no data connection.
A cloud folder is another reasonable route if you regularly edit the same documents on both devices, but treat it as a sync workflow rather than a backup. Accidental deletions and duplicate versions can follow you across devices. For a few books, BooxDrop is simpler. For hundreds of files, MacDroid plus a data-capable cable will be faster and easier to organize.
Guest or office Wi-Fi may block devices from seeing each other, which makes BooxDrop appear broken. Try connecting both devices to a phone hotspot; if that fails, use MacDroid over USB with “File Transfer” selected on the Palma.
For a few ebooks, Wi-Fi is simpler; for an entire library, USB is faster but takes more setup on macOS.
For the easiest transfer, I’d do this:
- On the Palma 2, open its file manager rather than the BOOX Library screen.
- Copy the EPUBs, PDFs, and documents you want into a temporary folder under Documents or Download.
- Open BooxDrop and connect from the MacBook while both devices are on the same Wi-Fi.
- Download the files to a new folder on the Mac.
- Open a couple of them on the Mac before deleting anything from the Palma.
That last step matters. Use copy, not move, until you have confirmed the files arrived intact. The Library view can make books look like normal files even when they belong to an app or are stored somewhere less accessible. Starting from the file manager tells you what can actually be transferred.
If BooxDrop cannot find the Mac, check whether the Wi-Fi network isolates connected devices. Hotel, school, work, and guest networks commonly do this. A phone hotspot is a quick way around it.
For USB, the cable must carry data, the Palma must be unlocked, and its USB mode must be set to File Transfer. Even then, Finder will not treat Android MTP storage like an external SSD. You need an MTP program such as MacDroid to browse it. I would only bother with that setup if you regularly transfer large folders.
A small organization trick makes either method less messy: keep a permanent folder on the Palma called something like “Export to Mac.” Put finished documents and exported notes there. Then you are transferring from one known location instead of searching through app folders every time. Keep the Mac copy as the backup rather than assuming a synced or transferred folder is automatically safe.
Don’t use BooxDrop on café or hotel Wi-Fi if you can avoid it. A private home network or phone hotspot is a better place for a temporary local file-sharing page.
The confusing part is that USB-C and AirDrop both look like they should work automatically. AirDrop is Apple-only, and Finder does not understand Android’s MTP storage, so the Palma not appearing under “Locations” is normal. You are not missing an official BOOX Mac app. For occasional transfers, opening BooxDrop on the Palma and using the displayed address in your Mac’s browser is probably the intended route.
If you have a whole folder of PDFs, see whether the Palma file manager offers a Compress or ZIP command. Sending one ZIP through BooxDrop is less tedious and preserves the folder structure. Unzip it on the Mac, open a few files to confirm they copied correctly, then remove the originals only if you actually want them gone. Files downloaded inside Kindle or similar apps may not be transferable as ordinary books.
Skip the instinct to email books to yourself or dump them into a random cloud uploader if the files are anything but tiny. EPUBs are usually small, but a stack of PDFs will hit attachment limits fast and you end up babysitting failed uploads. Not worth it.
The thread is right that BooxDrop is the intended path on Mac, and I’d lean on it too. One thing nobody flagged though: BooxDrop runs a little server on the Palma, and if the screen sleeps or the app drops to the background mid-transfer, the connection can just die on you. So bump the screen timeout up before you start a bigger batch, and don’t wander off. The ZIP tip from @binarystream3915 is the real fix for that anyway. One file, one download, far less chance of a half-finished transfer.
Where I’d push back a little is on treating MacDroid as the go-to for anything more than a hobbyist library. It works, and it does put the Palma in Finder the way people expect, but it’s paid software after the trial for something you might do a handful of times a year. If your whole reason for going wired is ‘Finder won’t see the device,’ you’re paying to solve a problem BooxDrop already sidesteps for free. I’d only reach for it if you genuinely move large folders often and want proper drag-and-drop into a mounted drive. As a one-off, it’s overkill.
The bit I think everyone’s circling but not saying plainly: check what the Palma is actually running before you buy the device. Boox has its own sync options baked in, and if you already live in something like OneDrive or a Nextcloud setup, pointing your export folder at that is smoother than any USB dance. @rust_zoe84’s warning about sync not being a backup still stands, so keep the Mac copy as your safe one.
And yeah, the Kindle point matters. Anything sitting inside a reading app that came with DRM is not going to hop over as a clean EPUB no matter which method you use. Don’t spend an hour troubleshooting a ‘missing’ book that was never a normal file to begin with.
Before copying anything, enable “show file extensions” on the Mac so you can spot incomplete downloads such as .part files. BooxDrop is fine, but verify the final EPUB or PDF opens before treating the transfer as finished.