How I use my MacBook Pro with my Galaxy S23 Ultra: tips and tricks

For work I have used a MacBook for four years, currently the 2020 MacBook Pro with Apple’s M1 chip, mainly for editing my YouTube videos. For a long time I used an iPhone with it because, like many people, I thought the combination was logical and everything would then be well in sync. With the Galaxy Z Fold4, which I tested in August 2022, the thought occurred to me that the limitations with an Android smartphone might not be so big after all. With the Galaxy S23 Ultra I switched completely to Android, mainly because with the new iPhones the value for money is off from my point of view. Since then I am often asked how I keep my data in sync. Here is my simple solution.

My principle

For everything that should be in sync, I use applications that exist for Mac and Android. Beforehand I thought about what needs to be in sync at all. It isn’t necessary, for example, for video editing, the programs and data don’t belong on the smartphone. My bookkeeping also stays on the Mac. What absolutely has to be in sync: emails, calendar, to-do list, notes, photos, and individual files.

The tips at a glance

1. Email and calendar: I use Exchange or Office 365 mailboxes, which can be added to any mail program. On the MacBook I don’t use Apple Mail but Outlook with mailboxes and calendar. On the S23 Ultra I use the Samsung Mail and Calendar apps. Syncing works flawlessly.
2. Notes: Apple’s Notes app is out without an iPhone. At first I used Microsoft OneNote, which runs on both systems, but I find the mobile view on the smartphone not clearly laid out. I ended up with Notion, also for iOS and Android. Notion is overwhelming at first, but with a few tutorials on YouTube and templates you get into it quickly and build your own productivity system. It also works clearly in the smartphone app.
3. To-do list: I first used Notion for this, sortable by status, label, or due date and in the calendar view. By now I use the Microsoft To Do app, which runs flawlessly on both systems. You create lists and see them in one overview.
4. Photos: I sync them via Google Photos. On the S23 Ultra, syncing between the Gallery and Google Photos is turned on, and from the MacBook I access it via the browser. For large files, such as a 4K video from the S23 Ultra, I use an SD card reader. That is often faster than sending large files by AirDrop from an iPhone to the Mac.
5. Files: For AirDrop there is no adequate solution. There are apps that try to solve it, but in my test they didn’t do a good job and took far too long. The AirDrop function from iPhone to Mac or Quick Share from Android to a Windows laptop doesn’t exist like that. My solution is Google Drive: on the smartphone and as a drive on the MacBook. That works great.
6. Browser: I use Chrome on both systems, so bookmarks and passwords are in sync.

Protecting the device: CASETiFY

Ad: To protect the MacBook and smartphone I use the Impact Cases from CASETiFY. They protect the corners of my MacBook well, are quick to attach, give grip thanks to roughened plastic sides, and there is a huge selection of designs. The iPhone cases of the Impact series also protect the display and camera. The cases are made from recycled phone cases.

Verdict

With Microsoft Office and the Google solutions you already cover a great many usage scenarios. So you are basically free to choose which smartphone you combine with your MacBook.