I just picked up an Edge 1050 and I’m trying to figure out the “normal” way people move files between it and a Mac. Plugged it in over USB and it doesn’t show up in Finder like my old Edge units used to. Is there some native way to do this, or does Garmin just not play nice with macOS anymore?
I saw someone on another forum mention using Android File Transfer to get around this. Does that actually work with a Garmin device? And if AFT isn’t a great option, would something like MacDroid do the same job? Just trying to figure out what’s actually reliable before I start messing with random apps.?
The main issue is that Garmin devices use MTP for file transfers, and macOS doesn’t support MTP natively. That’s why the 1050 doesn’t automatically appear in Finder like a normal external drive.
Garmin’s official solution is Garmin Express. Install it, leave it running, and then:
- Connect the Garmin with a USB cable that supports data, not just charging.
- Open Finder.
- Choose Go from the top menu.
- Select Computer.
- Open the Garmin drive.
Garmin Express is basically filling the MTP support gap so the device can show up this way.
Android File Transfer isn’t much help anymore. Google stopped offering it for download, so even though older posts may recommend it, it’s effectively a dead end now.
MacDroid is another option worth checking. It’s made for handling MTP devices on a Mac, so it should theoretically recognize the 1050 the same way it would an Android phone or another MTP device. It also mounts the connected device as a regular Finder volume instead of making you manage files through a separate window. That makes basic drag-and-drop transfers less awkward.
If you only need to sync activities, you may not need USB file access at all:
- Garmin Connect and cloud sync: Pair the 1050 with your phone over Bluetooth and let Garmin Connect upload the activity data. This won’t help when you need to copy custom courses or maps onto the device.
- Wi-Fi upload: Once configured, the 1050 can upload activities in the background over Wi-Fi.
- ANT+ USB stick: This is mostly an older workflow and is more useful for activity syncing than general file management.
For actual file access on macOS, Garmin Express plus an MTP tool such as MacDroid is probably the most practical setup until Garmin provides something less clumsy.
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Do not move or delete files from the Edge until you have a verified copy. Quit Garmin Express completely before opening MacDroid, since only one app can access an MTP device at a time. In MacDroid, look under Garmin/Activities and copy the .fit files to your Mac. If you only need a recorded ride, downloading the original FIT file from Garmin Connect is usually faster than fighting with USB.
Don’t leave Garmin Express running. I’d push back on that part of @devhub4503’s reply: Express may detect the Edge, but it won’t necessarily make an MTP device browseable in Finder, and it can block MacDroid from accessing it. Quit Express, reconnect the 1050, then use MacDroid to copy the newest .fit file from Garmin/Activities. If nothing appears, try a different known-good data cable before changing any other settings.
You probably won’t see the Edge 1050 as a normal disk in Finder, and that doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong with the Mac or cable. It uses MTP, so installing Garmin Express alone does not turn it into a regular Finder volume.
If the ride has already synced, the least troublesome route is Garmin Connect in a browser. Open the activity, choose Export Original, and you’ll get the original FIT data without touching the device storage. That is usually enough for importing into another training service or keeping a backup.
For files that have not synced, quit Garmin Express fully, open MacDroid, then reconnect the Edge while it is powered on and awake. Browse to Garmin/Activities, sort by modification date, and copy the newest .fit file to a folder on the Mac. Garmin filenames are not always descriptive, so the date is more useful than the name.
I would copy rather than drag files out or edit them directly on the Edge. Verify that the copied FIT file opens or imports correctly before deleting anything. If MacDroid cannot see the device at all, the first suspect should still be the USB cable since plenty of USB-C cables provide charging but no data connection.
Skip the Finder Go then Computer route entirely if the device is running in MTP mode. That set of steps @devhub4503 listed only works for gadgets that mount as mass storage, and the 1050 doesn’t do that. You can follow those clicks perfectly and still stare at an empty Computer window, which just wastes time and makes you think the cable is dead when it isn’t.
@rapidcloud has the right instinct on quitting Garmin Express. Two apps fighting over one MTP handle is a classic way to get a device that flickers in and out or refuses to browse. So that correction is worth listening to.
The thing nobody has flagged yet: the Edge itself often needs a nudge on its own screen. On the newer touchscreen units you sometimes have to unlock it, keep it awake, and in some cases confirm a data connection prompt before the Mac side sees anything. If the screen has dimmed or gone to sleep mid-connection, MacDroid can lose the volume. Wake it, then reconnect.
MacDroid is fine for the actual copy, no argument there. It mounts the thing as a Finder volume so you’re not stuck in some clunky side panel, and for grabbing loose .fit files that never synced it does the job. I just wouldn’t treat USB as the default. If the ride already hit Garmin Connect, pulling Export Original from the web is faster and there’s zero risk of touching device storage. Use the cable route for the stuff that genuinely lives only on the device, like courses you loaded manually or activities that failed to upload.
One more small annoyance worth setting your expectations on: the filenames are timestamps, not ride names, so sort by date modified and grab the newest one rather than hunting for something readable. And copy, never cut. Confirm the file opens somewhere before you delete anything off the Edge.
Do not copy a course file straight into Garmin/Courses and assume the Edge will recognize it. For manual imports, put the compatible .fit, .gpx, or .tcx file in Garmin/NewFiles. After you disconnect and restart or wake the Edge, it should process the file and move it to the proper place itself.
For a basic USB transfer on a Mac:
- Quit Garmin Express completely.
- Connect the Edge with a known data-capable cable.
- Keep the Edge unlocked and awake.
- Open a single MTP client.
- Copy recorded rides from
Garmin/Activities to the Mac.
- Copy courses going onto the Edge into
Garmin/NewFiles.
- Wait for the transfer to finish before disconnecting.
I agree with the correction about Finder. Garmin Express may handle updates and syncing, but leaving it open does not magically turn the 1050 into an old-style USB drive. It can take control of the connection and prevent another MTP program from seeing the device.
The “normal” workflow now depends on the file. Use Garmin Connect for rides that have already synced, an MTP client for files that exist only on the Edge, and NewFiles for manual course imports. Maps are a separate matter and should not be moved around casually, since deleting or replacing the wrong map or index file can create a much bigger headache than a missing ride.
You don’t need to buy MacDroid just to rescue a FIT file. OpenMTP is free and includes Garmin support, though it uses its own file browser instead of magically teaching Finder how to behave.
Quit Garmin Express first, then open OpenMTP and connect the awake Edge. For occasional copies from Garmin/Activities or drops into Garmin/NewFiles, that is probably the least expensive version of this unnecessarily awkward process.
Don’t troubleshoot this through a USB hub or monitor dock, since MTP connections can be fussier than charging. Connect the awake Edge directly to the Mac, quit Garmin Express, and use OpenMTP or MacDroid, then disconnect from the app before unplugging the cable.