Disable auto start for Android File Transfer

disable-auto-android-file-transfer.md

• Close Android File Transfer
• Open Activity Monitor and kill “Android File Transfer Agent”
• Go to where you installed “Android File Transfer.app” (I have it under /Applications)
• Ctrl+click –> “Show package contents”
• Go to Contents/Resources
• Rename “Android File Transfer Agent” to e.g. “Android File Transfer Agent_DISABLED”
• Then go to “/Users/username/Library/Application Support/Google/Android File Transfer” and again rename the Agent app.

This is too radical. I'd suggest going to the System Preferences / Users & Groups / / Login Items and removing "Android File Transfer Agent" from the list. This way you will still be able to launch it when you need it.

@alg This does work. thank you! (I just needed to kill/stop the agent process manually after removing it from the list as you suggested)

@krischik

that's awesome, thx

@alg Thank you. Worked for me.

@krischik: thank you!

Brilliant! Thanks to both the OP as well as @krischik for your handy dandy script.

The permissions trick worked great for me. All I did was:

1. In Settings app > Users & Groups > Login Items, first unlock the settings panel then remove the Android File Transfer Agent entry
2. Open a Terminal and sudo -s
3. Change permissions on the agent app: chmod 000 /Applications/Android\ File\ Transfer.app/Contents/Helpers/Android\ File\ Transfer\ Agent.app
4. Change ownership to root on the agent app: chown root:wheel /Applications/Android\ File\ Transfer.app/Contents/Helpers/Android\ File\ Transfer\ Agent.app
5. Delete the Application Support directory: rm -r ~/Library/Application\ Support\Google\Android\ File\ Transfer
6. Open Activity Monitor and force kill the Android File Transfer Agent process

That's it. I confirmed that re-opening the Android File Transfer app no longer adds the launch entry or makes the copy to Application Support directory and the app no longer auto-launches when a device is plugged in.

@einsteinx2

The permissions trick worked great for me. All I did was:

1. In Settings app > Users & Groups > Login Items, first unlock the settings panel then remove the Android File Transfer Agent entry
2. Open a Terminal and sudo -s
3. Change permissions on the agent app: chmod 000 /Applications/Android\ File\ Transfer.app/Contents/Helpers/Android\ File\ Transfer\ Agent.app
4. Change ownership to root on the agent app: chown root:wheel /Applications/Android\ File\ Transfer.app/Contents/Helpers/Android\ File\ Transfer\ Agent.app
5. Delete the Application Support directory: rm -r ~/Library/Application\ Support\Google\Android\ File\ Transfer
6. Open Activity Monitor and force kill the Android File Transfer Agent process

That's it. I confirmed that re-opening the Android File Transfer app no longer adds the launch entry or makes the copy to Application Support directory and the app no longer auto-launches when a device is plugged in.

Thanks! It's a clean way indeed. This was really getting me nuts, every f**** time that damn app open, while I don't asked for it. Garbage.

You can use HandShaker if you don't mind the company being based in China.

Removing execution permissions for the agent in ~/Library and /Applications is enough

chmod -x ~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Android\ File\ Transfer/Android\ File\ Transfer\ Agent.app/Contents/MacOS/Android\ File\ Transfer\ Agent /Applications/Android\ File\ Transfer.app/Contents/Helpers/Android\ File\ Transfer\ Agent.app/Contents/MacOS/Android\ File\ Transfer\ Agent

I used the einsteinx2 solution but found an error in step 5.

1. In Settings app > Users & Groups > Login Items, first unlock the settings panel then remove the Android File Transfer Agent entry
2. Open a Terminal and sudo -s
3. Change permissions on the agent app: chmod 000 /Applications/Android\ File\ Transfer.app/Contents/Helpers/Android\ File\ Transfer\ Agent.app
4. Change ownership to root on the agent app: chown root:wheel /Applications/Android\ File\ Transfer.app/Contents/Helpers/Android\ File\ Transfer\ Agent.app

/* this line is incorrect, the slashes after Support and Google should be forward slashes */
5. Delete the Application Support directory: rm -r ~/Library/Application\ Support\Google\Android\ File\ Transfer

/* the corrected line 5 is as follows */
5. rm -r ~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Android\ File\ Transfer

6. Open Activity Monitor and force kill the Android File Transfer Agent process

I tried all solutions but this one was the simplest and the best one of for me.

I dragged the Android File Transfer icon to Trash.

Lol

Go to Contents/Resources
should be
Go to Contents/Helpers

macOS 10.15.3 with Android File Transfer 1.0.11

Go to Contents/Resources
should be
Go to Contents/Helpers

macOS 10.15.3 with Android File Transfer 1.0.11

👍

Just try delete the "Andoird File Transfer Agent" in System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items

nice, thanks~

@krischik thank you, still working perfectly on macos big sur m1 👌

In case anyone wants to try out an open-source alternative that apparently is way better https://github.com/ganeshrvel/openmtp/releases

@krischik Fixed the missing check for ${HOME}/Library/Application Support/Google/Android File Transfer/Android File Transfer Agent.app.

The updated script

#!/bin/zsh

typeset PID=$(ps -fe | grep "[A]ndroid File Transfer Agent" | awk '{print $2}')

if [[ -n ${PID} ]]; then
    kill ${PID}
fi

for AFT in								\
    "/Applications/Android File Transfer.app"				\
    "/Applications/Sync/Android File Transfer.app"			\
    "${HOME}/Library/Application Support/Google/Android File Transfer"
do
    echo "### Look for agents in “${AFT}”"

    if test -e "${AFT}"; then
	for AFTA in							\
	    "${AFT}/Contents/Resources/Android File Transfer Agent.app" \
	    "${AFT}/Contents/Helpers/Android File Transfer Agent.app" \
	    "${AFT}/Android File Transfer Agent.app"
	do
	    echo "# Look for agent “${AFTA}”"

	    if test -e "${AFTA}"; then
		mv -v "${AFTA}" "${AFTA}.DISABLE"
	    fi
	done; unset AFTA
    fi
done; unset AFT

osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to delete every login item whose name is "Android File Transfer Agent"'

Just try delete the "Andoird File Transfer Agent" in System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items

It adds itself back.

Thank you @krischik & @thenamangoyal 🙏

@krischik Fixed the missing check for ${HOME}/Library/Application Support/Google/Android File Transfer/Android File Transfer Agent.app.

The updated script

#!/bin/zsh

typeset PID=$(ps -fe | grep "[A]ndroid File Transfer Agent" | awk '{print $2}')

if [[ -n ${PID} ]]; then
    kill ${PID}
fi

for AFT in								\
    "/Applications/Android File Transfer.app"				\
    "/Applications/Sync/Android File Transfer.app"			\
    "${HOME}/Library/Application Support/Google/Android File Transfer"
do
    echo "### Look for agents in “${AFT}”"

    if test -e "${AFT}"; then
	for AFTA in							\
	    "${AFT}/Contents/Resources/Android File Transfer Agent.app" \
	    "${AFT}/Contents/Helpers/Android File Transfer Agent.app" \
	    "${AFT}/Android File Transfer Agent.app"
	do
	    echo "# Look for agent “${AFTA}”"

	    if test -e "${AFTA}"; then
		mv -v "${AFTA}" "${AFTA}.DISABLE"
	    fi
	done; unset AFTA
    fi
done; unset AFT

osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to delete every login item whose name is "Android File Transfer Agent"'

It wokers for me, thanks!

Great explanation, thanks. I think you will be interested in this article.

Dear Google: 🖕

@ballo Sincerely, everyone.

openmtp

Thanks for sharing ! This soft is great !

The permissions trick worked great for me. All I did was:

1. In Settings app > Users & Groups > Login Items, first unlock the settings panel then remove the Android File Transfer Agent entry
2. Open a Terminal and sudo -s
3. Change permissions on the agent app: chmod 000 /Applications/Android\ File\ Transfer.app/Contents/Helpers/Android\ File\ Transfer\ Agent.app
4. Change ownership to root on the agent app: chown root:wheel /Applications/Android\ File\ Transfer.app/Contents/Helpers/Android\ File\ Transfer\ Agent.app
5. Delete the Application Support directory: rm -r ~/Library/Application\ Support\Google\Android\ File\ Transfer
6. Open Activity Monitor and force kill the Android File Transfer Agent process

That's it. I confirmed that re-opening the Android File Transfer app no longer adds the launch entry or makes the copy to Application Support directory and the app no longer auto-launches when a device is plugged in.

Works for me. Thanks.