I’m trying to move files from my Garmin GPSMAP 67 to my MacBook and wasn’t sure what the best method is these days. Does macOS recognize the GPSMAP 67 on its own, or do you need extra software?
I know Garmin has Garmin Express, but is that only for updates, or can it also be used for file transfers? I also see people recommending Android File Transfer in older discussions, but since that’s gone now, has anyone tried something like MacDroid instead? Does it work reliably with Garmin devices?
First, connect the GPSMAP 67 to your MacBook with the original USB cable and check whether macOS can access it directly. Open Finder, then choose Go > Computer from the menu bar. If a Garmin drive shows up, you should be able to open it and browse the folders like any other external device.
For firmware, map updates, and general device management, I'd use Garmin Express. Some Garmin models work better with the official software for those tasks.
Android File Transfer isn't really an option anymore since it's no longer available. If the GPSMAP 67 connects through Media Transfer Protocol (MTP), MacDroid may work instead. Its developers say it supports MTP devices, including compatible Garmin hardware.
I haven't tested MacDroid with this Garmin myself, so I can't confirm that specific combination. One useful part, based on what I've read, is that it integrates with Finder rather than forcing you to manage everything in a separate app. It can also copy files both ways, which would help if you're moving tracks onto the GPS or exporting GPX files back to the Mac.
It's also worth checking whether the GPSMAP 67 has a USB Mass Storage mode. If it does, macOS should recognize it as a normal external drive, which is probably the simplest setup. If you mainly want to sync routes, waypoints, and activities instead of manually moving files, Garmin Explore may make more sense.
So I'd try Finder first, use Garmin Express for updates and device management, and only add an MTP app like MacDroid if the Garmin doesn't appear as a regular drive.
If your goal is routes and waypoints rather than raw folder access, use Garmin BaseCamp instead of MacDroid. Garmin specifically supports dragging data between the GPSMAP 67 and BaseCamp, then exporting it as GPX on the Mac.
Don’t keep waiting for the GPSMAP 67 to mount as a normal Finder drive. On a Mac, this model uses MTP and Garmin specifically says it won’t appear as an external drive, so that behavior is expected rather than a Finder setting you missed.
Use a USB cable that carries data, connect it directly instead of through a hub, and set Setup > System > USB Mode to MTP. The Garmin should show the USB connection icon. For routes, tracks, and waypoints, @smartexplorernet’s BaseCamp suggestion is the cleanest route: copy the items into My Collection, then export them as GPX on the Mac.
MacDroid might provide MTP browsing, but I wouldn’t buy or install it solely to fix this unless you specifically need manual file access. Garmin’s own guidance says direct access to the GPSMAP 67’s system folders requires Windows, even though Garmin applications can recognize it on macOS.
Don’t install an MTP utility unless you actually need to browse individual folders. The GPSMAP 67 normally will not appear as a Finder drive on macOS, so repeatedly changing cables or checking Finder won’t turn it into USB storage.
For waypoints, routes, and tracks, use BaseCamp, copy the data into its library, then export a GPX file somewhere outside BaseCamp. That last step matters if you want a normal backup you can open with other software. Garmin Express is for updates and device management, not general file copying.
MacDroid only makes sense when you need raw MTP access for files that BaseCamp does not handle. It may be convenient, but it adds another layer and is unnecessary for the usual GPX transfer.
If your GPX files live on a microSD card, skip all the MTP fuss and just pull the card into a reader. Finder reads that fine, no BaseCamp or MacDroid needed. Only bother with MTP or the tools above for stuff stored on internal memory.
A BaseCamp import is not the same as a complete backup of the GPS. It copies the user data BaseCamp understands, such as routes, tracks, and waypoints, but it does not preserve the whole device, installed maps, or every setting.
For anything you may need outside Garmin software, export a GPX after copying the data into BaseCamp. I would keep both the GPX files and a BaseCamp library backup. Garmin’s backup archive preserves BaseCamp lists and folders, while GPX is the more portable option for other mapping apps. Be careful with BaseCamp’s Restore command, since restoring an archive replaces the library already there rather than merging everything neatly.
The microSD method @bytefalcon3221 mentioned is convenient, but only for files actually written to that card. It will not magically reveal recordings held in internal memory. For the normal Mac workflow, use BaseCamp for trip data and Garmin Express for updates. Treat raw folder access as a separate MTP problem rather than something Finder is supposed to handle.
If “files” means anything beyond routes, tracks, and waypoints, the BaseCamp answer only goes so far. BaseCamp handles Garmin trip data, but it is not a general-purpose browser for everything stored in the GPSMAP 67’s internal memory.
For GPX-type data, use BaseCamp and export the result to a normal folder on the Mac. For arbitrary files, you’ll need an MTP-capable utility, or move them through a microSD card and card reader if the device lets you store them there. Garmin Express is useful, but expecting it to behave like file-transfer software will be frustrating.
I’d be skeptical of paying for MacDroid until you confirm you genuinely need raw folder access. Whatever method you use, copy first, open the exported files on the Mac to verify them, and only then delete anything from the Garmin. An item appearing in a BaseCamp library is not quite the same as having a separate, portable backup.
Don’t assume a transferred route will follow the exact same line you planned on the Mac. Routing can change with the map and activity settings, so for an important hike I’d send both the route and a track as a visual fallback.
The GPSMAP 67 normally won’t mount in Finder by itself. Use BaseCamp for routes, tracks, and waypoints, while Garmin Express handles updates and device management. Only bother with an MTP utility or a microSD reader when you need ordinary file-level access.