Send Links to Mac From iPhone, iPad, or Another Mac: The Complete Guide
Tired of AirDrop failing when you need to send a link to your Mac? Frustrated when your Mac is asleep and the link just won't go through? Wish you could queue up links from your iPhone, iPad, or another Mac that automatically appear on your destination Mac when it wakes up?
Clean Links solves all of these problems with a feature that lets you send links to Mac from any Apple device with full offline support, works with any browser, and is faster and more reliable than AirDrop, Universal Clipboard, iCloud Tabs, or Safari Reading List.
The Problem with Existing Solutions
Before diving into the solution, let's look at why existing methods fall short:
AirDrop Issues
Send links to Mac with AirDrop and you'll quickly discover its limitations:
- Requires both devices to be awake and nearby
- Often fails when devices are on different networks
- Demands that both devices have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled
- Can be slow and unreliable
- Your Mac must be active to receive the link
Universal Clipboard Limitations
Share links between Apple devices using Universal Clipboard and you'll encounter:
- Works only when both devices are nearby and active
- Clipboard content expires after a short time
- No permanent record of links shared
- Frequently fails without clear error messages
iCloud Tabs Problems
When you send website links to Mac via iCloud Tabs:
- Works only in Safari, not other browsers
- Requires hunting through a long list of tabs
- Tab must stay open on source device for it to sync
- No way to send a link and close the tab immediately
Safari Reading List Drawbacks
Use Safari Reading List to share links between devices and you'll find:
- Works only in Safari
- Creates a long, unorganised list
- Requires manual checking of the Reading List
- No automatic notification when new links arrive
The Solution: Clean Links Send to Mac
Send links to Mac instantly with Clean Links from any Apple device - iPhone, iPad, or another Mac. The feature works even when your destination Mac is offline or on a different network. Links are synced via iCloud, so they appear automatically when your Mac comes online.
How It Works
- On your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, open any link in any app
- Tap or click the share button and select "Clean Links"
- Choose which Mac you want to send the link to
- The link is sent via iCloud sync to your destination Mac
- When your Mac is online, the link opens automatically in your default browser
The entire process takes seconds, and unlike AirDrop, it works even when your Mac is asleep or on a different network.
Why Clean Links Is Better
Offline Support
Send links to Mac even when your destination Mac is offline. The link waits in iCloud sync and appears automatically when your Mac comes online. This is impossible with AirDrop or Universal Clipboard.
Any Browser Support
Share links to Mac that open in your default browser, whether that's Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Brave, or Arc. Not limited to Safari like iCloud Tabs or Reading List.
Faster Than AirDrop
Send links to Mac in seconds without the connection delays that plague AirDrop. No waiting for devices to discover each other.
Works Across Networks
Share links between devices even when they're not on the same Wi-Fi network. Perfect for sending a link from your iPhone at home to your Mac at the office, or from your MacBook to your Mac Studio.
Background Processing
Links open automatically in your browser as new tabs. You won't miss them like you would with a long Safari Reading List.
Multiple Mac Support
Send links to all your Macs at once from any device. Have a Mac at home and one at work? Send to both simultaneously from your iPhone, iPad, or another Mac.
Comparison with AirDrop
| Feature | Clean Links | AirDrop |
|---|---|---|
Offline Support | ✓ | ✗ |
Works When Mac Asleep | ✓ | ✗ |
Different Networks | ✓ | ✗ |
Any Browser | ✓ | ✓ |
Auto-Opens Link | ✓ | ✓ |
Send to Multiple Macs at Once | ✓ | ✗ |
Shortcut Triggers | ✓ | ✗ |
Clean Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
Mac to Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
Comparison with iCloud Tabs
| Feature | Clean Links | iCloud Tabs |
|---|---|---|
Offline Support | ✓ | ✓ |
Works When Mac Asleep | ✓ | ✓ |
Different Networks | ✓ | ✓ |
Any Browser | ✓ | Safari only |
Auto-Opens Link | ✓ | ✗ |
No Manual Search Required | ✓ | ✗ |
Close Tab After Sending | ✓ | ✗ |
Clean Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
Comparison with Safari Reading List
| Feature | Clean Links | Reading List |
|---|---|---|
Offline Support | ✓ | ✓ |
Works When Mac Asleep | ✓ | ✓ |
Different Networks | ✓ | ✓ |
Any Browser | ✓ | Safari only |
Auto-Opens Link | ✓ | ✗ |
No Manual List Management | ✓ | ✗ |
Clean Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
Comparison with Universal Clipboard
| Feature | Clean Links | Universal Clipboard |
|---|---|---|
Offline Support | ✓ | ✗ |
Works When Mac Asleep | ✓ | ✗ |
Different Networks | ✓ | ✗ |
Any Browser | ✓ | ✓ |
Auto-Opens Link | ✓ | ✗ |
Persistent History | Not logged | Expires quickly |
Clean Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
How to Set Up Send to Mac
Requirements
To send links to Mac with Clean Links, you need:
- Clean Links installed on your source device (iPhone, iPad, or Mac) and destination Mac
- iCloud enabled on all devices
- All devices signed into the same Apple account
Setup Steps
On iPhone or iPad:
- Download Clean Links from the App Store
- Open Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud
- Ensure iCloud Drive is enabled
- Open Clean Links and grant necessary permissions
On Mac (both source and destination):
- Download Clean Links from the Mac App Store
- Open System Settings → Apple ID → iCloud
- Ensure iCloud Drive is enabled
- Open Clean Links and grant necessary permissions
That's it. You're ready to send links to Mac from any device.
How to Send a Link
- In any app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, find a link you want to send
- Tap or click the share button
- Select "Clean Links"
- Choose which Mac you want to send to
- The link is sent immediately via iCloud
When your destination Mac is online, the link will open automatically in a new browser tab.
Real-World Use Cases
Research on Mobile, Continue on Mac
Send links to Mac while researching on your commute. Find interesting articles on your iPhone or iPad, send them to your Mac, and they'll be waiting when you get to your desk.
Late-Night Reading Queue
Share links to Mac before bed. Browse on your iPhone or iPad, send links to your Mac, and they'll be ready for your morning work session.
Cross-Network Sharing
Send links to Mac even when you're at a coffee shop and your Mac is at home. The link will appear automatically when your Mac comes online. Works from iPhone, iPad, or another Mac.
Mac-to-Mac Workflows
Send links from your MacBook to your Mac Studio or iMac. Perfect for moving research from your portable device to your main workstation, or sending links from your office Mac to your home Mac.
Trigger Mac Shortcuts
Use Clean Links to trigger Mac shortcuts from any device. Send a specially crafted link that activates a Shortcut on your Mac for powerful cross-device automation.
Advanced: Trigger Mac Shortcuts from Any Device
Clean Links lets you send links that trigger shortcuts on your Mac from iPhone, iPad, or another Mac. This enables powerful cross-device workflows:
- Create a Shortcut on your destination Mac that listens for specific link patterns
- Send a link from any device that matches that pattern
- The Shortcut on your Mac activates automatically
- Build complex automation across all your Apple devices
For example, send a link from your iPhone that triggers your Mac to download a video, process it, and upload it to cloud storage - all initiated remotely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this work offline?
Yes. Send links to Mac even when your destination Mac is offline. The link is stored in iCloud sync and appears automatically when your Mac comes online.
What if I have multiple Macs?
You can choose which Mac to send to, or send to all your Macs at once. Each Mac where Clean Links is installed will appear as a destination option. You can disable receiving links in the macOS app settings if you want to exclude a specific Mac.
Does this work with all browsers?
Yes. Links open in your default browser on Mac, whether that's Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Arc, or any other browser.
Is this faster than AirDrop?
Yes. Send links to Mac in seconds without waiting for device discovery. Links are delivered via iCloud sync, which is consistently faster than AirDrop.
Can I send to a Mac on a different network?
Yes. Share links across different networks from iPhone, iPad, or another Mac. Your destination Mac just needs an internet connection to receive the link via iCloud.
Can I send links from Mac to Mac?
Yes. You can send links from any Mac to another Mac using Clean Links. Perfect for sending links from your MacBook to your Mac Studio, or from your work Mac to your home Mac.
Does this work with iPad?
Yes. You can send links from iPhone, iPad, or any Mac to your destination Mac using Clean Links.
Clean Links vs Hyperduck
Hyperduck offers similar functionality for sending links between Apple devices, but charges for it. Clean Links is completely free and includes additional features like link cleaning, QR code reading, and tracker removal that Hyperduck doesn't offer.
Privacy and Security
When you send links to Mac with Clean Links:
- All data is synced via your private iCloud account
- No third-party servers are involved
- Clean Links strips tracking parameters before sending
- Your link history is never logged or stored
- Everything is processed on-device
- Works from iPhone, iPad, or another Mac with the same privacy guarantees
Get Started
Ready to send links to Mac from any Apple device the easy way?
- Download Clean Links for iPhone/iPad from the App Store
- Download Clean Links for Mac from the Mac App Store
- Sign in with the same Apple ID on all devices
- Enable iCloud Drive on all devices
- Start sending links instantly between devices
Clean Links is completely free with no ads, no tracking, and no subscriptions. It just works.
Conclusion
Send links to Mac from iPhone, iPad, or another Mac with offline support, any-browser compatibility, and faster delivery than AirDrop. Clean Links makes cross-device link sharing effortless across all your Apple devices.
Whether you're researching on your phone, queuing up reading material from your iPad, moving links from your MacBook to your Mac Studio, or building complex cross-device automations with Shortcuts, Clean Links is the fastest and most reliable way to share links to Mac.
Download Clean Links today and experience seamless link sharing across all your Apple devices.
