Runs in the browser you already have
Nothing to install on either device. Open the page and you’re ready to send or receive.
No app. No account. No upload.
AirDrop for any device. Beam files over your Wi-Fi, instantly.
The free AirDrop alternative for Windows, Android, iPhone and Mac. Open localfiletransfer.com on both devices, and your files travel straight across your network.
Looking for devices on this Wi-Fi
No file picked yetChoose a file, then tap a device
Preview mode: open this page in a second browser tab to see another device appear. Run the Local File Transfer server to connect real phones and computers.
Files are encrypted in transit and never stored on our server.
- iPhone
- Android
- Windows
- Mac
- iPad
- Linux
- Chromebook
Features
Everything it takes to move a file. Nothing else.
Straight from device to device
Files go over your connection, encrypted by the browser, never through our servers.
Pair with a code
Different networks? Scan a QR code or type six digits and the devices connect.
Send text and links, too
Copy a link on your laptop and open it on your phone. No more emailing yourself.
No size cap from us
Send a full-length video as easily as a photo. The limit is the receiving device’s free space.
Whole batches at once
Drop dozens of photos or documents. They arrive together, each with its own progress bar.
How it works
Three steps. Two browsers.
-
Open the site on both
Each device gets a friendly name like “Calm Otter”, so you can tell them apart.
-
Tap the device you want
Nearby devices appear by themselves. On another network, scan the QR code or type the code.
-
Pick files and send
The other device asks before anything is saved, so nobody can send you a file you didn’t expect.
Compare
How it stacks up.
The usual ways to move a file across the room, side by side.
| Feature | Local File Transfer | AirDrop | Cloud links | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone to Windows or Android | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| App or account needed | No | No | Account | Often |
| Files kept on a server | Never | Never | Yes | Yes |
| Size limit | None from us | None | About 25 MB | Plan limits |
| Speed on the same Wi-Fi | Local speed | Local speed | Upload, then download | Upload, then download |
Privacy
Your files cross the room, not the internet.
Local File Transfer only introduces your two devices. After that, the browsers connect directly and the file travels over your own network, encrypted by the browser itself. We never receive, store or see it.
- What reaches our server
- A device name and a short connection message. No files and no file names.
- When a network blocks direct links
- Some offices and mobile networks do. An encrypted relay can carry the transfer, and it still can’t read your files.
Compatibility
Between any two devices.
Guides
Step-by-step, for every device.
Short how-tos for the transfers people ask about most.
Send photos from iPhone to a Windows PC
No cable, no iCloud, no emailing yourself. Works in Safari on any iPhone.
Read the full guideTransfer files from Android to a Mac
Send a long video at Wi-Fi speed, without compressing it through a chat app.
Read the full guideConnect devices on different networks
Phone on mobile data, laptop on office Wi-Fi? Pair them with a six-digit code.
- On the first device, tap Nearby devices. Then choose New private room.
- Scan the QR code with the other device. Or open localfiletransfer.com there, tap Join by code and type the six digits.
- Both devices now see each other. Send files exactly as you would on the same Wi-Fi.
- Done? Close the tab. The room disappears when nobody is in it.
Tip: Transfers between networks run at internet speed instead of Wi-Fi speed, and the files are still encrypted end to end.
Send a link from your laptop to your phone
Faster than emailing yourself: the link pops up on your phone ready to open.
- Open localfiletransfer.com on both devices. They appear on each other's radar.
- On the laptop, click Send text. Paste the link or type a short note, and pick your phone.
- On the phone, tap Open. Or tap Copy to paste it somewhere else.
Tip: Give your devices names you'll recognise: tap your device name at the top of the sender card to rename it.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Do both devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi?
For the fastest transfer, yes. Devices on the same network find each other automatically. On different networks, pair them with the QR code or six-digit code and the transfer still works, just at internet speed.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Local File Transfer runs in the browser you already have. There’s no app, extension or account.
Is there a file size limit?
We don’t set one. Very large files depend on the free memory and space of the receiving device, and both tabs need to stay open until the transfer finishes.
Does it work without internet?
Both devices need internet for a moment to open the page and find each other. The file itself travels over your local network.
Why did my iPhone stop the transfer?
Safari pauses pages that are in the background. Keep the page open on screen until the transfer completes.