While cloud storage services are convenient for sharing files across all your devices, sometimes there’s no substitute for a local file transfer.
That’s where LocalSend comes in. This free, open-source app uses your local Wi-Fi network to transfer files between practically any two devices. It’s much faster than uploading files to a cloud storage service and then waiting for them to download.
Best of all, LocalSend works across Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android, so there are no obnoxious ecosystem barriers to get in the way of sharing your files. (Looking at you, AirDrop.)
Sending files with LocalSendTo use LocalSend, you must install the app on each of your devices. Head to LocalSend’s download page for the desktop versions, or use the direct app store links for iOS and Android. There’s also an Amazon Appstore version, useful for transferring media files or sideloaded apps to a Fire TV Stick.
Once you’ve installed LocalSend on at least two devices, head to the app’s “Send” tab. Your other devices should appear under the “Nearby devices” heading with randomly-assigned nicknames, along with details on the device type.
Jared Newman / Foundry
Jared Newman / Foundry
Jared Newman / Foundry
Select a file using the File, Folder, Text, or Media tabs, then tap on the device where you want the file to go. On the other device, accept the file transfer request, and it’ll start downloading.
Jared Newman / Foundry
Jared Newman / Foundry
Jared Newman / Foundry
Want to send files to more than one device at the same time? Click the gear icon in the “Nearby devices” heading and select “Multiple devices,” then click all the devices you want to receive the file.
You can also generate a sharable link or QR code from gear icon menu, allowing you to share files with devices that haven’t installed the LocalSend app, but note that these devices will have to download each file one at a time.
Jared Newman / Foundry
Jared Newman / Foundry
Jared Newman / Foundry
Tweaking LocalSend’s settingsWhile LocalSend works well out of the box, the app’s settings menu includes a bunch of additional tweaks you may find useful:
Jared Newman / Foundry
Pairdrop offers local file sharing through any web browser.Jared Newman / Foundry
Jared Newman / Foundry
While LocalSend is the most versatile way to transfer files across a local network, a couple other options are also worth considering:
Note that none of these options will automatically sync files and folders across your devices. For an open-source solution that syncs your all data without the cloud, check out SyncThing instead.
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