LocalSend: Free AirDrop for Every Device

LocalSend sends files between any device on your local Wi-Fi. Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone — pick any two. No account, no cloud, no file size limit.

It beats AirDrop because it works across every OS. It beats email and cloud because your files never leave your network.

What you need

• LocalSend installed on both devices (sender and receiver)
• Both devices on the same Wi-Fi network (not a guest network)

Install LocalSend

Windows

Microsoft Store, or run this in a terminal:

winget install LocalSend.LocalSend

Or download the .exe directly from localsend.org.

Mac

Mac App Store, or:

brew install --cask localsend

iPhone / iPad

App Store → search LocalSend.

Android

Google Play, or F-Droid if you prefer open-source stores.

Linux

Flathub:

flatpak install flathub org.localsend.localsend_app

Or grab the .deb or AppImage from localsend.org.

Send a file

STEP 1

Open LocalSend on both devices

STEP 2

On the sender: tap Send

Pick your files, folder, or text snippet.

STEP 3

Tap the receiving device in the list

It appears automatically once both devices are open on the same network.

STEP 4

Accept on the other device

The transfer starts immediately.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Fix
Device doesn't show up	Are both on the same Wi-Fi? Not on a guest network? Turn off any VPN.
Windows blocks it on first launch	Allow LocalSend through the firewall when prompted. Missed it? Add it manually in Windows Defender Firewall.
Still nothing	Use the manual IP option inside the app. LocalSend uses port 53317.

Download at localsend.org · github.com/localsend/localsend · Apache 2.0