LocalSend: The Free, Open-Source AirDrop Alternative for Every Device

Need to get photos from an Android phone onto a Mac, or a file from a Windows PC onto an iPhone? If both devices are on the same Wi-Fi, LocalSend does it in a couple of taps. No account, no cloud.

What is LocalSend?

LocalSend is a free, open-source app for sending files over your local network. People often call it “AirDrop for everything else”, and that is a fair description: it runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, which covers pretty much every device you own.

The idea is simple. Devices on the same network discover each other and transfer files directly, peer to peer. Nothing goes through a third-party server, and you don’t even need an internet connection. The project has more than 90,000 stars on GitHub, is licensed under Apache-2.0, and has no ads or tracking.

The problem it solves

Chances are you have hit at least one of these:

• Your household or office mixes Apple, Android and Windows devices, and AirDrop only works between Apple gear.
• Sending files through a messaging app recompresses your photos, caps file sizes, and buries everything in a chat history.
• Routing files through Google Drive or Dropbox means uploading and then downloading again. It is slow, and your private files sit on someone else’s server.
• Hunting for a cable or installing a phone-sync suite just to move a few pictures.

LocalSend’s take: the devices are right next to each other on the same router, so just send the file across the local network. No sign-up, no file size limit, and the speed is mostly down to your Wi-Fi.

Key features

• Every platform talks to every other: send between any two of Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. There is even a Fire OS build.
• Files and text: photos, videos, documents, whole folders, or just a snippet of text or a link.
• No internet needed: as long as the devices share a LAN, it works even if the router is offline.
• Encrypted transfers: devices talk over HTTPS, and each one generates its own certificate automatically. There is nothing to configure.
• Auto-discovery, with a manual fallback: nearby devices usually show up on their own. If one doesn’t, type in its IP address, and save the devices you use often as favorites.
• Share via link: if the other person doesn’t have LocalSend, they can send and receive in a web browser instead.
• Portable and CLI versions: Windows has a no-install ZIP build, and localsend-cli lets you send files from the terminal or a script.

Download and install

The developers recommend installing from an app store or package manager, because the standalone installers don’t update themselves. Pick whichever fits your device:

• Phones: on iPhone or iPad, search for LocalSend in the App Store. On Android, use Google Play or F-Droid, or grab the APK from GitHub Releases.
• Windows: install with winget (command below), or download the signed .exe installer or the portable ZIP from GitHub Releases.
• macOS: the App Store, Homebrew (command below), or the .dmg.
• Linux: available on Flathub, Snap and the AUR, plus .deb, AppImage and tar.gz downloads.

Package manager commands:

# Windows (winget)
winget install LocalSend.LocalSend

# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install --cask localsend

Minimum requirements: Android 7.0, iOS 13, macOS 11 and Windows 10. Older systems are stuck on older releases. For example, the last version that supports Windows 7 is v1.15.4.

How to use it

1. Open LocalSend on both devices and make sure they are on the same Wi-Fi or local network.
2. On the sending device, tap Send and choose files, a folder or some text.
3. Tap the receiving device in the list of nearby devices.
4. On the receiving device, tap Accept, and the transfer starts.

If the devices can’t see each other, work through the official troubleshooting checklist:

• On Windows, set the current network to Private.
• Allow port 53317 (TCP and UDP) through your firewall.
• Turn off “AP isolation” (also called client isolation) on your router. Guest networks often have it on by default.
• On Apple devices, grant LocalSend the Local Network permission in privacy settings.
• If you are on a VPN, allow LAN traffic or switch the VPN off for a moment.

Pros

• Truly cross-platform, which is perfect for mixed Apple, Android, Windows and Linux households and offices.
• Free and open source, with no ads and no account.
• Files never leave your local network, which is good for privacy.
• No compression and no size limits. Original photos and big videos arrive intact.
• Lots of ways to install, plus portable and command-line versions.

Cons

• Both devices must be on the same network. For sending files across town, you still need cloud storage or another tool.
• Installers downloaded directly don’t auto-update, so you have to keep an eye out for new versions.
• Corporate networks, hotel Wi-Fi and routers with AP isolation can prevent devices from finding each other.
• The developers acknowledge that receiving can be slow on some Android devices.
• Both sides need the app (or the browser-based link option). It isn’t built into the OS the way AirDrop is.

Who it’s for, and who it isn’t

Great for: anyone juggling Apple, Android and Windows devices; people who constantly move photos, videos and installers between phone and computer; privacy-minded users who would rather not route files through chat apps or the cloud; homes and small offices that just need quick file sharing.

Not ideal for: sending files across different networks or cities, or keeping folders automatically in sync across devices. For that, a sync tool like Syncthing is a better fit.

How it compares

In short: LocalSend for quick transfers between nearby devices, cloud storage for remote transfers, and Syncthing for ongoing sync.

Related reading

• Everything: Instant File Search for Windows That Finds Any File as You Type
• DownVid: A Free

Project details

• Latest version: v1.18.2 (released August 21, 2026)
• Platforms: Windows 10+, macOS 11+, Linux, Android 7.0+, iOS 13+, Fire OS
• License: Apache-2.0, free
• Default port: 53317 (TCP/UDP)
• Website: localsend.org
• Source code: LocalSend on GitHub
• Downloads: GitHub Releases