LocalSend

What changed recently

The official release page lists LocalSend 1.18.2. Use official distributions and choose the package for your device. Local-network transfer does not make the network or nearby devices automatically trusted; verify the intended recipient.

When LocalSend is a good fit

LocalSend is a free, open-source file-sharing app for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux. It sends over a local network without requiring an account. That makes it a candidate for moving a phone recording to a nearby laptop without first uploading it to cloud storage.

Our recommendation is to start here when the task has a clear end: choose a file, send it, check the copy. If you want ongoing phone notifications or remote media controls on a computer, compare KDE Connect instead. A larger feature list is useful only if you will use those extra connections.

Prepare both ends before sending

Install the app on both devices from the official destinations below, open it, and connect the devices to a local network where they can reach each other. Select a file on the sending device and choose the intended nearby recipient. Check the receiver name on both screens rather than choosing the first device in a list.

For the first attempt, use a small, non-sensitive document. This separates basic connection problems from the inconvenience of restarting a large video transfer. Keep the original until you have opened the received copy.

Check the result, not just the progress indicator

LocalSend says received files normally go to Downloads, with a configurable destination. Check the receiving app’s settings if you cannot find the copy. For a video, open the beginning and a point near the end; for a document, confirm that it is the expected version.

Give a batch a clear name before sending, especially if several files have generic camera filenames. A successful transfer is not a backup plan by itself: decide where the retained copy belongs and avoid deleting the source merely to tidy the screen. These are workflow checks, not a claim that we measured transfer reliability.

If the other device is missing

Work through one change at a time. Confirm the app is open at both ends, check the selected network, and inspect whether a guest network prevents devices from communicating. If you manage the computer, review the app’s firewall permission; the project README documents the default TCP and UDP port as 53317. Follow its current troubleshooting instructions for your system.

Do not disable the entire firewall or change a workplace network policy to make a transfer work. On a network you do not control, ask its administrator or use an approved alternative. Record what changed before retrying the small file so that you can identify the cause.

Privacy and the limits of local sharing

The project describes HTTPS encryption and optional PIN verification. These protections do not replace checking the recipient or protecting the devices themselves. Sending a confidential file to the wrong laptop still gives that laptop a copy.

This local workflow is not internet delivery to someone elsewhere. Our decision rule is simple: choose LocalSend for an occasional nearby transfer; choose a different delivery method when the recipient is remote. We have not measured speed, battery use or compatibility on physical devices, so there is no performance ranking here.