My main devices are an iPhone, Windows PC, and MacBook, and I'm always looking for a fast and reliable way to share files between them. I relied on crude solutions like sending myself an email or text message and uploading files to a cloud storage service to send them across platforms. However, none of these solutions are as seamless as Apple's AirDrop, and even then they're not always reliable. I've had situations where AirDrop transfers failed for no apparent reason, or where one of my Apple devices couldn't see the other.
That all changed when I discovered LocalSend, thanks to Jared Newman's reporting on PC World. LocalSend is a free cross-platform file sharing application that can be used offline. As long as all your devices are on the same WiFi network, you can use the app to send files, folders, text, and even serve as a cross-platform clipboard. The latter is a great feature for me, as I do like Apple's Universal Clipboard feature, which allows me to copy from any Apple device and paste to any other device.
Set up local delivery
To set it up, go to the downloads page on the LocalSend website and download the app on all your devices. The app is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android (including Google Play, F-Droid and Amazon Appstore). This is a comprehensive list that covers everything from old Windows PCs to de-Googled Android phones.
After installing the app, just make sure your devices are on the same wifi network.
Send and receive files
LocalSend automatically assigns each of your devices a quirky name, like "Neat Blueberry or Fast Lettuce," along with the device's operating system. (If you wish, you can rename these devices by going to the app's Settings tab and enabling Advanced Settings . )
To send a file, go to the Send tab and start selecting what you want to send. The application allows you to select multiple types of files and send them together. You just select the file and click on one of the nearby devices shown in the list and the app will start sending the data. Once you approve the request in the receiving device, the file will be sent quickly. For smaller batches of files, the transfer is instant. I also sent a 400MB video from PC to Mac, which took 50 seconds.
You can also click the gear icon in the Send tab to display more options for sending and receiving files. There's an interesting "Share via link" option here, which generates a link that can be opened in any browser. Once you open the link, you must approve the request from the device sending the files, and you can quickly download them on the receiving end. This is useful on some computers where downloading and installing applications is restricted.
There's also an option labeled "Multiple Recipients" that allows you to easily send files to multiple devices. You still need to select each device you want to send files to, but the app doesn't clear the list of selected files after each transfer. I use this option to batch send 5-10 files to multiple devices and it works perfectly.
When you receive files, you typically must approve each sending request. This is a nice security feature, but it can get in the way when you're in a trusted place (like your own home) and only sending files to your own computer (like I often do). To resolve this issue, you can go to the "Receive" tab in LocalSend and click the "QuickSave" button. When Quick Save is enabled, the application will automatically download all files sent to the device. Likewise, you can go to LocalSend's settings and automatically approve requests via the link sharing feature.
The application allows you to choose a custom directory to receive files, which you should change if you want to avoid download folder clutter. You can also enable the autocomplete setting to automatically complete file transfers. This feature is disabled by default and you must click a button to confirm each file transfer. With these small tweaks, LocalSend has become a go-to app in my setup, even if I mainly just use it as a cross-platform clipboard.
