Have you ever needed to move a photo from your phone to your laptop and found yourself emailing it to yourself? LocalSend makes that awkward moment disappear. In this guide I'll walk you through installing it, connecting two devices, and sending your first file — step by step, in plain language — so you can start sharing in minutes.
LocalSend is a free, open-source app that sends files directly between devices on the same local network. Think of it as AirDrop that works everywhere — between an Android phone and a Windows laptop, an iPhone and a Linux desktop, or any other combination. There's no cloud upload in the middle, no account to create, and no size limit beyond your storage.
Because the transfer happens directly over your Wi-Fi (or a phone hotspot), it's fast, private, and works even when you have no internet connection at all. That's the whole idea, and once you've used it a few times it becomes the obvious way to move files around. If you want the full background, the main LocalSend page has a complete feature breakdown.
The core workflow is the same on every device. You'll do it once and remember it forever. Make sure you've installed LocalSend on both devices first — if you haven't, grab it from the download page or your app store.
You need the app running on the device sending and the device receiving. Both must have it installed.
Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network, or connect one to the other's hotspot. This is the one rule that matters most.
As soon as LocalSend is open on each device, they start advertising themselves so they can find each other.
On the sending device, tap the send option and pick your files, photos, or a piece of text.
Your other device appears in the list by its name. Tap it to start the transfer.
The receiving device shows a request to accept the incoming files. Approve it, and the transfer runs.
Receiving is just the other half of the same flow, and it's even simpler. The key thing beginners want to know is where the files actually land once they arrive.
Leave the app open on the receiving device so it's visible to the sender.
When a transfer comes in, tap Accept. You can choose to trust a device so it doesn't ask every time.
Files save to LocalSend's download folder by default. Open them from the app, or from your device's Files or Photos app.
In the app's settings you can pick a custom save location so received files land exactly where you want them.
The single most common beginner hiccup is devices not seeing each other, and it almost always comes down to the network. Here's the quick fix that solves it nine times out of ten.
Once you know that trick, LocalSend becomes almost foolproof. For more ways to speed things up and get the most out of the app, see our tips and tricks guide, and if something still isn't working, the troubleshooting guide covers every common error.
Yes. The app must be running on both the sending and the receiving device, and both need to be on the same Wi-Fi or hotspot network.
They save to LocalSend's download folder by default, which you can open from the app or your Files app. You can change this location in the app's settings.
Almost always because they're on different networks, or the network blocks device discovery. Put both on the same Wi-Fi, or connect one to the other's hotspot.
That's genuinely all there is to it. LocalSend is one of those rare tools that's easier to use than to explain — install it on two devices, put them on the same network, and send. After your first transfer, the old habits of emailing yourself files or waiting on cloud uploads will feel needlessly slow.
Once you're comfortable with the basics, explore what else it can do: move files completely offline, or send straight from an Android phone to an iPhone. Both build on exactly what you just learned here.
Written and reviewed by Nadia Karim · July 2026