LocalSend for iOS — Download for iPhone & iPad

LocalSend on iPhone, explained

If you have an iPhone in an all-Apple world, AirDrop already covers you. The moment there is an Android phone, a Windows laptop or a Linux desktop in the mix, that convenience evaporates — and that is exactly the gap LocalSend fills on iOS. It is a free, open-source app on the App Store that lets your iPhone or iPad swap files with any other device running LocalSend, regardless of the operating system, as long as everyone is on the same local network.

The experience feels native and simple. Open the app, and nearby devices appear by name; pick one, choose your photos or files, and the recipient accepts on their end. Nothing uploads to a server, no account is required, and there is no size cap beyond your storage. What surprises most first-time users is how ordinary it feels — it behaves like AirDrop, just without the walled garden. That is the whole pitch, and on iOS it delivers.

What you get in the iOS app

The iPhone build carries the same core capabilities as every other platform, adapted to iOS conventions. These are the features you will actually use.

• Cross-platform sending. Push files from your iPhone to Android, Windows, Mac or Linux — and receive from them just as easily.
• Offline transfers. Everything runs over local Wi-Fi or a hotspot, so it works with no internet connection at all.
• Encrypted by default. Each transfer is protected with HTTPS/TLS, keeping your files private even on public networks.
• Send photos, files and text. Share from the Photos app, the Files app, or paste text and links to send in one tap.
• No account, no ads. There is no sign-up and no advertising; the app asks only for local-network permission.
• Free forever. LocalSend is open source with no in-app purchases, so nothing is locked behind a paywall.

Key features of LocalSend for iOS

Beyond the headline list, a handful of details make the iOS app pleasant to live with rather than something you install and forget. Here is what stands out after regular use on an iPhone.

1. It integrates with the Share sheet

You can send straight from Photos, Safari or Files using the standard iOS share menu, so LocalSend fits into the way you already move things around your phone rather than forcing a separate workflow.

2. Bidirectional by design

Sending and receiving are equal partners. Your iPhone can be the source or the destination, which matters when someone wants to shoot you a file rather than the other way around.

3. Handles large media

4K videos and big photo albums transfer at local-network speed, so a clip that would crawl through a cloud upload lands on the other device in seconds on a decent connection.

4. Privacy that you can verify

Because the code is open source, LocalSend's "your files never leave the network" claim is auditable — a rare thing for an iOS utility that touches your personal media.

5. Clean, native-feeling interface

The layout follows iOS conventions, so there is no learning curve. Nearby devices show up in a simple list, and the transfer flow is two taps.

6. No login walls

There is no email capture, no "create an account to continue", and no onboarding funnel. You open it and it is ready to use.

7. Text and clipboard sharing

Beam a long URL, an address or a Wi-Fi password to another device without retyping it — handy when moving between an iPhone and a laptop.

8. Works alongside AirDrop

You do not have to give up AirDrop; LocalSend simply extends the same idea to the non-Apple devices AirDrop cannot reach.

9. Lightweight and battery-friendly

The app does no background processing, so it will not quietly drain your battery or clutter your phone the way heavier "transfer" apps sometimes do.

Requirements

LocalSend is easy on hardware, so it runs on a wide range of iPhones and iPads. The essential requirement is simply that the two devices share a network. Here is the quick reference.

iPhone

iPhone with iOS 12 or newer

iPad

iPad with iPadOS 12+

Storage

~40 MB for the app

Network

Same Wi-Fi or hotspot

Permission

Local network + Photos/Files

Price

Free — no in-app purchases

Method 1 — Install free from the App Store

This is the route almost everyone should take. LocalSend has an official App Store listing from the verified developer, which means automatic updates and Apple's normal review protections. It takes under a minute.

1. 1
   Open the App Store

   On your iPhone or iPad, open the App Store and tap the search tab.

2. 2
   Search "LocalSend"

   Confirm the listing is the genuine one before installing.

3. 3
   Tap Get

   The app is free — there is no charge and no account required to download it.

4. 4
   Open LocalSend

   Launch it and allow the local-network permission when iOS asks, so it can find nearby devices.

5. 5
   Open the app on the other device

   Make sure that device is on the same Wi-Fi and has LocalSend running.

6. 6
   Send your first file

   Pick a file, choose the other device, and accept the request to complete the transfer.

Method 2 — Sideload the IPA (advanced)

You only need this if you want a specific build that is not on the App Store, or you are testing on a device without store access. Sideloading an IPA on iOS is more involved than on Android and usually requires a tool like AltStore or Sideloadly plus a computer. For the overwhelming majority of users, Method 1 is simpler and safer.

1. 1
   Install a sideloading tool

   Set up AltStore or Sideloadly on your computer and connect your iPhone.

2. 2
   Get the LocalSend IPA

   Obtain the IPA from a trusted source such as the project's official releases.

3. 3
   Sign and install

   Use the tool to sign the IPA with your Apple ID and push it to your device.

4. 4
   Trust the developer profile

   On the iPhone, go to Settings → General → VPN & Device Management and trust your profile.

5. 5
   Launch and grant permission

   Open the app and allow local-network access to start transferring.

Is there a paid or "premium" version on iOS?

Short answer: no, and it is worth being clear about it because some listings elsewhere imply otherwise. LocalSend on iOS has no membership, no subscription tier and no in-app purchases. Every feature — cross-platform transfers, encryption, unlimited file size, folder support — is included in the free download. There is simply nothing to buy.

That also means you should be sceptical of any site or app promising a "LocalSend Premium" or a paid IPA with extra features. Those features do not exist as a paid product. The genuine app from the verified developer is free, and it is the complete version. If price is on your mind, you can install it with total confidence that the cost is, and will remain, zero.

iOS-specific notes worth knowing

A few iOS behaviours differ from Android and can trip people up the first time. None are dealbreakers; they just help to know in advance.

LocalSend vs AirDrop on iPhone

The question I hear most from iPhone owners is simple: "I already have AirDrop — why would I add this?" It is a fair point, and the honest answer is that the two are not really competitors so much as partners that cover different situations. AirDrop is faster and more deeply integrated when both devices are Apple. LocalSend earns its place the instant a non-Apple device enters the picture, which for most people is more often than they expect.

Keep AirDrop for your Apple-to-Apple moments; add LocalSend for everything else. Together they mean you never again hit the "I can't send this to that phone" wall — which is exactly the frustration that pushed millions of mixed-device households to install it in the first place.

Pros & cons on iOS

Here is the honest ledger for iPhone and iPad users specifically.

Frequently asked questions

Final Thought

Reviewed and updated by Nadia Karim · July 2026