“AirDrop” for Linux ...and everything else

In the Apple ecosystem, AirDrop has long set the gold standard for effortless wireless file sharing. Introduced with OS X Lion and iOS 7, it lets users send photos, videos, documents, and other files between nearby Macs, iPhones, and iPads using a clever combination of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It creates a direct peer-to-peer connection through Apple’s proprietary AWDL (Apple Wireless Direct Link) protocol, bypassing the need for cables, internet access, or any third-party servers. The experience feels almost magical: select an item in Finder or via the system Share sheet, choose the recipient device that automatically appears in range, and the transfer begins after a simple acceptance prompt on the receiving end. Everything stays encrypted and local, with data never leaving the immediate network. File sizes face no practical limits, and speeds leverage the full bandwidth of the local connection.

This level of convenience explains why so many Mac and iOS users consider AirDrop indispensable. There is no fumbling with USB drives, no uploading to email or cloud services just to download again on another device, and no concerns about data caps, privacy policies, or slow internet connections getting in the way. Whether passing a large presentation file to a colleague’s laptop in a meeting room or quickly moving vacation photos from an iPhone to a Mac for editing, the process is fast, private, and integrated so deeply into the operating system that it requires almost no thought. It simply works, even in environments without reliable Wi-Fi routers, thanks to its direct device-to-device capabilities.

For everyone else, Linux users and Android owners, the absence of an equivalent has been a persistent frustration. Windows offers Nearby Share, and Android has Quick Share, but these tools often feel fragmented, tied to specific accounts or ecosystems, and unreliable across platforms. Linux has historically had no built-in solution at all. People have relied on workarounds such as temporary web servers, Samba shares, rsync over SSH, Bluetooth transfers, physical USB sticks, or cloud uploads via services like Google Drive or WeTransfer. These alternatives introduce friction: extra steps, potential security exposure, unnecessary internet usage, latency, data privacy risks, and the simple annoyance of files taking far longer than they should. In a world of Linux laptops alongside Android phones and the occasional Mac or Windows machine, sharing a large design file, video, or folder quickly and privately often becomes an unexpectedly tedious chore.

LocalSend

LocalSend changes that equation entirely. It is a free, open-source, cross-platform application that delivers an AirDrop-like experience to Linux, Android, Windows, macOS and iOS users alike. No accounts, no cloud services, and no internet connection are required. Everything happens over your existing local Wi-Fi or wired network, keeping data strictly private and within your control. The app is lightweight, fast, and designed with simplicity in mind: install it on the devices you want to share between, open it, and nearby instances automatically discover each other and appear in a clean list, identified by device name or a unique numeric hashtag that makes recognition easy even when multiple devices are present.

Key features make LocalSend genuinely useful in daily life. Transfers occur at the full speed of your local network with no artificial caps or size restrictions, making it practical for everything from quick photos to multi-gigabyte video files or directories. All communication uses a secure REST API over HTTPS, with TLS/SSL certificates generated dynamically on each device for strong end-to-end encryption. An optional PIN verification step adds an extra layer of confirmation, which is especially reassuring on shared or public networks. Beyond files, the app supports sending plain text messages, turning it into a handy cross-device clipboard or note tool. Received items land in the Downloads folder by default, though users can change this in settings. The interface supports more than fifty languages through community contributions, and recent versions include portable mode options plus deeper system integration such as share menu support on desktop platforms. The entire experience is offline-first and deliberately free of ads, tracking, or telemetry.

Using LocalSend across different operating systems feels refreshingly consistent. Linux users can instantly receive a photo from an Android phone or send a large document to a MacBook without any ecosystem barriers. An iPhone owner can share files directly with a Linux workstation in seconds. Discovery and transfer work reliably because every instance functions as both client and a lightweight secure server on the local network, implementing the same open protocol regardless of the underlying platform. This true cross-platform nature eliminates the fragmentation that plagues many proprietary alternatives.

LocalSend goes even further with browser-based access. By visiting https://web.localsend.org/ in any modern web browser on a device connected to the same local network, users can send files directly to nearby devices running the full LocalSend app—without installing anything on the browser side. This capability proves invaluable for once-off transfers, borrowed computers, Chromebooks, or systems where installing a native application is impractical. While the web interface focuses primarily on initiating sends (with receive functionality more limited), it dramatically expands accessibility and highlights the openness of the underlying protocol.

The project’s open-source foundation is one of its greatest strengths. LocalSend is developed publicly on GitHub under the Apache License 2.0, a permissive license that was deliberately chosen (transitioning from an earlier MIT license) in part for its explicit patent grant, which helps protect users and contributors from litigation risks. In contrast to closed-source alternatives that might collect usage data or tie users into proprietary ecosystems, LocalSend’s transparency fosters genuine trust and aligns with principles of user freedom and privacy.

Snap Store

Flathub

The application is readily available in app centers like the Snap Store and Flathub. It is worth noting that while LocalSend offers an official AppImage build available directly from the project’s website, this AppImage is not listed on AppImageHub. Consequently, it does not appear in AppImagePool or similar dedicated app centers that rely on AppImageHub for discovery.