# Share files across platforms with LocalSend By Ashwathanarayana K P ยท 2026-11-08 Source: LocalSend is an open-source app for transferring files between devices on the same local network. It supports Android, iPhone and iPad, macOS, Windows and Linux, so a phone can send a document to a computer even when their built-in sharing systems do not work together. Both devices need LocalSend and a network that lets them reach each other. Once the app is installed, a transfer does not require an Internet connection, cloud account or upload to a third-party server. LocalSend's [official project page](https://github.com/localsend/localsend) describes its supported systems and local transfer protocol. ## Install it on both devices Visit [localsend.org](https://localsend.org/) and use its download links for your device. On phones, follow the link to the appropriate app store; on computers, choose the package suitable for your operating system. Check the project's current platform requirements before installing, particularly on older devices. Open LocalSend on both the sender and receiver. Grant local-network access if the operating system asks, since the app must find and connect to the other device. Keep the app open while setting up your first transfer. Interface labels may change between versions. Connect the devices to the same local network. They do not necessarily need Internet service, but they do need a working connection to each other. For example, two devices on the same home Wi-Fi can communicate locally even if the Internet connection is unavailable, provided the network permits device-to-device traffic. ## Send and receive a file 1. On the sending device, open LocalSend and choose **Send**. 1. Select a file, photo or other supported item. 1. Choose the receiving device from the list. Confirm its displayed name with the other person if several devices appear. 1. On the receiver, review the request and accept it. 1. Wait for completion, then open the received file to check it. The receiver's app shows where saved files go, and the destination can depend on the operating system and app settings. If you are moving important documents, check that the new copy opens before deleting the original. A transfer confirmation tells you the transfer completed; checking the actual document also helps catch a wrong selection or an application-specific issue. ## Understand the connection LocalSend's [protocol description](https://github.com/localsend/localsend#how-it-works) says it uses HTTPS for communication and generates a certificate on each device. Files travel directly over the local connection. This does not make an unfamiliar sender trustworthy: check the device name and file before accepting a request, and leave automatic acceptance disabled unless you understand the setting and trust the network. Other devices may be visible on shared Wi-Fi. Send only to the intended recipient, decline unexpected requests and use a network you trust for sensitive files. LocalSend is a transfer tool, so keep separate backups of documents you cannot afford to lose. ## If a device is missing First check that LocalSend is open on both devices, local-network permission was granted, and both are connected to the same network. A guest Wi-Fi network may isolate clients from one another even though both can browse the web. Try a trusted network that permits devices to communicate; do not weaken a shared network's settings without the owner's approval. A computer firewall can also block discovery or transfers. The [project's setup guidance](https://github.com/localsend/localsend#setup) lists incoming TCP and UDP port 53317 for its default configuration. If you manage the firewall, allow the app or the necessary traffic on the trusted local network; on a managed computer, ask its administrator. Check VPN settings as well if they change local-network access. After making a change, reopen the app and try a small file first. If it arrives, send the larger files and verify their contents on the receiving device.