Nowadays every savvy user has multiple types of devices in their home or office whether it's smartphones, laptops, or desktop computers. Sending and receiving files and folders across all of these devices and that too wirelessly can be a headache. What if we get a solution that effortlessly transfers files and folders across different platforms without any compatibility issues? That's what we're going to learn about. It's a free and open-source utility that works flawlessly and can transfer data across different desktop (Windows, Mac, and Linux) and mobile operating systems (iOS and Android). Let's get started!
If you frequently send multiple files and folders across different devices and don't want the hassle of creating a wired network connection, the solution given below is a perfect choice. It just works!
I've tested it with iOS, Windows, and Android without any issues. The transfer process is fast with no lag or latency. So, without wasting any more time, let's learn about this powerful file transfer app.
Install LocalSend on Source and Destination Devices
In this example, I'm using an Android phone and a Windows machine. But, this can work on Mac and iOS as well. First of all, grab the LocalSend's Android App and Windows Setup and install them on the respective devices.
Open both apps and go to the Settings menu to configure or tweak the following options:
- PIN: If you are sharing files with trusted peers, switch off the PIN requirement. It's an unnecessary step for local file sharing which is generally done between trusted users.
- Saving Folder: Specify the custom folder where you want to save the received files or folders.
- Auto Finish: If you want to finish the file saving process after download without prompting you for confirmation, switch it on, keep this setting disabled.
- History: And last but not least, if you want to keep the history of all the file transfers, switch it on, keep it off.
On the Android device, you find an extra option asking you if you want to save the received media files in the default gallery as well. It's up to you if you want an extra copy in the gallery too or not.
Files and Folders Sending Process
Let's quickly go through the file and folder sending process. In our example, we are going to send a couple of files to an Android device from our Windows machine. The same process applies to other platforms as well.
Go to the Send tab where you can use different options to send different types of data. As you can see, you can send files, folders, messages, and clipboard content to another device.
You can send multiple files and folders at once. After selecting the source data, you have to click on the discovered device (Wise Grape in this example) where you want to send it.
On the receiving end, you simply have to tap or click the Accept button.
And finally, tap or click the Done button to complete the process. You can see the location where the received files are saved and their names and file size as well.
Files and Folders Receiving Process
And now let's go the other way round. The process is the same. As an example, I'm pushing a file from an Android device to my Windows PC. Here's how it goes!
Go to the Send tab, select the file, and tap on the discovered Windows device. As always, you can send multiple files at once, if needed.
You'll get a confirmation prompt on the destination device to approve the file transfer. Click the Accept button to complete the process.
Manually Connecting to the Destination Device
Sometimes, a device discovery problem may arise due to different reasons. In this situation, you can manually connect with the destination device. Here's how to do it.
On the destination device, tap or click the information icon and grab one of the IP addresses from the drop-down menu. Share it with the source device from where the file or data will arrive.
On the source device, click or tap the manual connection icon as shown in the image above.
Switch to the IP Address tab and type in the IP address shared by the destination device. Finally, click or tap the Confirm button.
A connection will be made and the destination device will receive a similar prompt as shown in the previous sections about file sending approval.
Conclusion
There are several ways to transfer files or data across different types of devices. The old school way is to use the wired connection. But, with the help of the LocalSend app, you can easily transfer different types of data across devices without messing with wires and ports.
So what are you waiting for? Download it and try it on your device. I use it frequently to transfer files between my Android and Windows devices.
