Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to AirDrop

gumboshoes

Posted here many times https://news.ycombinator.com/from?site=github.com/localsend

Unicironic

After switching to Linux, this was one of the very first applications I installed. It really helped cement how great open source apps can be for me.

viktorcode

One of the most convenient aspects of Air Drop for me is that it selects the fastest available connection between the devices and ability to work without both devices being on the same network. I wonder if any of the alternatives do the same.

analog8374

Hey I use this. Works great. Ez.

lxgr

I feel like we need a spamsolutions.txt [1] for purported AirDrop replacements. This one fails the "must not require an existing Wi-Fi network that both peers are connected to" criterion. [1] https://craphound.com/spamsolutions.txt

mikae1

Lovely, but was replaced by KDE Connect for me. Connect works for iOS, macOS, Android, Linux, you name it.

a7fort

Recently started using it, it works really well and it's much more reliable than AirDrop. But the UX could be improved. But I just wish Apple fixed AirDrop, every time I go to use I have so little confidence in it, it often doesn't see devices or if you have multiple Mac users it will confuse them, showing you the same Mac device twice without telling you which user it is

newhotelowner

And it works in the browser. https://web.localsend.org/ From windows to android to iOS.

mrbombastic

I use this all the time dropping files from old android device to mac, thanks devs!

justindotdev

came with omarchy pre installed, usedd it ever since. bonus points for it being open source too. i was surprised it is written in flutter. looking at how mutli-platform it is, flutter was the more appealing choice.

bahadiraydin

I've been using this for years, simple, gets the job done. Nice UI.

jMyles

The README and website certainly seem polished, but I haven't used the utility yet. What's the main value prop over wormhole? That it works from the browser?

rolymath

Excuse my ignorance but why are there so many solutions like this? Especially if they aren't intercompatible (which I'm assuming they're not)

_-_-__-_-_-

Been using LocalSend for a few years, it works great even when sharing files between devices sharing a mobile connection.

Forgeties79

It’s not as slick as AirDrop and you have to sort of “prep“ both devices whenever you want to send/receive anything, it’s never just ready to go, but it’s incredibly reliable and will move anything from one machine to another. Just having that consistency across literally any device is so nice.

jrflo

I love local send. It’s ridiculously fast for sending large amounts of media too.

faangguyindia

I used it, but it prevented my mac from sleeping. After some investigation I found it's local send.

pryanshu89

Really cool! I used it a couple of times and did not expect it to work. But it worked. :D

eigenspace

My problem is that all these alternatives require the devices to be on the same local network. One beauty of Airdrop is that it creates and handles that local network automatically under the hood (as far as I understand). So you could be out on a hike with friends and Airdrop something. The workaround I've found after switching to an Android device has been to teather my connection to my friend's device, which ends up creating a LAN that Localsend can work through, but this is not as nice an experience.

subscribed

I use it on all my devices and tbh it's the absolute best option I found. Previously I was using syncthing or had to install ftp server, used wormhole after packing all my files into one, etc. Android QuickShare never worked for me (wouldn't help me much with sending to the pc either). It has some rough edges (ie: on multi-homed devices it's less that ideal to see the one octet that matters, when the list is very long scrolling whilst sending will cause the process to crap out), but other than that it's always reliable. I'm very happy with it too.