Jack Wallen/ZDNET
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Localsend makes sharing files on Android a breeze.
- You can share and receive files.
- Localsend works with Android, Linux, MacOS, and Windows.
Android is my mobile OS of choice. As far as the desktop is concerned, I switch back and forth between Linux and MacOS (depending on what I’m doing). Often, I need to transfer files between Android and my two desktop operating systems, but finding the easiest method of doing so has been a bit of a chore.
Until I found Localsend.
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Localsend makes transferring files between Android and Linux/MacOS/Windows about as easy as it gets. If your phone/tablet and desktop/laptop are on the same network, Localsend automatically finds each instance of the app, so you don’t have to manually add them.
In other words, open Localsend on your phone and your desktop, and the app will auto-discover any other instance of the app on the network. Once discovered, you can send or receive files/folders, text, or even paste from your clipboard. It’s as easy as it gets… and it’s free. Let me show you how to use Localsend so you don’t have to cobble together a solution on your own.
How to install Localsend
What you’ll need: The only things you’ll need are an Android phone (or tablet) and a desktop computer. I’m going to demonstrate this on Linux, because installing on MacOS and Windows is as easy as opening the app store, finding Localsend, and installing.
Also: My 6 favorite open-source Android apps from the Google Play Store
There are three ways to install Localsend: source, Flatpak, and .deb. Since I use Pop!_OS (which is based on Ubuntu), I’ll demonstrate installing with the .deb package. Head over to the Localsend download site and download the .deb file to your ~/Downloads directory.
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Open your terminal window and install Localsend with the command:
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sudo dpkg -i ~/Downloads/LocalSend*.deb
The installation should go off without a hitch.
If you’re using a non-Ubuntu distribution that supports Flatpak installations, you can install Localsend with the following command:
flatpak install flathub org.localsend.localsend_app
If, after installing Localsend from Flatpak, you don’t see the app in your desktop menu, log out and log back in, and it should appear.
How to use Localsend
Using Localsend is incredibly easy. All you have to do is open the app on both your Android device and your desktop. Each device will get a random name. For example, my Android phone was given the name Energetic Pumpkin, my MacBook was named Neat Raspberry, and my Pop!_OS desktop was named Gorgeous Blueberry.
1. Send the file from your desktop
Let’s say you want to send a file from your desktop to your phone. For that, click Send on the desktop version of Localsend and click File. Navigate to the file you want to send and select it. Next, select the device that is to receive the file.
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Sending a file from my desktop to my Pixel 9 Pro.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
2. Receive the file on your phone
On your Android device, the incoming file will appear. All you have to do is tap Accept, and the file is saved.
Just tap Accept and the file is saved to your Android device.
Jack Wallen/ZDNET
One thing you might consider is changing the default folder for saving files on Android. I’ve found the default location doesn’t work so well. To do that, go to Settings > “Save to folder.” I recommend creating a Localsend folder within Downloads to make things easy.
Also: How to start using the new Linux terminal on your Android device
That’s it. This process is the same regardless of what desktop OS you are using, which makes Localsend one of the best options, especially for those who use multiple operating systems.
