How to send files between a phone and a PC
Whether it is a phone to a laptop or a desktop to a phone, moving a file between the two should take seconds. Here is how to do it in either direction, with any file type and any size, straight from the browser.
The everyday problem
You have a document on your laptop you need on your phone before you leave, or a photo on your phone you want to attach to an email on your computer. The usual routes are all slightly annoying: emailing it to yourself caps out at around 25 MB and clutters your inbox; a messaging app re-compresses images; a cloud drive makes you wait for an upload and then a download and counts against your storage; and a USB cable needs the right lead and, on iPhone, a "Trust" dance. For a quick one-off transfer, all of that is overkill.
The quick way: DropAnything
DropAnything pairs the two devices' browsers and streams the file straight across - any file type, no size cap, full quality, and nothing uploaded to a server. It works the same on iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac and Linux, in whichever direction you need.
- On the device that has the file, open DropAnything, choose Send, and pick it (documents, photos, videos, ZIPs - anything).
- Click Create pairing link to get a QR code and a 6-digit code.
- On the other device, open the same page, choose Receive, and scan the QR (from a phone) or type the code.
- The file streams across with a progress bar. On a phone, save media to the gallery or documents to Downloads; on a computer it lands in your Downloads folder.
Send text and links too
It is not only for files. Once two devices are connected, DropAnything also lets you beam a snippet of text or a link across - handy for getting a long URL, an address, or a bit of copied text from your phone onto your PC without emailing it to yourself. Type it in the little message box and it appears on the other device instantly, with links made clickable.
Same Wi-Fi or across the internet
On the same Wi-Fi network the two devices connect directly and transfer at local speeds, which is fastest. If they are on different networks - for example a phone on mobile data and a PC on home broadband - the transfer still works by routing through a secure relay when a direct link is not possible. Either way the file is encrypted in transit and never stored on a server.
Troubleshooting
It will not connect. The 6-digit code is only live while the sending page stays open, so do not close that tab. The same Wi-Fi is the most reliable setup.
The transfer stalls. Keep both pages in the foreground and the phone awake until it reaches 100 percent - phones pause background tabs.
A received file will not open on the phone. It is safe in Downloads; open it with an app that handles that file type (a PDF viewer for PDFs, for instance).
Frequently asked questions
Which directions work?
Both - phone to PC and PC to phone - across any combination of iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac.
Is there a size limit?
No fixed cap. Large files work; keep both pages open until it finishes.
Do I need an app or account?
Neither. It runs in the browser with no sign-up.
Is it private?
Yes. Files transfer directly between the two devices and are not stored on a server.
More: PC to Android, iPhone to Windows, and large video files.