LocalSend

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LocalSend is a free, open-source app that allows you to securely share files and messages with nearby devices over your local network without needing an internet connection.

• About
• Screenshots
• Download
• How It Works
• Getting Started
• Contributing
  • Translation
  • Bug Fixes and Improvements
• Building
  • Android
  • iOS
  • macOS
  • Windows
  • Linux

About

LocalSend is a cross-platform app that enables secure communication between devices using a REST API and HTTPS encryption. Unlike other messaging apps that rely on external servers, LocalSend doesn’t require an internet connection or third-party servers, making it a fast and reliable solution for local communication.

Screenshots

Download

It is recommended to download the app either from an app store or from a package manager because the app does not have an auto-update.

Read more about distribution channels.

Compatibility

Setup

In most cases, LocalSend should work out of the box. However, if you are having trouble sending or receiving files, you may need to configure your firewall to allow LocalSend to communicate over your local network.

Also make sure to disable AP isolation on your router. It should be usually disabled by default but some routers may have it enabled (especially guest networks).

Portable Mode

(Introduced in v1.13.0)

Create a file named settings.json located in the same directory as the executable. This file can be empty. The app will use this file to store settings instead of the default location.

Start hidden

(Updated in v1.15.0)

To start the app hidden (only in tray), use the --hidden flag (example: localsend_app.exe --hidden).

On v1.14.0 and earlier, the app starts hidden if autostart flag is set, and the hidden setting is enabled.

How It Works

LocalSend uses a secure communication protocol that allows devices to communicate with each other using a REST API. All data is sent securely over HTTPS, and the TLS/SSL certificate is generated on the fly on each device, ensuring maximum security.

For more information on the LocalSend Protocol, see the documentation.

Getting Started

To compile LocalSend from the source code, follow these steps:

1. Install Flutter directly or using fvm (see version required)
2. Install Rust
3. Clone the LocalSend repository
4. Run cd app to enter the app directory
5. Run flutter pub get to download dependencies
6. Run flutter run to start the app

[!NOTE] LocalSend currently requires an older Flutter version (specified in .fvmrc) and thus build issues may be caused by a mismatch between the required and the (system-wide) installed Flutter version.
To make development more consistent, LocalSend uses fvm to manage the project Flutter version. After installing fvm, run fvm flutter instead of flutter.

Contributing

We welcome contributions from anyone interested in helping improve LocalSend. If you’d like to contribute, there are a few ways to get involved:

Translation

You can help translate LocalSend into other languages. We use the Weblate platform to manage translations.

Alternatively, you can also contribute by forking this repository and adding translations manually.

The translations are located in the app/assets/i18n directory. Edit the _missing_translations_<locale>.json or strings_<locale>.i18n.json file to add or update translations.

Take note: Fields decorated with @ are not meant to be translated; they are not used in the app in any way, being merely informative text about the file or to give context to the translator.

Bug Fixes and Improvements

• Bug Fixes: If you find a bug, please create a pull request with a clear description of the issue and how to fix it.
• Improvements: Have an idea for how to improve LocalSend? Please create an issue first to discuss why the improvement is needed.

For more information, see the contributing guide.

Building

These commands are intended for maintainers only.

Android

Traditional APK

flutter build apk

AppBundle for Google Play

flutter build appbundle

iOS

flutter build ipa

macOS

flutter build macos

Windows

Traditional

flutter build windows

Local MSIX App

flutter pub run msix:create

Store ready

flutter pub run msix:create --store

Linux

Traditional

flutter build linux

AppImage

appimage-builder --recipe AppImageBuilder.yml

Snap

Instructions in localsend/snap/README.md

Contributors