Quickly transferring files between PC and phone
from vext01@lemmy.sdf.org to selfhosted@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 15:06
https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/28731945

Hey,

I was wondering what folks use to quickly send a file or a link between your PC and android phone in a lightweight and self hosted way.

Currently I use syncthing to copy files around, but I’m looking for something more immediate, and quick than doesn’t involve searching for folders in a file manager.

Example use case: Send a file from PC to phone. Notification pops up on phone, tap it to access.

(PC runs OpenBSD)

What lightweight software do you guys use?

Stuff I tried so far:

#selfhosted

threaded - newest

jet@hackertalks.com on 30 Jan 15:08 next collapse

Kde connect is also a option

vext01@lemmy.sdf.org on 30 Jan 15:17 collapse

A bit heavy for my taste.

SatyrSack@feddit.org on 30 Jan 15:34 collapse

What is heavy about that? Is it more complex on BSD or something?

vext01@lemmy.sdf.org on 30 Jan 15:35 collapse

Installing KDE will pull in hundreds of packages.

bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de on 30 Jan 16:22 collapse

There should be clients for other DEs. I know there’s a Gnome specific one and I think there’s an independent one as well.

d_k_bo@feddit.org on 30 Jan 18:15 collapse
TootSweet@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 15:09 next collapse

My solution is scp with termux. I can’t suggest any better alternative.

naeap@sopuli.xyz on 30 Jan 15:55 collapse

rsync?

haverholm@kbin.earth on 30 Jan 15:12 next collapse

I've tried LocalSend for this, but I usually end up using more reliable ways like Syncthing (not instantly transfered, but at a decent speed) or sending myself the file on Element for Matrix (as good as instantaneous).

JASN_DE@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 15:12 next collapse

As I have basically all devices connected to my Nextcloud instance, I simply use that. I don’t have any “time-critical” file transfers though.

vext01@lemmy.sdf.org on 30 Jan 15:15 collapse

Well my transfers aren’t “time critical” either, but life feels easier if I don’t have to jump through hoops to solve a task that involves copy files around.

Re: next cloud, looking for something more lightweight than that.

Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca on 30 Jan 15:14 next collapse

For more manual stuff; Ssh and X-Plore File Explorer.

Internal, sd card, ssh, ftp(s), google drive, dropbox, and a bunch of other cloud providers; treats it all like one big file system that I can casually copy/move files between.

For just syncing files between folders: FolderSync. The ‘downloads’ folder on my phone is setup as a 2-way sync with a folder on my server. Drop a file in either side, click sync, file is in both places. I use this to keep most of the files on my phone backed up, not just syncing the download folder.

vext01@lemmy.sdf.org on 30 Jan 15:17 collapse

I was a dedicated xplore user for years until I saw all the advertising cookies that they stuffed into it. That made me sad and I uninstall it.

Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca on 30 Jan 15:20 collapse

I just paid the whole 4$ for the pro version and to support an otherwise free app I’ve quite enjoyed.

No ads/tracking anymore.

Devs gotta eat.

vext01@lemmy.sdf.org on 30 Jan 15:37 collapse

I also had the pro version. Last time I installed it, it asked me to review a bunch of cookies.

This was about a year ago. Could have changed since then.

Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca on 30 Jan 15:56 collapse

I keep a fairly close eye on my DNS traffic; it still does crash reporting through Crashlytics (which I just block), but that’s about it.

Enkers@sh.itjust.works on 30 Jan 15:15 next collapse

I use pairdrop. I don’t personally self host it, but that option is available. It’s better suited to more one-off situations, as there’s no history kept anywhere.

Selfhost: github.com/schlagmichdoch/pairdrop

Open instance: pairdrop.net

vext01@lemmy.sdf.org on 30 Jan 15:18 collapse

Not heard of this one. Thanks.

Deckweiss@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 15:16 next collapse

pairdrop.net

open source, can be self hosted or you can use the official instance.

Personally I have been using KDE connect most of the time when I am at home.

Pairdrop I use more when sharing with other people across the internet.

Endymion_Mallorn@kbin.melroy.org on 30 Jan 15:23 next collapse

Never heard of that tool. Thank you for sharing it!

vext01@lemmy.sdf.org on 30 Jan 21:11 collapse

pairdrop

I like this a lot.

A question. Docs say:

Your files are sent using WebRTC, encrypting them in transit. Still you have to trust the PairDrop server. To ensure the connection is secure and there is no MITM there is a plan to make PairDrop zero trust by encrypting the signaling and implementing a verification process. See issue #180 to keep updated.

Does this mean if you self-host on your LAN for personal use without https, then nothing is encrypted, or does WebRTC negotiate its own crypto?

vext01@lemmy.sdf.org on 30 Jan 21:17 collapse

Sounds like WebRTC crypto is mandatory.

telnyx.com/…/webrtc-encryption-and-security

waldek@lemmy.86thumbs.net on 30 Jan 15:17 next collapse

I often spin up a quick python http server. Just go to the folder which has the files you want to transfer and run the following command: python3 -m http.server. This will server the folder content Serving HTTP on 0.0.0.0 port 8000 (http://0.0.0.0:8000/) …. On your phone you can then browse to http://PC_IP:8000 and download what you want/need.

vext01@lemmy.sdf.org on 30 Jan 15:19 next collapse

Too much typing, especially if transferring from phone to computer.

Thanks though.

cmgvd3lw@discuss.tchncs.de on 17 Feb 14:08 collapse

Is it safe though?

waldek@lemmy.86thumbs.net on 17 Feb 22:21 collapse

Safe as in encrypted and/or authenticated? Not at all! I only do this on networks I fully trust and with files that are not too sensitive. But it’s quick and easy to set up. All my machines have python installed so hence the idea.

just_another_person@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 15:20 next collapse

I’d use anything else that is based on rsync over Syncthing

Fuzzypyro@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 15:29 next collapse

Taildrop works relatively well for most all circumstances. Only thing is you gotta use trayscale or cli currently for sending files from a Linux/bsd machine. I don’t know if opened has a port for trayscale but it definitely has a port of tailscale.

MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 30 Jan 15:31 next collapse

Localsend works great for me.

naeap@sopuli.xyz on 30 Jan 15:55 collapse

Yeah, can recommend that one too Although it sometimes seems to have some performance problems with a large amount of files - could be, that it’s already fixed though

MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 30 Jan 18:01 collapse

Yeah for large folders and stuff probably better to use SFTP or WebDAV

knF@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 15:35 next collapse

I’m using a selfhosted pastebin (microbin) as sometimes I want to transfer text, other files… It’s very efficient and in my instance it’s using 13MB of RAM, which is fairly lightweight for modern standards

vext01@lemmy.sdf.org on 30 Jan 20:23 collapse

This is super-cool, just a shame it’s unmaintained.

Badabinski@kbin.earth on 30 Jan 15:37 next collapse

rsync -avr --progress in termux or a file explorer app built on top of scp or rsync. It doesn't work like your use-case, but I've been happy with it.

vext01@lemmy.sdf.org on 30 Jan 15:38 next collapse

This sounds great. Thanks.

lka1988@sh.itjust.works on 30 Jan 15:41 next collapse

FX File Explorer has a local web-access feature. Start it on your phone and access via local IP, then just turn it off when you’re done.

Don’t use on public wifi, it’s http-only.

doc@fedia.io on 30 Jan 15:42 next collapse

Android -> other I often use Share via HTTP.

https://github.com/marcosdiez/shareviahttp

vinnymac@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 15:43 next collapse

Here are a bunch of local services I’ve used at one point or another from phone to PC or PC to PC. Not sure if any links are out of date.

KDE Connect

Wormhole (Closed Source)

LocalSend

SnapDrop

ShareDrop

FilePizza

Original Wormhole

PeerTransfer

JustBeamIt

Send Visee

Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works on 30 Jan 15:48 next collapse

+1 for LocalSend. Well worth checking out.

Arkhive@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 30 Jan 16:15 collapse

Another +1 for it here. Use it multiple times a day between Linux, MacOS, android, and iOS.

happinessattack@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 17:02 next collapse

+1 KDE Connect. File transfer works great on Android, Linux, and even on Windows 10/11! Clipboard sync is also a game changer; super easy to copy and paste across devices.

reddwarf@feddit.nl on 30 Jan 19:06 next collapse

+1 Love LocalSend!

dahpu@feddit.org on 30 Jan 21:41 next collapse

PairDrop is a fork of SnapDrop, which at one point had more features and active development. Don’t know, how it is nowadays though.

cmgvd3lw@discuss.tchncs.de on 17 Feb 14:06 collapse

Hey wormhole is closed source? Wow I didn’t knew that.

vinnymac@lemmy.world on 17 Feb 14:12 collapse

There are two, the original open source version and its forks, and then the closed source version.

dbkblk@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 16:18 next collapse

For links, I use Pocket (you can use Wallabag, but I find the interface not efficient at all). For files, you can sync a folder with syncthing (but you only switch it on when you want a quick sync, otherwise keep it off for battery). If you just want to put some file on your phone, install FTP server (free) from F-droid and switch it on when you need it (there’s even an optional switch on quick actions). Use Filezilla or any file browser (if on Linux) to exchange your files. Remember to switch the server off once finished, because FTP is not a secure protocol.

eksb@programming.dev on 30 Jan 16:23 next collapse

email.

Keelhaul@sh.itjust.works on 31 Jan 11:57 collapse

My dude, what year are you living in, and can I join you there?

ChillPill@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 16:27 next collapse

KDE Connect as another uas suggested.

Only buggy issue I have is that I use a VPN on my phone to access my local network when away from home. I have the VPN set up with Hairpinning so I don’t have to disconnect from the VPN while at home which occasionally causes issues on my steam deck as the version of KDE Connect on the steam deck does not appear to have an easy way to connect to device via IP. On my desktop and laptop I run Pop!_OS and use GS Connect which gives me an option to connect to device via IP so I have less issues with my phone just randomly not appearing on those computers.

bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de on 30 Jan 16:28 next collapse

I use Cx file explorer and mount my PC via sshfs in there. It’s closed source but it supports a whole bunch of protocols including samba, ftp and webdav. And it can launch a webserver on your phone to offer the phone’s files. But sshfs is the most convenient for me.

And for links and other small texts I use either KDEConnect’s copy and paste sync or just send myself the text in Signal.

Ulrich@feddit.org on 30 Jan 16:36 next collapse

Signal

tehWrapper@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 17:58 collapse

Yah if it’s not to big I use the note to self option in signal

hperrin@lemmy.ca on 30 Jan 16:46 next collapse

I use QuickDAV and OwlFiles.

hendrik@palaver.p3x.de on 30 Jan 16:52 next collapse

Kdeconnect. Alternatively NextCloud or sending an email to myself.

sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 01 Feb 05:24 collapse

Seconding sending an email. SMB for big stuff.

EisFrei@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 18:49 next collapse

I didn’t see it mentioned yet, so I’ll throw warpinator in the ring.

Clients are available for Linux, Windows, Android: warpinator.com

Lettuceeatlettuce@lemmy.ml on 30 Jan 19:05 next collapse

I love localsend.

Works on Linux, Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac. It is basically an OS agnostic Airdrop.

It’s FOSS, so you can go to the Github and build from source for OpenBSD, but I have no idea if that would work.

vext01@lemmy.sdf.org on 30 Jan 19:31 collapse

Dart (the language it’s written in) doesn’t work on BSD, so sadly that’s out of the question for now.

Lettuceeatlettuce@lemmy.ml on 30 Jan 20:21 next collapse

Dang, that’s too bad. Hopefully one day!

Hawk@lemmynsfw.com on 01 Feb 02:38 collapse

Maybe snapdrop?

When I was obsd I did FTP and rsync for everything. Syncthing had dinner performance issues for me.

Maybe Seafile but I had a bad time with that.

reddwarf@feddit.nl on 30 Jan 19:12 next collapse

You got some good replies and I personally am enamored by LocalSend, it is worth checking it out.

However, there is a simple way if a) you use whatsapp and b) the devices involved have access to whatsapp.
This involves not just sending files but you can send text and whatever whatsapp supports and you’ll have a history of these chats should you need to have them later again. Probably possible with other platforms but I use whatsapp so that is what I setup for information transfer to myself.
The thing you want to do is create a chat group, add a friend for a very brief moment, remove said friend again after they accepted, enjoy your private group where you can dump any and all info into and pick up from wherever you have whatsapp available. The trick is to add a friend for a couple of seconds. If you create a group you are automatically in it but you cannot use it until you add someone else, then it becomes active and use-able. The fact that you end up alone in that group does not make it unavailable again. Weird but it works.

vext01@lemmy.sdf.org on 30 Jan 19:33 collapse

Hah. Nice hack!

Also, I love red dwarf.

JTskulk@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 20:22 next collapse

I use SyncMe which synchronizes smb shares to your phone. It’s great once you have it set up, but it does take a little setup. Gotta have shares and whatnot.

willougr@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 22:35 next collapse

Does your PC have Bluetooth? Definitely quick and sort of self hosted.

nichtburningturtle@feddit.org on 31 Jan 00:10 next collapse

I usually use kde connect.

klangcola@reddthat.com on 31 Jan 10:58 next collapse

KDE Connect also works on Gnome, Windows and Android. I can’t recommend it enough. Transfering a single image from phone to PC is instantaneous

needanke@feddit.org on 31 Jan 11:22 collapse

And having a unified clippboard is just so convenient

cyberwolfie@lemmy.ml on 31 Jan 16:43 next collapse

Yeah, me too. It is quick and easy. I use SyncThing for things I want to keep synced.

Toribor@corndog.social on 31 Jan 23:35 collapse

I use a Gnome implementation of this and it works great too.

deadcatbounce@reddthat.com on 31 Jan 01:42 next collapse

Syncthing is fast. I have an IPv6 setup too which seems to help.

I have my downloads directory on my desktop linked to a downloads directory on my Android; you can’t link to the real Android downloads directory anymore so I use another.

When the file is removed from the desktop downloads directory it disappears from mobile.

I tried using Bluetooth between them but it’s more fiddly than Syncthing with my config. Switch Bluetooth on on desktop, connect to desktop, send file, disconnect, move file. Whereas Syncthing is always on.

However, before I started using Obsidian notes I used to transfer URLs using Signal’s Note-to-self thing. Signal on both desktop and mobile.

Obviously, I sync between mobile and desktop Obsidian using Syncthing.

LodeMike@lemmy.today on 31 Jan 06:15 next collapse

SFTP or Matrix

g_damian@lemmy.world on 31 Jan 08:00 next collapse

I’m not sure if there’s one the best tool, depending on a case, I use mix of

0x0@programming.dev on 31 Jan 15:56 next collapse

Syncthing or pairdrop.net

qwerty@discuss.tchncs.de on 31 Jan 17:28 next collapse

A cable

vividspecter@lemm.ee on 31 Jan 23:27 next collapse

I’ll add in Bitwarden Send (including self-hosted vaultwarden), although probably doesn’t make sense if you’re not already using it for password management.

terminhell@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 31 Jan 23:37 next collapse

I mean, the fastest method is likely to just plug the phone into PC and pretend it’s a flash drive?

ChapulinColorado@lemmy.world on 31 Jan 23:51 next collapse

I don’t know if it is always the fastest. I know they said android, but for example on not too old Apple phones (pre-usb c), I had the impression you could get better throughout on wifi compared to a cable connection. Maybe that’s just apple trying to squeeze money on proprietary connectors, but other manufacturers seem to copy their worst takes sometimes though.

Hawk@lemmynsfw.com on 01 Feb 02:29 collapse

From memory MTP is pretty flaky and quite slow.

ADB push is pretty good but at that stage rsync is just as easy.

Put SSH in the phone and you can do it all from the computer too.

rumba@lemmy.zip on 01 Feb 02:51 collapse

MTP’s not bad anymore. It works perfectly well in Windows Linux and Mac these days and is as fast as anything else.

Hawk@lemmynsfw.com on 01 Feb 05:54 collapse

Oh good to know.

It used to be awful but I’m glad to hear it’s improving.

electric_nan@lemmy.ml on 01 Feb 02:02 next collapse

I use KDEConnect. I don’t know about iPhone but it works with Android, Linux and Windows.

rumba@lemmy.zip on 01 Feb 02:49 collapse

I have tried to use KDEconnect over and over, It doesn’t work on my work network, it doesn’t work on most of my home network, If my laptop my cell phone come up as different IPs it gets confused. It’s discoverability is just absolutely horrible except for a select number of plain vanilla networks.

electric_nan@lemmy.ml on 01 Feb 03:14 collapse

Damn that sucks :(. Seems to me I have to disable my VPN in order to discover devices, but I can re-enable it afterwards. I use it mostly for clipboard sharing between devices.

rumba@lemmy.zip on 01 Feb 03:22 collapse

My home network is split between wired and wireless, they’re on different IP ranges. I have every proper forwarding protocol and UDP sniffing everything set up so that devices can talk to each other across subnets.

It refuses.

So at home I can set it up on Linux to use a static IP to find my phone. And the phone kind of deals with it and works most of the time. But then I go to work and my IPs are the two devices change. Then I’m SOL.

Also if I’m home and I’m roaming onto one of my other networks to talk to security cameras or something it’s incapable of talking to my PC.

Honestly it’s discovery is just bad for me. I really wish that it’s supported a list of IPs, or gave me some kind of client I could run in concert with tail scale or I could move s*** around it’s just absolutely inflexible and for no good reason.

Kolanaki@yiffit.net on 01 Feb 02:32 next collapse

For a single file, I just use Bluetooth. For a lot of files, or a really big file, I plug my phone into the PC and set it to storage device.

FaceButt9000@lemmy.world on 01 Feb 04:13 next collapse

For single files, I use qrcp

coper@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 01 Feb 08:02 next collapse

I use ADBFileManager github.com/T0biasCZe/AdbFileManager/ which is much faster than MTP

In my testing, the program copies files at speed of approximately 41.6MiB/s (332Mib/s) over USB 2.0, compared to MTP that copies at around 10Mb/s

kSPvhmTOlwvMd7Y7E@lemmy.world on 01 Feb 08:13 next collapse

I ll just hijack this thread : when plugging my android into laptop, the laptop doesn’t recognise it as anything. And the phone doesn’t give me the option to “share files” instead of just charge. Does anyone knows what’s wrong?

qwerty@discuss.tchncs.de on 01 Feb 08:28 collapse

Check if your cable has data lanes, some cables don’t have them and can only be used for charging. Tap the charging notification and check if you can change it to file transfer.

uranibaba@lemmy.world on 01 Feb 10:53 collapse

Had the same issue before, cable was the cause.

art@lemmy.world on 01 Feb 08:42 next collapse

Open source file manager Material Files lets you set an SSH server as a bookmark and mount it instantly. Moving files around just like like it’s native. Works seamlessly through Tailscale.

[deleted] on 01 Feb 12:52 next collapse

.

Tiger_Man_@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 01 Feb 12:55 next collapse

sftp

thatradomguy@lemmy.world on 01 Feb 13:48 next collapse

github.com/linuxmint/warpinator?tab=readme-ov-fil…

one_knight_scripting@lemmy.world on 01 Feb 16:52 collapse

Do you have any hosting in your home lab? Preferably something for running a docker container, but a hypervisor could do the job too.

Nextcloud is an option if you do. Technically speaking you could properly protect it and make it public. You don’t have to do that though. Any file you upload on your computer could be copied to your phone or vice versa. If it’s public, then this could be done from anywhere.

vext01@lemmy.sdf.org on 01 Feb 17:04 collapse

Yes, I have a Linux vm for docker. I’ve chucked up a pairdrop container. So easy.

one_knight_scripting@lemmy.world on 02 Feb 06:04 collapse

Can’t say I’ve used that… Yet. I like nextcloud because besides being compatible with Linux/Windows and having an Android app, it also has a simple web UI to access the files. It’s probably closer to self hosted OneDrive than anything else I can think of. Kinda like the simplicity of pairdrop though.