LocalSend
by Tien Do Nam · Apache-2.0 · open source
An open-source AirDrop alternative that works across Android, Windows, macOS, Linux and iOS: pick a nearby device on the same network and send files or text directly.
Needs:No root · same local network · Android 7.0+
2113 Apps is independent, not affiliated with or endorsed by Tien Do Nam. Official sources: localsend.org · source code on GitHub.
- Version
- 1.18.2
- Size
- 46.6 MB
- Requires
- Android 7.0+
- Updated
- 2026-08-27
Screenshots
Introduction
LocalSend moves files and messages between devices on the same network, with no internet connection, no account and no server in between. The app is the same on every platform, so a phone can send to a Windows PC, a Mac, a Linux laptop or an iPhone and the other way round.
How it works
- Devices find each other on the local network automatically, using multicast with a fallback that asks every local address directly.
- Transfers go over HTTPS. Each device generates its own certificate on the fly, so there is no central server and nothing leaves your network.
- For devices without LocalSend, you can share files to a web browser on the same network instead. That mode uses plain HTTP, because browsers reject the self-signed certificates.
When devices don’t see each other
The README lists the usual causes:
- AP isolation on the router, common on guest networks, stops devices from talking to each other. Turn it off, or use a network without it.
- Some VPNs block local network connections by default.
- Transfer speed on Android is a known issue the project is working on.
About this file
This is the 64-bit ARM build of version 1.18.2, which fixed compatibility with devices still on 1.17 and older. It carries the developer’s own signature: F-Droid built it from source without the proprietary in-app purchase code and confirmed that the result matches the developer’s own release. So it updates from, and can be updated by, the developer’s GitHub build for 64-bit ARM. Google Play has a separate build of LocalSend. The app doesn’t update itself; get new versions from here or another store.
What’s inside the APK
Trackers
No code matching the Exodus Privacy tracker signatures.
Native code
Needs a 64-bit ARM phone; 32-bit-only devices are not supported.
Android versions
Built for Android 17 (target API 37).
Permissions
6 of them need your approval first.
CPU types in this build: arm64-v8a (64-bit ARM, almost every phone since 2017).
Asks you first (6)
Android shows a prompt before the app can use these.
- Show notifications (Android 13+) · POST_NOTIFICATIONS
- Read shared storage (Android 12 and older) · READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
- Read music and audio files · READ_MEDIA_AUDIO
- Read photos · READ_MEDIA_IMAGES
- Read videos · READ_MEDIA_VIDEO
- Write shared storage (Android 10 and older) · WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
You switch these on in Settings (1)
Special app access. Nothing is granted until you turn it on yourself.
- Install unknown apps · REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES
Granted at install (11)
Low-risk permissions Android grants automatically, plus any we have not classified.
- ACCESS_LOCAL_NETWORK
- ACCESS_MEDIA_LOCATION
- ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE
- ACCESS_WIFI_STATE
- BIND_QUICK_SETTINGS_TILE
- FOREGROUND_SERVICE
- FOREGROUND_SERVICE_DATA_SYNC
- INTERNET
- QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES
- RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED
- WAKE_LOCK
Defined by other apps (1)
Permissions that belong to another app or to this app itself.
- org.localsend.localsend_app.DYNAMIC_RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED_PERMISSION
More Information
- Package name
- org.localsend.localsend_app
- Version
- 1.18.2 (build 643)
- File size
- 46.6 MB (46,558,706 bytes)
- Requires
- Android 7.0 or later
- Category
- System Tools
- License
- Apache-2.0
- Developer
- Tien Do Nam
- Source code
- github.com/localsend/localsend
- Released
- Aug 26, 2026
- Signed by
- The developer. F-Droid publishes a developer-signed APK only when its own build from the source code reproduces it.
- Signer SHA-256
- 3220c353a73cfbd0c2f3052471c445324cf452bcba26de1c473a52fe5c44e1d6
- File SHA-256
- 82ec3568fba2aa5295b9aae8b76f701d7a4703d86b9f8bad749472038fbaeab3
- Checked
- , against the F-Droid index · how we check · verify it yourself
Common questions
Is this APK the official LocalSend release?
Yes. It is the developer-signed release of LocalSend 1.18.2 that F-Droid distributes, which F-Droid publishes only when its own build from the source code reproduces it. Its SHA-256 matches F-Droid’s signed index, and it is signed with the developer’s certificate (SHA-256 3220c353a73cfbd0c2f3052471c445324cf452bcba26de1c473a52fe5c44e1d6).
What Android version does LocalSend need?
Android 7.0 or later (API level 24). Version 1.18.2 is built for Android 17 (target API 37). Needs a 64-bit ARM phone; 32-bit-only devices are not supported.
Can LocalSend access the internet?
Yes. The APK requests Android’s internet permission. In total it declares 19 permissions, and 6 of them need your approval first.
Does LocalSend contain trackers?
No known trackers: our scan of version 1.18.2 found no code matching the Exodus Privacy tracker signatures. The scan covers known tracker libraries; it doesn’t show what data the app itself sends.
Is LocalSend open source?
Yes. LocalSend is released under the Apache-2.0 licence, and its source code is published at https://github.com/localsend/localsend.
Recent releases
| Version | Released | Size | Requires |
|---|---|---|---|
| v1.18.2 · this download | Aug 26, 2026 | 46.6 MB | Android 7.0+ |
| v1.18.1 | Aug 14, 2026 | 46.5 MB | Android 7.0+ |
| v1.18.0 | Aug 13, 2026 | 46.3 MB | Android 7.0+ |
Versions currently kept in the F-Droid repository. We host and check only the newest one. Full changelog.