Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to AirDrop

Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by eigenspace on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @09:00AM (#47933968)

Can't QuickShare cross-platform. My wife has an iPhone and my desktop and laptop are linux, so QuickShare is a non-solution for me.

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by davsti4 on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @09:55AM (#47934651)

rquickshare works on Linux and is 99% reliable for me, but I don't have a suggestion for iOS devices since I don't use them. https://github.com/Martichou/rquickshare/releases

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by sica07 on Wednesday April 29, 2026 @07:23AM (#47946788)

This is what rquickshare documentation says: "Wi-Fi LAN only. Your devices need to be on the same network for this app to work." So no, it's not an AirDrop replacement.

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by raxxorraxor on Wednesday April 29, 2026 @07:33AM (#47946874)

Problem is that only notebooks/tablets and few pcs have bluetooth, which is used for the handshake for AirDrop.

If we had good mobile OS I bet we would have a solution for both...

Personally I just use wifi/smb for file transfer and hate it when someone comes with their iPhone and isn't able to send a file to me.

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by Xantier on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @09:07AM (#47934039)

Which alternatives are you using for AirDrop on Linux? I haven't been able to find a good one for this yet.

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by coldstartops on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @10:24AM (#47935089)

I've built my own, called KEIBIDROP :D but did not release the mobile apps let

https://github.com/KeibiSoft/KeibiDrop

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by chasil on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @09:53AM (#47934617)

I used to use Nitroshare, but Localsend has supplanted it.

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by eigenspace on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @09:10AM (#47934083)

Localsend and KDE Connect

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by lukeschlather on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @10:28PM (#47943552)

With Linux it's very easy as long as you're okay going offline - just make an ad hoc wifi network, have the other device connect to it, then you can do whatever (Localsend, host a local webserver on the linux machine, whatever.)

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by olyjohn on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @09:10AM (#47934070)

KDE Connect works pretty great for sending files, though you do have to be on the same network.

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by vrganj on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @09:07AM (#47934038)

QuickShare is compatible with AirDrop these days, thanks to EU regulations: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/11/the-eu-made-apple-ad...

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by Gigachad on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @09:56AM (#47934671)

I don’t think this article is actually accurate. It seems like Google just reverse engineered airdrop rather than Apple changing the tech they use. Because quickshare works with all airdrop devices now. Not just ones recently updated.

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by eigenspace on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @09:11AM (#47934094)

One Android phone supports it so far, and it's widely expected Apple will find some way to lock it out or at least delay more support.

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by reaperducer on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @10:06AM (#47934811)

it's widely expected Apple will find some way to lock it out

I suppose that is "widely expected" from the usual group of anti-Apple internet griefers looking for a reason to moan in public, rather than actually doing some research or knowing things.

To quote a sibling comment:

"Apple contributed the core logic to the Wi-Fi Alliance to build Wi-Fi Aware, which they now also support."

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by vrganj on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @09:32AM (#47934346)

Glass half empty kinda guy, huh? :-)

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by eigenspace on Tuesday April 28, 2026 @09:49AM (#47934576)

Not generally, I just don't have that specific phone that has implemented the workaround, and so this isn't a solution for me.

Apple has consistently done everything it can to self-sabotage their implementations of stuff to comply with EU anti-trust legislation like the stuff with digital marketplaces, so I'm not holding my breath on this.

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Re:Localsend: An open-source cross-platform alternative to A... by Melatonic on Wednesday April 29, 2026 @03:07AM (#47945048)

Didn't they just announce compatibility between specific Android devices and iOS airdrop using Quickshare recently ?

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