Guide
Share files between an iPhone and an Android phone
Open the same page in both browsers, read one four-character room code out loud, and send. No app, no account, no pairing, and no copy of your file on a server. AirDrop cannot do this at all, because it is Apple's protocol and Android does not speak it.
How to send from iPhone to Android
- On the iPhone, open this page and pick the Send tab. A four-character room code appears, for example 4821.
- On the Android phone, open the same page in Chrome and pick Receive.
- Type the code from the iPhone and join the room.
- Back on the iPhone, choose the file, or drag it onto the page.
- The Android phone receives it directly from the iPhone's browser. Chrome asks you to allow downloads the first time.
Going the other way
- On the Android phone, pick the Send tab and read out the room code.
- On the iPhone, pick Receive and type that code in.
- Choose the file on Android, send, and accept it in Safari.
Why not AirDrop, Bluetooth or a cable
AirDrop is the obvious answer and it is not available: it is Apple's proprietary protocol, and while an AirDrop target can be turned on from a third-party app on Android, the sender still has an iPhone and the setup is not one tap. Bluetooth pairing between an iPhone and an Android phone fails often enough that people give up on it. A cable works and is the right answer for a large video, but you need the right adapter, and the socket on the phone may already be charging. All of the remaining options are apps you install on both devices. This one needs a browser, which both phones already have.
What each option actually costs you
| AirDrop | Bluetooth | Cable | This page | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone to Android | No | Unreliable | Yes, with an adapter | Yes |
| Nothing to install | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Needs both devices on one network | Yes | Yes | No | No, it works across networks |
| File left on a third party's machine | No | No | No | No |
| Best for very large files | Yes | No | Yes | Yes, over a cable |
Where this is the wrong answer
- With no network at all, nothing here works. A cable is the only option that needs none.
- For a multi-gigabyte video, a cable is faster. A direct link is limited by the slower of the two upload speeds, and when a relay is needed its shared uplink becomes the ceiling. Every gigabyte a relay forwards also costs bandwidth we pay for.
- Some workplace and school networks block WebRTC. If the two devices never finish connecting, that is why.
- The room code is four characters by default, so in principle someone could guess it and join the transfer. Fine for two people in the same room. For anything genuinely confidential, tap the toggle on the send screen to use a 36-character id instead.
FAQ
- Is there an AirDrop alternative for Android?
- There is no AirDrop for Android, because AirDrop is Apple's protocol. This page works the same way in every browser on both devices, which is why it does not need one.
- Can I send from iPhone to Android without the internet?
- Only if both devices are on the same local network. PrivyDrop needs a network to introduce the two browsers, even though the file itself never travels over the internet. For a truly offline transfer, use a cable.
- Do both phones need an app?
- No. Safari on the iPhone and Chrome on the Android phone is the entire setup. There is no account, no pairing code, and nothing left behind afterwards.
- Is the file uploaded anywhere?
- No. The backend has endpoints for opening a room, checking whether one exists and counting anonymous usage. None of them accepts a file, and none can tell you who is in a room. The complete list is in backend/src/routes/api.ts in the MIT licensed repository.
- Will it work for a 4K video?
- It will work, but a cable is the faster answer for anything that large, particularly across networks. Use this for documents, photos and anything where you would rather not hand a copy to a server.