AirDrop for Windows: 10 Best AirDrop Alternatives (2026)

If you're searching for 'AirDrop for Windows', you probably want to move a file from one of your own devices to another without emailing it to yourself. The tools that do it work in quite different ways, and the right one depends on the devices in front of you.

This list covers ten of them, using only what each maker's own website says, read on 2 Nov 2026 (as of Nov 2026). It's alphabetical and in no particular order, and it sticks to sharing files between your own nearby devices, including Windows and Android, rather than sending files to other people over the internet.

Nearby file sharing tools side by side

Tool	Type	Good for
Blip	Desktop file sending app	Sending files and folders straight from your desktop
croc	Command-line file transfer tool	Sending files and folders between two computers
Feem	Local Wi-Fi file sharing app	Sharing files offline over a shared network
KDE Connect	Device-linking app from KDE	Files and links between phone and computer
LocalSend	Open-source local network sharing app	Cross-platform sharing with nearby devices
Magic-Wormhole	Command-line tool and library	Getting files from one computer to another
PairDrop	Browser file transfer page	Cross-platform transfers with no setup
Quick Share	Google's Android sharing app for Windows	Sending files from Android to a Windows PC
Warpinator	Local network sharing tool from Linux Mint	Sharing files across a local network
Zapya	Cross-platform file sharing app	Sharing apps, music, videos and photos between devices

Ten ways to share files between devices, one line each

Blip

Best for: Sending files and whole folders from your desktop to your own devices in one step, with transfers that resume after a network interruption.

croc

Best for: Terminal users moving files and folders between any two computers from the command line, in an open-source project under the MIT license.

Feem

Best for: Sharing files between phones and computers on the same Wi-Fi, a hotspot or Wi-Fi Direct, with apps for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Linux.

KDE Connect

Best for: Phone and computer owners who want files and links shared between devices, plus phone notifications on the desktop and remote media control.

LocalSend

Best for: Sending photos, videos, documents or text to a nearby device over your local network, with apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.

Magic-Wormhole

Best for: Developers and terminal users who want a CLI tool and a library for getting things from one computer to another.

PairDrop

Best for: Transferring files between devices from a web page, with no setup and no signup.

Quick Share

Best for: Android phone owners moving files to a Windows PC with Google's own app for Windows.

Warpinator

Best for: Sharing files across the LAN with an open-source tool from the Linux Mint project, licensed under GPL-3.0.

Zapya

Best for: Moving apps, music, videos and photos between phones, computers and tablets, with shake to connect on phones.

Which two devices are you moving files between?

Here's the split a searcher wouldn't guess: 'AirDrop for Windows' is really three different jobs, and the useful first question is which two devices you're moving files between.

• An app on both devices: install the same app on each and share over your local network.
• A browser page: open the same web page on each device, with nothing to install.
• A command-line tool: type a command on each computer, for people who live in a terminal.

LocalSend sums up the first kind as a way to 'share files to nearby devices', and Warpinator's project page says simply 'share files across the LAN'. PairDrop is the browser kind, offering to 'transfer files cross-platform' with no setup and no signup.

Phone to PC: Android, iPhone and Windows

If one of your devices is a phone, look at the apps with mobile versions. Quick Share is Google's Android app, and its page is titled as an Android to Windows PC file transfer. KDE Connect shares 'files and links' between your devices, and its page talks about moving an album of photos from a family trip between your computer and smartphone.

One cross-platform app lists Android, iOS, HarmonyOS, PC, Windows Phone, Mac, Tizen and web pages, and adds phone replication: moving all the contents of your old phone to a new one with one click.

Sharing with no internet connection

Some of these apps say they work with no internet at all. Feem's page is titled 'Share Files OFFLINE', and its three steps are to connect to a shared network (a router, a hotspot or Wi-Fi Direct), open the app, then pick files and a device and send.

That's handy when you're somewhere without data, as long as both devices can join the same network or one of them can start a hotspot.

Command-line transfers for terminal users

Two entries live in the terminal. croc describes itself as a way to 'easily and securely send things from one computer to another', and its page says it enables easy cross-platform transfers. Magic-Wormhole's documentation covers both a CLI tool and a library for getting things from one computer to another.

These suit people who already work at a command line. If you've never opened a terminal, start with an app or a browser page instead.

Sending folders straight from the desktop

Blip says you can send files 'right from your desktop' and 'transfer in just one step', with no need to upload and download separately. Its page also says it sends folders with no zipping required, and resumes after network interruptions, unplugged drives and full disks.

Questions to ask before you install anything

• Which two devices am I moving files between: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android or iPhone?
• Can I install an app on both, or do I need a browser page?
• Are both devices on the same network?
• Do I need to send whole folders as well as single files?
• Am I comfortable typing commands in a terminal?
• Do I also want phone notifications or links shared to my computer?

Do you make a file sharing app for nearby devices? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My advice for sharing files between your devices

Start with the two devices in front of you. If it's an Android phone and a Windows PC, Google's own app is the obvious first try. If you've got a mix of systems at home, a cross-platform app on every device saves you thinking about it each time. And if you'd rather not install anything, open the browser page on both.

Moving files around is also a good moment to protect them: see my guide to cloud backup services, and if a file goes missing on the way, here's how to recover deleted files.

Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.

Frequently asked questions

Can I share files between a Windows PC and my other devices?

Yes. Several tools here do it. Google's own app moves files from an Android phone to a Windows PC, and two cross-platform apps list Windows beside macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.

Can I share files between devices without the internet?

Some makers say so. One app says it works over any shared network, including a router, a hotspot or Wi-Fi Direct, with no internet, and an open-source app says it works completely offline over your local network.

Which of these work in a browser?

One entry is a browser page that transfers files cross-platform with no setup and no signup. The rest are apps or command-line tools you install.

Can I send files from an Android phone to a Windows PC?

Yes. Google's Android sharing app has a Windows version for that job, and other apps here list both Android and Windows, including an open-source local network app and an offline sharing app.

Which of these are open source?

Several say so on their own pages or project pages: an open-source local network sharing app, a Linux Mint tool licensed under GPL-3.0, a command-line tool under the MIT license, and a KDE app that calls itself open source.

Can I share files between Linux and other devices?

Yes. A Linux Mint project shares files across the LAN, a KDE app links your devices, and two cross-platform apps list Linux beside Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.