Files and folders
Drag onto the window or the menu bar / tray icon, right-click in Finder, Explorer or Files, or pick them in the app. Folders keep their structure. A short text or the clipboard works too.
Local network file transfer
LAN
SHARE
Send files and folders straight to another computer on the same network. No account, no cloud, no size limit.
Free to send and receive · Pro €9.99 once · All versions
0Servers in between
0Accounts to create
E2EEncrypted by default
QRPhones need no app
Screenshots
Black, white, and one red dot
The macOS app, with demo data. The Windows and Linux apps follow the same design.
Scroll sideways →
Features
Pick files, pick a computer, done
Transfers go directly from one computer to the other. Sending and receiving are free; Pro adds automation and scale.
The receiver decides
The receiver sees who is sending what, with an optional message, and accepts or declines. Nothing is written to disk before that. Trusted computers can be accepted automatically.
Encrypted and checked
Every connection is encrypted with the Noise protocol (X25519, ChaCha20-Poly1305), on by default. Each computer has its own key, so a trusted computer can't be impersonated. Every file passes a SHA-256 check before it is put in place.
Resume
If the connection drops, the same transfer later continues where it stopped, so a large folder doesn't start over.
Compression
Streamed zstd: compressed on the fly, decompressed on arrival, with no zip file and no extra disk space. Auto skips data that is already compressed, like photos and video.
Discovery
Other computers running LAN Share are found on the network automatically, or you add one by name or IP address. A quick diagnostic tells you which step fails.
Phone via QR, no app
Show a QR code and any phone or tablet with a browser on the same Wi-Fi can download your files or upload photos. The link has a secret code and expires after 15 minutes.
Folder sync
Keep a folder in step with another computer: only what changed is sent. Nothing is deleted on the other side, and replaced files are kept as versions for 30 days.
Queue
Send when a computer comes online, or at a set time. The queue survives a restart.
Groups
Sort computers into groups like “Office” or “Servers” and send to the whole group at once.
Menu bar and tray
Lives in the macOS menu bar or the Windows and Linux tray: status, running transfers, and hosts you can drop files on. Notifications let you accept right there.
History
What was sent and received, with totals and a resend button. The last 7 days are free; Pro keeps the full history, adds CSV export and a year calendar.
The same features on macOS, Windows and Linux; see Platforms for what each desktop adds.
macOS · Windows · Linux
One app on every computer
The same LAN Share on each system, speaking the same encrypted protocol, so a Mac, a Windows PC and a Linux box can send to each other. Each version fits in with its desktop.
macOS
macOS 15 Sequoia or later- Download. A DMG with the app, the
lansharecommand and the full MCP server. - Menu bar. Speed, today's totals, running transfers and your hosts, with pause and resume. Drop files on a host to send.
- Finder. Right-click → LAN Share → Send to a saved host, or New transfer…; also Services → Send with LAN Share, or Open With. Files dragged to the screen edge open a shelf of hosts.
- Notifications with Accept, Always accept and Decline, progress on the Dock icon, Quick Look in the history.
- Install. Open the DMG, drag LAN Share to Applications, start it. macOS asks once for access to the local network: allow it.
Windows
Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit- Installer for your account. No administrator rights needed, except for the optional firewall rule for port 45821 on private networks.
- Tray icon. Click for the panel with transfers and hosts; right-click for pause, retry and quit.
- Explorer. Right-click → Send with LAN Share, or Send to → LAN Share, for files and folders.
- Notifications with Accept, Always accept and Decline. Optional start at sign-in. The
lansharecommand and MCP server are included.
Linux
Ubuntu 22.04 or later · GNOME, X11 and Wayland- The same app as on the Mac: hosts, transfers, history, sync, queue, phone sharing and help.
- Tray panel like the Mac menu bar, with a dock badge and progress bar while files move.
- Files. Right-click → LAN Share → Send to a saved host, or New transfer…, for files and folders.
- Notifications with Accept, Always accept and Decline; optional start at login. Includes the
lansharecommand and the MCP server, also for headless servers. - Install. Install the package, then open LAN Share from the app grid. If the ufw firewall is on, allow TCP and UDP 45821.
LAN Share runs on both computers; a phone or tablet only needs its browser and a QR code.
AI assistants · MCP
Ask Claude to send it
LAN Share includes a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, so an AI assistant such as Claude can list your computers, check them and send files. The person on the other side still accepts every transfer.
Send the ~/Projects/site folder to the Ubuntu server. Leave out node_modules and tell them it's the new build.
lanshare · send(target: "Ubuntu server", paths: ["~/Projects/site"], exclude: ["node_modules"], message: "New build")Done. The Ubuntu server accepted the transfer and every file passed the SHA-256 check.
Is the NAS online?
lanshare · check_host(target: "NAS")Yes, the NAS is online and answering.
$ claude mcp add --scope user lanshare -- ~/.local/bin/lanshare mcp
- Tools include
send,send_to_group,send_text,list_hosts,check_host,discover,historyandstats. - The app includes the
lansharecommand for Terminal and the full MCP server. Other MCP clients: commandlanshare, arguments["mcp"].
Prefer the command line without the app? Download the lanshare command-line tool.
Compare
LAN Share, AirDrop and LocalSend
All three are good at moving files nearby. They make different trade-offs.
| LAN Share | AirDrop | LocalSend | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux. Phones through the browser | Apple devices | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS |
| How devices connect | Same local network (or a VPN) | Direct Wi-Fi and Bluetooth between nearby devices | Same local network |
| Encrypted in transit | Yes (Noise, ChaCha20-Poly1305) | Yes | Yes (HTTPS) |
| Receiver accepts first | Yes; trusted senders optional | Yes; own devices may auto-accept | Yes; auto-accept optional |
| Folders with structure | Yes | Varies by device | Yes |
| Resume after a dropped connection | Yes | Not documented | Not documented |
| Per-file hash check | SHA-256, every file | Not documented | Not documented |
| Folder sync, queue, groups | Yes (Pro) | No | Not built in |
| Command line and MCP for AI assistants | Yes | No | Not built in |
| Price | Free; Pro €9.99 once | Included with Apple devices | Free, open source |
Based on public information as of November 2026; the other products may change. “Not documented” means we could not confirm it either way. AirDrop is a trademark of Apple Inc. LocalSend is an independent open-source project. LAN Share is not affiliated with either.
Pricing
Free to send, Pro once
No subscription. Everything about security and reliability stays free; Pro adds automation and scale.
Free
€0
- Send and receive files, folders and text
- Discovery, saved hosts, custom ports
- Encryption, accept prompts, PIN pairing, trusted senders, SHA-256 checks
- Compression, resume, speed limit, exclusions
- Menu bar or tray, notifications, file manager integration, clipboard to a host
- History for the last 7 days, overview statistics
- Light and dark themes
● LAN Share Pro
€9.99ONE-TIME
- Folder sync with versions
- Queue: send when a host comes online, or at a set time
- Groups, and sending to a whole group
- Phone via QR: download and upload in the browser
- A receive folder and fallback addresses per host
- Full history, CSV export and the year calendar
“Buy Pro” gives you a licence key; payment is handled by Lemon Squeezy. If Pro ends, nothing is deleted: sync pairs and queued sends wait, and older history is kept.
Privacy
Your files never leave your network
Transfers go directly from one computer to the other, encrypted end to end. Settings and history stay on your computer.
Servers0
LAN Share has no servers. Nothing goes through the internet or a cloud.
Analytics0
No analytics, no tracking, no ads. No account to create.
ReachLAN
Only computers on your local network can be found and sent to.
Details: privacy policy.
FAQ
Questions
Does the other computer need LAN Share?
Yes. LAN Share has to run on both computers (macOS, Windows or Linux, in any combination). To share with a phone or tablet you only need its browser and the QR code.
Does it work over the internet?
No. Both computers must be on the same local network, or connected by a VPN that lets them reach each other. Guest Wi-Fi networks often keep devices apart, so use the main network.
Is there a file size limit?
No. Large transfers stream to disk and continue where they stopped if the connection drops.
Are transfers encrypted?
Yes, between computers running LAN Share: every connection uses the Noise protocol (X25519, ChaCha20-Poly1305), on by default. Each computer has its own key; trusted computers and PIN pairing are tied to that key, and if a known computer's key changes, LAN Share warns you instead of accepting automatically. Files are also checked with SHA-256. Sharing with a phone uses a private link on your local network that expires after 15 minutes.
Is Pro a subscription?
No. Pro is a one-time purchase of €9.99. The free version has no time limit, so you can try everything else before buying.
What happens when the trial ends?
Sending and receiving keep working. Pro features pause, but nothing is deleted: sync pairs, queued sends and groups stay, and buying Pro resumes them.
Other computers don't show up. What should I check?
The firewall must allow TCP and UDP port 45821, and both computers must be on the same network. You can always add a computer by its IP address. More on the support page.
Is there a Windows version?
Yes, for Windows 10 and 11. It is in final testing; the download appears on this page as soon as it is ready.