💡 What is NearDrop?
NearDrop lets you transfer files between your phone and any computer using just a web browser. There's nothing to install — open the page on your computer, scan a QR code with your phone, and you're connected.
It's designed for quick, private transfers: photos from your phone to your laptop, documents from your desk to your pocket, or anything else you need to move between devices without emailing it to yourself.
⚡ How it works
Open NearDrop on your computer
A QR code appears. This is a one-time pairing code — it's unique to this session.
Scan the QR code with your phone
Use your phone's camera or QR scanner. The phone page opens in your browser.
Confirm with a one-time code
Your phone shows a 6-digit code. Type it on the computer to confirm the pairing. This prevents someone nearby from intercepting the connection.
Transfer files in either direction
Drag files onto the computer page or click Browse files… to send them to your phone. On the phone, tap + Add from device to upload from your phone's storage. Tap the ↓ button on any file to download it.
📦 Where are my files stored?
Your files live on your phone, inside the browser. They're stored in a private area called IndexedDB — a secure storage space that each website gets in your browser. No other website or app can access them.
This means:
Think of your phone as a secure pocket drive — it holds files that you can access from any computer by scanning a QR code, but the files themselves are locked inside the browser until you choose to move them somewhere.
🛡️ Privacy controls
Your phone shows toggle buttons on both the pairing screen and the main toolbar:
🔓 Private
When enabled, only files you explicitly select with the checkboxes will be visible on the computer. Everything else stays hidden. Useful when you want to share specific files without exposing your full collection.
🔓 Read-only
The computer can view and download files, but can't send files to your phone or delete anything. Good for sharing documents without risk of changes.
Both modes can be toggled before or after connecting. Set them on the OTP screen, or use the buttons in the phone toolbar at any time during the session.
🔐 Security
No files are stored on the server. The server is a relay — it passes messages between your phone and computer but never sees or keeps the file contents. When both sides disconnect, the session is gone.
Additional protections:
OTP pairing
The 6-digit code prevents someone nearby from hijacking your session by scanning the same QR code.
File scanning
Files are checked for dangerous content before transfer — executables, scripts, and suspicious file types are blocked automatically.
Integrity checks
Every file is checksummed during transfer. If anything gets corrupted in transit, it's caught and rejected.
Encrypted connection
All traffic between your browser and the server uses HTTPS/WSS encryption.
💡 Tips
Clearing browser data removes your files
If you clear your browser's site data or cookies, your NearDrop files will be erased. This is because they live in browser storage, not on your phone's file system.
Sessions survive page refreshes
If you accidentally refresh the page on either device, the connection will automatically reconnect without needing to scan the QR code again.
You can drop multiple files or folders
Drag a selection of files or an entire folder onto the desktop page. Folders are zipped automatically.
Text and markdown files
Tap a .txt or .md file to open it in a built-in editor. Changes sync to the other device when you close the editor. The editor toolbar has Preview (renders markdown), Copy, and Done buttons. Markdown files also have a 👁 preview button in the file list.
Media playback and image preview
Audio and video files have a ▶ button to play them directly. On the computer, playback streams as the file transfers. Image files show thumbnails — tap the 👁 button or the thumbnail to see the full-resolution image.
Clear all
The Clear all button removes all files from the phone's browser storage. Files you've already downloaded to a computer are not affected.