Do my files pass through or get saved on any server?

No. Nearsend is strictly a peer-to-peer (P2P) platform. The signaling server is only used to exchange temporary session tokens and WebRTC handshake coordinates. Once connected, your files, text, and clipboard stream directly between your devices via WebRTC DataChannels in 64KB encrypted chunks.

How does the Voice Pairing work securely?

When you generate a voice pairing phrase, the host device creates an ephemeral 3-minute token. When spoken on the guest device, browser speech recognition converts the acoustic phrase into the token. The server validates the match and immediately triggers an explicit confirmation prompt on the host device before any connection is allowed.

Does Nearsend work across different operating systems?

Yes! Nearsend works seamlessly across any modern web browser — Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, iPadOS, and ChromeOS. No native apps or software installations are required.

Is there a file size limit on Nearsend?

Because transfers stream directly via WebRTC without hitting a central server memory limit, you can send files ranging from kilobytes to multi-gigabyte videos. Nearsend incorporates backpressure flow control to ensure smooth transmission without exhausting device RAM.

What DTLS Encryption Means for Your File Transfer

September 20, 2026

"Encrypted" gets used as a blanket reassurance a lot. It's a real, checkable claim, and it's worth being specific about what it covers for a WebRTC-based file transfer, and what it doesn't.

What DTLS actually is

DTLS — Datagram Transport Layer Security — is part of the same well-studied TLS family that secures ordinary HTTPS websites, adapted for connections that don't guarantee messages arrive in order, which is what a WebRTC data channel needs. It isn't a proprietary or invented scheme built for one product; it's a standard protocol with a long track record.

What it protects

DTLS encrypts the contents of your file for the entire trip between the two devices. Anyone intercepting the raw network traffic in between — including a TURN server relaying the connection when a direct path isn't available — sees only ciphertext, not your file.

What it doesn't protect

It's worth being just as clear about the limits. DTLS protects data in transit — it says nothing about what happens to the file once it lands on the recipient's device, which is now subject to that device's own security. It also doesn't verify identity beyond "the device that completed the pairing handshake" — confirming you're sending to the right person is a separate job, handled by the QR code, PIN, or voice phrase used to pair in the first place.

Why 'by default,' not 'if you remember to turn it on'

WebRTC's own specification requires DTLS for every data channel — it isn't an optional setting a developer could accidentally ship turned off, the way encryption has historically been an afterthought, or a paid upsell, in plenty of older file-transfer tools.

The practical takeaway

Encryption in transit is a real, meaningful guarantee — but it's one layer, not a complete safety story on its own. Pairing with the right device and being thoughtful about what you send still matter just as much.