How Nearsend Connects & Transfers

Direct browser-to-device transport powered by WebRTC DataChannels, with zero persistent cloud storage at any step of the entire process.

How it works

1. Open Nearsend on both devices, Go to nearsend.app in any modern browser on the sending and receiving device; no app to install.
2. Pair them, Scan the animated QR code, enter the 6-digit PIN, or say the voice phrase to connect the two devices directly.
3. Send your files or folder, Drop files or a full folder onto the page, or pick them from the file browser. They stream straight to the other device.

Private by design

Files go directly between your two devices, encrypted, and are never stored on a server. If a network blocks direct connections, an encrypted relay may carry the data without being able to read it, and Nearsend tells you when that happens.

Common questions

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

They are never stored. Nearsend is a peer-to-peer (P2P) platform: the signaling server only exchanges temporary session tokens and WebRTC handshake coordinates. Once connected, your files, text, and clipboard stream directly between your devices via WebRTC DataChannels in 64KB DTLS-encrypted chunks. If a direct path is blocked (some corporate or mobile networks), an encrypted TURN relay forwards the data without being able to read it, and Nearsend tells you when that is happening.

How does the Voice Pairing work securely?

When you generate a voice pairing phrase (e.g. "Blue Falcon 728"), 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 it work across different operating systems?

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

1. Temporary identity

Each device receives an ephemeral, funny identity for the session, something like "🐧 Captain Penguin", generated on the spot. No account, login, or personal information is required to get one, and nothing about it persists once the tab closes.

2. Three pairing methods

Two devices pair in seconds using an animated QR code, a 6-digit numeric PIN, or a spoken voice phrase (something like "Blue Falcon 728"). All three accomplish the same underlying handshake; they're different ways of getting a short-lived connection token from one device to the other, suited to different situations (a working camera, a hands-free moment, or simply typing being faster in the moment).

3. Encrypted direct stream

Files, folders, text, and clipboard items stream directly between the two browsers in chunked 64KB packages, with backpressure flow control keeping either device's memory from ever being overwhelmed by a very large transfer.

P2P architecture vs. legacy cloud upload

A traditional cloud upload looks like this: Device A uploads to server storage (100%), the server stores the file on disk or in a database, then Device B downloads from server storage (100%), slow double-bandwidth consumption, a real privacy exposure while the file sits there, and whatever storage limits that service imposes. Nearsend's flow is different: a signaling server coordinates a short-lived token, a WebRTC handshake opens a direct peer-to-peer channel, and data moves straight from Device A to Device B, direct encrypted transmission, zero server storage, and the maximum throughput your own local network can actually offer at any given moment.

Why signaling can't see your files

The signaling server's entire job is coordinating the handshake, exchanging connection details so the two browsers know how to reach each other. It never receives file data at any point; by the time an actual file starts moving, the connection has already become a direct data channel between the two devices, and the signaling server has stepped out of the path entirely.

What backpressure flow control actually does

Sending a large file in one uncontrolled burst can overwhelm a receiving device's available memory, especially on a phone with limited RAM. Backpressure flow control paces the outgoing chunks to match how fast the receiving side can actually process them, so a multi-gigabyte transfer stays smooth and stable instead of stalling or crashing a lower-powered device partway through the process.

Why three pairing methods instead of one

A QR code is fastest when both devices have a working camera and reasonable lighting. A PIN works when scanning isn't convenient, reading six digits off one screen and typing them into another. A voice phrase works hands-free, useful when a device is already in use for something else, or a camera genuinely isn't an option. Offering all three means one bad camera angle or a pair of busy hands doesn't block pairing entirely.

What happens after the handshake completes

Once the WebRTC data channel opens, the signaling server's job is already finished; it doesn't stay involved, monitor the transfer, or see any progress updates. Everything from that point forward, including retries if a chunk needs resending, happens directly between the two browsers over the same encrypted channel, start to finish.

Guides

Phone to PC Send Folders Large Files Without an App LocalSend Alternative P2P Transfer Without Shared Wi-Fi Private Sharing