Transfer files between phone and PC over the internet
Send files to your PC at home while your phone is on mobile data. Paired devices connect directly over the internet, end-to-end encrypted.
Pair your devices once at home; after that, send as usual from anywhere. When the phone and PC aren’t on the same network, they find each other over the internet automatically and connect directly, using an encrypted relay only when a direct path is impossible. There is nothing to switch on.
At a glance
- Works on mobile data or another Wi-Fi, with nothing to set up.
- The local network is always tried first.
- The rendezvous service can’t read connection offers and deletes them within 120 seconds.
- A relay is used only if a direct connection is impossible, and it can’t read the traffic either.
- No account: devices recognize each other by their own keys.
Step by step
Pair at home first
Pairing needs both devices on the same network once: Add device on the PC, Scan QR code on the phone.
Keep both apps running
Leave the PC app in the tray and the phone’s “Personal Bridge is running” notification in place. Both need internet access.
Send as usual
Tap Files on the phone or drop files on Send files on the PC. The device shows Connecting, then Connected.
Mind your data plan
When the phone is on mobile data, transfers count towards your plan.
How it works
The devices exchange short, encrypted connection offers through our rendezvous service, which can’t read them, then connect directly with WebRTC. Behind strict company or carrier networks a direct path may be impossible; then the still-encrypted traffic is relayed through Cloudflare’s TURN service. Relayed connections are slower, but the end-to-end encryption is the same everywhere.
Turning it off
There is no switch in the apps yet. On a PC, set the environment variable PDB_RENDEZVOUS to off and restart the app. Organisations can enforce local-network-only with a policy.
Questions
Do I need a VPN or any router settings?
No. Paired devices find each other over the internet on their own; you just keep both apps running.
Can you see my files?
No. Files go end-to-end encrypted between your devices, and even a relayed connection can’t be read. No content is stored on a server.
Can I pair two devices over the internet?
No. Pairing needs the same network (or the phone’s hotspot) once; internet mode only connects devices that are already paired.
Why is it slower than at home?
Speed depends on both internet connections, and a relayed connection adds a detour. The local network is always faster.