An AirDrop alternative for Windows, Android and Linux
AirDrop only works between Apple devices. Twinpad sends files and text between any phone and computer through the browser, end-to-end encrypted, no app needed.
AirDrop is great when everything you own is made by Apple. The moment a Windows laptop, an Android phone or a Linux machine is involved, it's no help. Twinpad covers that gap: it runs in the browser, so any device that can open a web page can send and receive files and text.
Twinpad vs. AirDrop at a glance
| AirDrop | Twinpad | |
|---|---|---|
| Windows, Android, Linux | No | Yes |
| iPhone, iPad, Mac | Yes | Yes |
| App or setup needed | Built in | None, works in the browser |
| Devices must be nearby | Yes (Bluetooth + Wi-Fi) | No, works over the internet |
| Shared text that syncs live | No | Yes |
| Passwords with auto-delete | No | Yes, one-time secrets |
| File size | Very large files | Up to 200 MB per file |
| Works offline | Yes | No, needs internet |
If you're moving a 4 GB video between two Macs on the same desk, AirDrop is still the better tool. For everything else, especially mixed devices, Twinpad is quicker to reach for.
How to use Twinpad like AirDrop
- Open twinpad.me on the device you're sending from and click Create session.
- Scan the QR code with the receiving device's camera. That's the "accept" step: only devices that have the QR code or link can join.
- Drag files in, or paste text and screenshots with Ctrl+V. They appear on the other device right away.
Step-by-step details for files are in how to send files from PC to phone, and for text in copy and paste between computer and phone.
Common combinations
Windows PC to iPhone
The case AirDrop can't handle at all. Open Twinpad on the PC, scan the QR code with the iPhone camera, drop the file. On the iPhone it saves to the Files app.
Android to Mac
Create the session on the Mac, scan with the Android phone, and add photos from the phone's gallery through the file picker. Download them on the Mac.
Phone to a computer that isn't yours
Printing something at a library or a hotel business center? Open Twinpad on the public computer, scan the code with your phone, send the file. When you're done, destroy the session: nothing stays on the server, and you never had to sign in to your email on a shared machine.
Is it private?
Yes. Everything is encrypted in the browser with AES-256-GCM before it's uploaded, and the key never reaches the server. Sessions expire after at most 24 hours, unless you extend them, and you can destroy them at any time. AirDrop has its own privacy quirks, like strangers seeing your device name when it's set to "Everyone". Twinpad has no discoverability at all: a device can only join with the code. Read how the encryption works.
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