How to send files from PC to phone without a cable or app

Move photos, PDFs and other files from Windows or Mac to iPhone or Android in seconds. Works over the internet, end-to-end encrypted, nothing to install.

You have a PDF on your laptop and need it on your phone. Or a screenshot on your phone that belongs in a document on your PC. The usual options all have a catch: a USB cable you don't have with you, emailing the file to yourself, a chat app that recompresses your photos, or a cloud drive that needs an account on both devices.

Twinpad takes a different approach. Open it in the browser on both devices, and anything you drop on one shows up on the other a moment later. It works between any combination of Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android, and the file is encrypted before it leaves your device.

Send a file from your computer to your phone in 4 steps

  1. Open twinpad.me on your computer and click Create session. Pick how long the session should live: 15 minutes is plenty for a quick transfer.
  2. Scan the QR code with your phone's camera. The link opens Twinpad on your phone and connects it to the same session. No typing, no app to install.
  3. Drag the file into the Files panel on your computer, click the drop area to pick a file, or press Ctrl+V to paste a file or screenshot you copied.
  4. Tap the download button on your phone. The file is decrypted on the phone and saved with its original name.

It works the same in the other direction: add a photo or document on the phone, download it on the computer.

Why not just email it to yourself?

Email works, but it's slow for something this simple and it leaves a copy of the file in your mailbox and your provider's servers indefinitely. Chat apps like WhatsApp or Telegram often compress photos and videos unless you remember to send them "as a file", and they need the app on both devices.

With Twinpad the file is split into 1 MB chunks and each chunk is encrypted with AES-256-GCM in your browser before upload. The server only ever stores encrypted chunks it cannot read, and deletes them when the session ends. When you're done, click Destroy session for everyone and it's gone immediately.

What you can send

iPhone and Android tips

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to install an app?

No. Twinpad runs entirely in the browser: Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox all work. The only requirement is HTTPS, which twinpad.me always uses.

Do I need an account?

No. A session is identified by a 6-digit room code and an 8-character password that your browser generates. The QR code contains both, so scanning it is all you need.

How long are my files kept?

Only as long as the session lives: 15 minutes, 1 hour, 8 hours or 24 hours, whichever you chose, unless you extend it. When it expires or you destroy it, the encrypted chunks are deleted from the server.

Can I send a file to someone else's phone?

Yes, share the link or QR code with them. Keep in mind that anyone with the link can join until you lock the room, so lock it once everyone is in. See how the encryption works for details.

Last updated

Try it now. It takes five seconds.

Open Twinpad on your computer, scan the QR code with your phone, and you're connected. No account, nothing to install.

Start a session

More guides

Copy & paste between computer and phone A shared clipboard for your laptop and phone: paste text on one device and it appears on the other instantly. Works across Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android. Send a password securely Stop emailing passwords to yourself. Send a password, Wi-Fi key or API token to another device end-to-end encrypted, view it once, and let it self-destruct. AirDrop alternative 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. How the encryption works How Twinpad keeps your text, passwords and files private: keys derived in your browser, AES-256-GCM, and a server that only ever sees ciphertext.