Ife Ogunfuwa
Think back to when you last wanted to transfer some music or videos to your friend’s smartphone and how difficult and slow it was. As powerful as our phones are, the default file sharing options are limited.
According to Gadget Hacks, there are fortunately, some better options which make moving files easy, secure and painless.
With these apps, moving files between mobile devices has never been easier. And because none of the apps on our list depend on slower transmission technology such as Bluetooth, file transfer is quick while remaining easy and secure. These apps even provide an option to transfer files to your desktop, removing the need to tether it to your computer with the USB cable temporarily.
While there are a lot of options on the Play Store which can accomplish the feature, these are the best options we found in our testing.
Send Anywhere
Unlike some of the other options on our list, Send Anywhere is strictly a file sharing app. There is no remote control of other devices, shared notifications, or any other additional features. However, with this specialisation comes better performance, including an abundance of ways to conduct file sharing, no matter your situation.
Send Anywhere sends files using one of five ways. The primary method is using a six-digit, randomly generated code that appears on your screen after sending. You have 10 minutes to share this code with the recipient before it expires. Once shared, the receiver inputs the code to receive the files. There is also a QR code that is generated at the same time, which can be scanned as well if the person is nearby.
The second method is using an inaudible sound beacon. Send Anywhere generates a sound wave at a unique frequency that when received by the other party’s phone, it will start the transferring process. Like the six-digit key, the sound expires after 10 minutes. However, unlike the key, this method requires the devices to be nearby, no further than 13-feet apart. This method is only available in the beta version and only on Android at the moment.
The third method is Share Link, which temporarily uploads the file to Send Anywhere’s servers. Once uploaded, the file can be downloaded using the unique link. This method is also the only way to send it to multiple people, as anyone with the key can download the files in the link. With the free version, the link lasts for a maximum of 48 hours. However, with premium, you can adjust the length to much longer, including no expiration date.
This third method does come with limitations. First, the file size is limited to 10 GB on the free version and 50 GB for the premium. Second, you can only have links with a total capacity of 10 GB on the free version. However, if you upgrade to the premium tier, your link capacity improves to 1 TB.
The fourth method is to send it directly to a device. Devices include those you previously shared with and devices nearby. Once selected, the receiving device will receive a notification and start receiving the files without having to do anything. As a security measure, turn off the option to make your device discoverable to avoid random files from strangers.
The final method is especially helpful for those without a strong internet connection or no internet connection at all. Using Wi-Fi Direct, the wireless adapters for both the sender and receiver connect directly to each other. Once connected, files can be sent directly without the need for the internet. Since it is using the wireless adapter, this method is much faster than Bluetooth, achieving speeds about 200x faster. However, this feature is only available for Android devices and requires the devices to be near each other.
AirDroid
Unlike Send Anywhere, AirDroid is more than just a file transfer app. It is an app designed for those whose work has them bouncing back and forth between multiple devices. As a result, it is loaded with a host of features, not just file transfers. While it is limited as a file transfer app, its support for Wi-Fi Direct helped it achieve a second-place rank on our list.
AirDroid can only transfer files up to 1 GB remotely, and that is with the premium version. This low size severely limits what type of file you can transfer unless you compress the file first. Without upgrading the service, you are limited to a miserable 30 MB, enough to send a document or two. AirDroid does support Wi-Fi Direct, however, which eliminates the 1 GB cap, but is limited to local devices only.
However, for our readers who decide to take a gander at AirDroid, it will more than likely be because of all the other non-file sharing features it offers. AirDroid lets you mirror your phone’s notifications to your desktop, sends SMS and app notifications from your computer, remotely controls your Android device, remotely monitors your mobile device’s surrounding by accessing its camera, and more. What is even better is most of these features don’t require the premium version.
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