CROSS-DEVICE FILES
Transfer files between a phone and computer in a browser
Open the file workspace on one device, create an invitation and open it on the other. A QR code can help move the invitation between screens; the file itself travels over the session's network connection.
Prepare both devices before selecting a file
Connect both devices to working networks and use browsers that support the required session features. Confirm that the sending browser can access the source file and that the receiving device has room to save it.
Phone operating systems may suspend a background browser or a locked screen. Keep the transfer page in the foreground and the screen awake; connecting once does not prove the session will survive a network change.
Move the invitation to the other screen
On the first device, open the file workspace and create an invitation. On the second, scan the displayed invitation QR code or open the generated private link. Approve camera access if you choose a camera-based scan.
Use the invitation while it is valid. If it expires before the second device joins, generate a new one. Do not publish the invitation in a screenshot or send it to an unrelated device.
Send from the device that holds the file
After both devices show the connected session, select the file on its source device and follow progress on each screen. A successful QR scan only opens the invitation; it is not proof that any file was transferred.
Wait for the recipient's completion and save action. Check the saved file on the receiving device before closing the sending page or deleting the original.
If progress stops on a phone
Bring both browser pages to the foreground and check whether Wi-Fi, mobile data or the session path changed. If the session ended, reconnect and use the transfer state shown by the app rather than assuming an interrupted transfer completed.
A volunteer relay is limited to files of 2 MiB, and Nostr rescue does not transfer files. Larger transfers need a suitable Direct path. This guide does not establish support for every mobile browser or background-transfer behavior.
Questions and answers
Is the file encoded in the QR code?
No. The QR code carries the session invitation. The file travels over the negotiated network path after both devices connect.
Must the phone and computer be on the same Wi-Fi?
They need a working path between their browsers, not necessarily the same Wi-Fi network. Firewalls and network restrictions can still prevent Direct connectivity.
Can I lock the phone during transfer?
Keep the page active and the screen awake. Mobile systems may suspend background tabs, so this workflow does not promise uninterrupted transfer while the phone is locked.
Connect