Frequently Asked Questions

Light Share is a file sharing app that moves files and folders directly between devices: Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows and Linux. Transfers go over your local Wi-Fi, a direct Near-by link, an offline hotspot, or a USB cable. Files never pass through a cloud server.

Yes. Every transfer up to 2 GB is free, with all features included and no ads. A one-time lifetime license removes the size limit on all your devices. There is no subscription.

Android 10 and up, iOS and iPadOS 26 and up, macOS 11 and later (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows 10 and 11, and Linux. Any device can send to and receive from any other.

Devices on the same Wi-Fi or LAN find each other automatically, and with Bluetooth on, nearby devices appear even without a shared network. You can also scan a QR code shown on the receiving device, type a short connection code, or plug in a USB cable. If you are unsure, the Help Me Share wizard in the app recommends the best method for your situation.

Yes. With Near-by, Light Share finds the other device over Bluetooth and sets up a direct Wi-Fi link by itself, with no router and no internet, between Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac and Windows. On Android you can also create a hotspot inside the app that other devices join by scanning a QR code. Any local network works even without internet, and USB cable transfers need no network at all. Mobile data is never used.

Yes. Light Share supports USB transfer between a phone and a computer (Android and iPhone, on Mac, Windows and Linux), between two Android phones, from Android to iPhone, and between two computers over Thunderbolt or USB4. iPhone to iPhone cable transfer is not supported; two iPhones can share over Wi-Fi or Near-by instead.

No. Files travel directly from one device to the other over your local network or cable. Nothing is uploaded to our servers, and we cannot see your files.

Turn on Secure Line in Settings and every transfer is encrypted with TLS using keys generated on your own device. You can additionally pair devices with a QR code or 6-digit PIN, compare key fingerprints, and Light Share warns you if a trusted device's identity ever changes.

No internet server sits in the middle, so transfers run at the full speed of the link between your devices. In our tests: up to 16 Gbps between two Macs over Thunderbolt, 5.6 Gbps between an iPhone with a USB 3 port and a Mac over USB-C, and 1 Gbps through the hotspot an Android phone or a Windows PC starts. On your own Wi-Fi, network or cable, speed depends on the available bandwidth, the cable type and how fast the devices themselves are.

Light Share parks the transfer and reconnects automatically when the devices see each other again, then continues from where it stopped instead of starting over. This works for both network and USB transfers.

Per transfer, on the free tier. You can send unlimited transfers free of charge, each up to 2 GB in total size. The lifetime license removes the limit entirely, and a transfer is unlimited if either the sender or the receiver owns a license.

All of them. Sign in with the same account in the app on each device and your lifetime license applies everywhere: Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows and Linux.

No ads, in the free version or the paid one. Light Share's business model is the lifetime license, not your data.

Purchases made on the website come with a 7-day money-back guarantee. Purchases made through the App Store or Google Play follow the store's own refund process.

Near-by lets two devices share files when they are not on the same Wi-Fi. Light Share finds the other device over Bluetooth, then links the two directly over Wi-Fi: an Android phone or a Windows PC hosts a private hotspot, two iPhones use Wi-Fi Aware, and iPhones and Macs use peer-to-peer Wi-Fi. Files never travel over Bluetooth. Near-by works on Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac and Windows, but not on Linux yet.

No. If Apple's device driver is missing, Light Share installs it with one click and a single Windows security prompt. Installing iTunes works too. Over Wi-Fi or Near-by, no driver is needed at all.