Transfer files between Windows and Mac
Windows and macOS can share files natively through SMB, and anyone who has set it up knows what it costs. Workgroups, share permissions, user accounts on both machines, and a network path that stops working for no clear reason. For sending a folder to the laptop across the desk, that's a lot of ceremony.
The short answer
Install FileFly on both machines and put them on the same network. Each one shows up in the other's list, you pick what to send, and the other side accepts it. No shares to configure, no credentials to swap, no cloud in between. Whole folders work in either direction, and Linux joins the same way.
DownloadCompared with the built-in options
Both approaches keep your files on your own network. The difference is how much setup stands between you and the first transfer.
| SMB file sharing | FileFly | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup before first transfer | Shares, permissions, accounts | Install and open |
| Needs a user account on the other machine | Usually | No |
| Windows and Mac | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes, with configuration | Yes |
| iPhone | Limited | Yes |
| Whole folders | Yes | Yes, between computers |
| Receiver accepts each transfer | No | Yes |
| Works without internet | Yes | Yes |
Setting it up
Once per machine, and nothing to maintain afterwards.
Install on both computers
Microsoft Store for Windows, Mac App Store or a direct download for macOS, Snap or a .deb package for Linux. It's free on Windows 10 and 11, macOS 11 or later, Linux, and iOS 18 or later.
Connect both to the same network
Wi-Fi, Ethernet or one of each. What matters is that they're on the same router and the same subnet, not which one they use.
Clear the firewall prompt
Windows and macOS may ask whether to allow FileFly on the network. Allow it on the private network profile. FileFly uses port 23013 to find devices and to send files.
Send files or a whole folder
Both machines show up in each other's list. Drop in files or a folder, choose where they're going, and send.
Accept on the other side
The receiving computer accepts the transfer, and the files land in its Downloads folder.
Why this is faster than a cloud drive
A cloud drive sends your file to a data centre and then back down to the other machine. Both legs are limited by your internet connection, and home connections upload much more slowly than they download. Two machines on the same gigabit switch can move data at over a hundred megabytes a second, usually many times faster than the round trip.
It also means the transfer doesn't depend on your internet working, and a large folder doesn't have to fit inside anyone's storage plan.
Every device gets an identity
The first time two devices talk, FileFly pins the other one's cryptographic key. It's the same trust-on-first-use idea SSH uses. After that it can tell that the machine calling itself your MacBook is the same one as last time, and every transfer still has to be accepted by the person receiving it.
Common questions
Do I need to set up SMB or Windows File Sharing?
No. FileFly doesn't use SMB. It finds devices and sends files on port 23013, so there are no shares, permissions or accounts to configure on either machine.
Can I send a whole folder?
Yes, between computers, in any combination of Windows, macOS and Linux. The folder structure is kept.
Does it work between Windows and Linux, or Mac and Linux?
Yes. Any two computers running FileFly on the same local network can send in either direction.
Is there a size limit?
No. Nothing is uploaded to a server, so there's no quota. Speed depends on the network, the devices and their storage.
Where do received files go?
Into the receiving computer's Downloads folder.
Related reading
Wi-Fi vs Ethernet for file transfer
Both handle local transfers fine. The differences show up with large files, and one of them catches people out.
Why is my file transfer slow?
A transfer is a chain: source disk, network, destination disk. The slowest link sets the speed, and it's usually not the one you suspect.
What is a local network?
Your router, and everything connected to it, makes up a small private network that the rest of the internet can't reach into.
Free on every platform
- Windows, macOS, Linux and iPhone
- No account and no sign-up
- No file size limit
- Nothing uploaded to a cloud service