AirDrop Alternative for Linux

AirDrop is one of the things Mac and iPhone users miss most on Linux — and it simply doesn't exist there. Apple has never released AirDrop for any system other than macOS and iOS, and it never will: it runs on a closed Apple Wi-Fi protocol that Linux can't speak. The popular Linux stand-ins — LocalSend, KDE Connect, GSConnect — work, but they usually need an app installed on both devices, and most only move files when both are on the same Wi-Fi. Clipcroft is the closest thing to AirDrop you can use on Linux: open it in any browser and send files to a phone, a Mac, or another computer, with nothing to install and no same-network requirement.

Why there's no AirDrop for Linux

AirDrop relies on two Apple technologies: Bluetooth LE for nearby-device discovery, and a proprietary Apple peer-to-peer Wi-Fi protocol — commonly called AWDL (Apple Wireless Direct Link) — for the transfer itself. AWDL is implemented only in macOS and iOS; it is not part of any open standard, and Apple has never released an AirDrop client for Linux, Windows, or Android. So there is no official AirDrop on Linux and no reliable way to add it. The usual Linux stand-ins re-create the idea: LocalSend, KDE Connect, and GSConnect usually need an app installed on each device, while PairDrop runs in the browser like Clipcroft — but all of them are built around the same local network by default.

AirDrop vs Clipcroft

Share a file from Linux in three steps

1. On your Linux computer, open clipcroft.com in any browser and click Create a new online clipboard. You'll get a clipboard name like "coolfox07".
2. On the other device — a phone, a Mac, or another computer — open clipcroft.com, enter the same clipboard name, and tap or click Open. Both devices are now connected.
3. On your Linux computer, drag one or more files onto the page (or click the icon to pick them). They start transferring right away. On the other device, tap or click Save on each received file — or use the sidebar's Export content option to save them all at once.

The same flow works in reverse, and between any other combination of devices — Linux, Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, or Chrome OS.

When to use which

Use a same-network tool (LocalSend, KDE Connect, GSConnect) if you're happy installing an app on each device and both are already on the same Wi-Fi.

Use Clipcroft when you don't want to install anything — it runs in any browser with nothing to set up, whether the devices are on the same Wi-Fi or on entirely different networks. On the same network, transfers run at local-network speed; across networks, it reaches devices the same-network tools can't.

Browser support

Linux

Any modern browser on Linux — Chrome, Chromium, Firefox, Brave, Edge, and others — on any distribution, including Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, Arch, and Linux Mint. No package to install, no account.

The other device

Any modern browser on a phone, tablet, or computer — Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Mac, or Chrome OS. If it has a browser, it can join the clipboard.

Frequently asked questions

Why isn't there an AirDrop for Linux?

AirDrop runs on a proprietary Apple peer-to-peer Wi-Fi protocol (commonly called AWDL) that exists only in macOS and iOS. Apple has never released an AirDrop client for Linux, and no third-party tool reliably adds one. Browser-based transfer is the dependable way to get AirDrop-style sharing on Linux.

How is this different from LocalSend or KDE Connect?

LocalSend and KDE Connect both work well, but they usually need an app installed on each device, and they're built around the same local network — reaching across networks means extra setup like a VPN, if it's supported at all. Clipcroft runs in the browser with nothing to install, and it works across different networks — so you can reach a phone on cellular or a computer in another building.

Can I send files between Linux and an iPhone or Mac?

Yes. There's no AirDrop between Linux and an iPhone or Mac, but those devices can open clipcroft.com in Safari like any other browser — so Linux-to-iPhone and Linux-to-Mac transfers work the same as any other pair, with no Apple ID and no app.

Do I need an account to use Clipcroft?

No. Clipcroft has no account system — no Apple ID, no Microsoft account, no Google account, no email, no signup.

Do both devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi network?

No. AirDrop and the usual Linux alternatives need both devices nearby or on the same network. Clipcroft works over any internet connection, so one device can be on cellular while the other is on home Wi-Fi.