How to Use Filie
Filie is the fastest way to send files between your devices — phone to laptop, iPhone to Android, Mac to Windows. No account, no cloud sign-in, no compression. Just send.
In This Guide
1. What is Filie?
Think of Filie like AirDrop — but it works between any two devices, on any platform, even if they're not in the same room.
Filie sends files directly between your devices. Photos, videos, documents — whatever you want to send, Filie moves it without touching it. No compression, no resizing, no middleman reading your stuff.
There are two ways Filie can send:
- Local (Wi-Fi) — when both devices are on the same network. Fast, free, always works. Great for home and office.
- Cloud — when devices are on different networks or in different places. Goes through Filie's servers, but your files are encrypted before they leave your device — only the other device can read them.
Filie works on iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac, Windows, and Linux. Mix and match any combination.
2. Installing Filie
Get Filie on each device you want to transfer between. It's free to download.
iPhone or iPad
Open the App Store and search for Filie, or visit filie.com and tap the App Store badge.
Android
Open the Google Play Store and search for Filie, or tap the Google Play badge on filie.com.
Mac
Download from the Mac App Store. Search Filie, or use the Mac App Store badge on the website.
Windows
Open the Microsoft Store and search for Filie, or visit the Windows Download page and click through to the Store. Filie installs and updates automatically through the Store — no administrative privileges required.
Linux
Filie is available for Debian, Ubuntu, and other Debian-based distributions, as well as Fedora and other RPM-based distributions, through the Nettica repositories. See the Linux Install page for the exact commands for your distribution.
3. Sharing Your Device
Before you send anything, it's worth setting yourself up to be found. Sharing your device link is the fastest way to connect with someone for the first time.
Share your device link with others using SMS, email, Microsoft Teams, Slack, social media, or any other communication method. You can even download the QR code.
Open Settings — you'll find Copy, QR Code & Share, and Email buttons for your device's link. Send that link to someone and when they open it, Filie adds you as a Favorite on their device automatically. Their device is also automatically added to yours too.
The easiest way to connect is discovery on the same Wi-Fi network. Simply tap the device to make it a favorite.
4. The Main Screen
When you open Filie, you'll see the main screen. Everything starts here.
The Send Button
To start a transfer, pick your files first. The big send button is how you do that — tap it and choose files from your photos, documents, or anywhere else on your device. On some platforms you'll also see a Send Photos option for sending straight from the Photos app. Once you've picked files, you're back on the home screen where you can pick a device or group to send to.
Device List
The main screen shows other devices running Filie on the same Wi-Fi. After picking files, tap a device or group in this list to send to it.
Receive By Code
The main screen also has a Receive By Code button. Tap it and enter a code someone gave you to receive their files, without needing them on the same Wi-Fi.
Local vs. Cloud Pill
Next to each device you'll see a small Local or Cloud pill. Filie automatically picks the best way to reach that device — Local when it's on the same Wi-Fi, Cloud when it isn't. The pill tells you which one Filie is using.
Main Menu
The main menu is in the header, top right. It has Home, Browse, Devices, Groups, History, Settings, and About.
5. Sending Files on the Same Wi-Fi
This is the easiest way to use Filie. Both devices on the same Wi-Fi, and you're done in seconds.
Step 1 — Open Filie on both devices
Make sure both devices have Filie open and are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. The devices should see each other automatically within a few seconds.
Step 2 — Pick your files
Tap the send button and choose what you want to send — photos, videos, documents, anything. On mobile, you'll get a picker. On Mac or Windows, you can also drag and drop files right onto the app window.
Step 3 — Tap the device you want to send to
After picking files, tap the name of the other device in the list. If you don't see it, make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi and Filie is open on both.
Step 4 — Accept on the other device
The receiving device will show a request. If the sending device isn't a Favorite, you'll need to tap Accept. Once accepted, the transfer starts immediately.
Step 5 — Done
That's it. Files land in the receiving device's downloads or photo library, depending on the file type and platform.
6. Sending Files Over the Internet
Cloud transfers let you send to any device anywhere — different Wi-Fi, different city, doesn't matter.
Cloud transfers require a subscription on the sending device. Receiving is always free — the device person never needs a subscription.
No Setup Required
Cloud is on by default — there's nothing to enable. Filie registers your device with the cloud automatically in the background (this registration only lasts an hour). When you send a file, Filie uses your local network if the other device is nearby, and falls back to the cloud if it isn't.
How it Works
Your files are encrypted on your device before they go anywhere. Filie's servers move the encrypted data — they can't read it, and neither can anyone else except the person you're sending to.
Finding the Other Device
To send to a device over the cloud you need to connect using a Short Code, a QR Code, or a Deep Link — or the device needs to already be in your Favorites. Once you've picked your files, a Send By Code button appears so you can generate a code for the other person to enter. See the sections below for each method.
7. Using Short Codes
Short codes are a simple way to connect two devices that aren't on the same Wi-Fi.
Getting Your Code
On the sending device, pick your files first, then tap Send By Code. Filie will show you an 8-character code with a dash in the middle (like K3D9-7QRT). That code is active for a limited time.
Entering the Code
On the receiving device, tap Receive By Code on the main screen and type in the code. Filie will connect to the sending device and start the transfer.
8. Using QR Codes
QR codes are a way to connect two devices without typing anything.
Showing Your QR Code
On the sending device, tap the Send by Code button, then tap the QR Code option. A QR code appears on screen.
Scanning the Code
On the receiving device, tap Receive by QR and point your camera at the QR code. Filie reads the code and connects instantly. No typing required.
9. Browsing Your Files
Everything you receive lands in one place, and Browse is how you get at it — without digging through a system file picker to find it.
Open Browse from the main menu. You get the files Filie has received on this device, newest first, with a thumbnail for anything that's an image so you can pick a photo out by sight instead of by filename.
Each Row
Every file shows its size and the date it arrived. On the right are three buttons: rename, share, and delete. Rename edits the name in place — no dialog. Share hands the file to any other app on your device.
Sorting and Searching
The sort button in the header reorders the list: Newest, Oldest, Name A–Z, Name Z–A, Largest, or Smallest first. The magnifying glass filters by name as you type — useful when a folder has a few hundred things in it.
Working With Several at Once
Long-press any file to start selecting, then tap the rest. The header tells you how many you've picked and swaps in the actions that work on a whole set: share them, move them into a folder, or delete them. The button at the left of those selects everything at once — and selects nothing when everything is already picked.
Moving asks where to put things. Pick a folder from the list, step into it, or make a new one — the trail across the top always shows where you are, and the button names the folder you're about to move into.
Sending Files From Browse
Browse is also a quick way to send something you already have. Select the files you want, tap share in the header, and pick Filie from your device's share sheet. Filie takes you back to the Home screen with those files queued up, ready for you to choose a device or a group.
It works with anything that can share, not just Browse — your photo library, your files app, a document you're reading. Filie is the destination; the flow is the same.
Opening a File
Tap a file and Filie opens it itself. Photos, video, audio, PDFs, plain text and Markdown all display in the app, and you can swipe sideways to move through the rest of the files in that folder — handy for going through a batch of photos someone just sent you. Photos open full screen; tap once to bring the name and back button back.
Anything Filie can't display offers to open it in another app instead.
Folders
Folders sit at the top of the list, above the files. Tap one to go in, and the back arrow in the header steps you back out — however many levels deep you've gone. Sorting and searching apply to the folder you're looking at, so searching inside a folder searches that folder.
To make one, select the files you want to gather up and choose move. The picker that opens has a new-folder button, and it drops you straight inside the folder it just made, ready to move the files in. That's the quickest way to tidy a pile of received files into something you can find later.
Zip files open the same way: tap one to look inside without unpacking it, or use Extract All to unpack the whole thing beside the archive.
10. Favorite Devices
Favorites are devices you trust. Transfers from a Favorite skip the approval step and go straight through — on Wi-Fi or over the cloud.
Adding a Favorite
After a successful transfer, you can save that device as a Favorite. Or scan their QR code, or use a link (see Sharing Your Device). Every device has a star next to it — tap it to add or remove a Favorite. Favorites show a filled yellow star, everyone else shows an outline, and Favorites are always listed on the Home and Devices screens whether they're online or not.
Auto-Accept
Files from a Favorite device come through automatically — no approval prompt. This is great for sending between your own devices. Just send from your phone and the files show up on your Mac without touching anything.
11. Groups
Groups let you send to multiple devices at once — great for families, teams, or any situation where everyone needs the same file.
For more information about groups, see the Groups page.
Creating a Group
Go to Groups in the main menu and tap the + button to create a new group. Give it a name and add devices from your Favorites list.
Sending to a Group
Tap the group and send your files the same way you would to a single device. Filie delivers as policy dictates. Groups always send through the cloud, even if members are on the same Wi-Fi.
12. Cloud Subscription
Local transfers are always free. Cloud transfers — sending to devices on different networks — requires a subscription.
What You Get
- Unlimited cloud transfers
- Removal of 20-file limit
- Up to 10 devices covered per subscription
- Works across all your platforms — iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and Linux
Linking Your Devices
One subscription covers up to 10 devices. To link them, use Restore Purchase on each device after subscribing. This tells Filie that all those devices belong to the same subscription — no account or sign-in needed.
To link devices across platforms, use Link Device in the Settings. You enter the code displayed on the device you want to link. This is also where you manage and remove linked devices.
Subscribing
Go to Settings inside the app and tap Subscribe. Payment goes through your device's app store — Apple or Google — so your billing info never touches Filie's servers.
Ready to start sending? Download Filie on all your devices.
Linux Install