LocalSend vs Edge Drop: Share Across Devices or Stage on PC

LocalSend and Edge Drop don't compete. LocalSend sends files and text from one device to another over your local Wi-Fi, with no account and no internet. Edge Drop keeps what you copy on one Windows PC, on a shelf you open from the screen edge and drag items out of. If you need a photo from your phone on your PC, use LocalSend; if you need the screenshots and files you copied an hour ago, use a clipboard manager like Edge Drop. Many people use both.

If you came here because Microsoft removed the Drop feature from the Edge browser, LocalSend is the closer replacement. Edge Drop (edgedrop.app) is an independent clipboard app made by the team behind this site, and was never part of Microsoft Edge.

LocalSend vs Edge Drop at a glance

What LocalSend does

LocalSend is a free, open-source app for sharing files and messages with nearby devices. Both devices need LocalSend installed and need to be on the same local network; transfers don't go through the internet or a cloud account.

• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and Fire OS.
• What you can send: any file type, photos and videos, and text.
• Security: transfers use HTTPS between devices, with optional PIN verification.
• Where files land: the Downloads folder by default, changeable in settings.
• Windows install options: an installer, a portable ZIP, winget, Scoop and Chocolatey, according to the project's README. The app doesn't update itself, so the README recommends installing through a package manager or store.

If devices can't see each other, the README's advice is to allow incoming TCP and UDP on port 53317 in your firewall and to turn off AP (client) isolation on your router. Guest Wi-Fi and many hotel networks isolate devices, so discovery fails there.

What Edge Drop does

Edge Drop records each copy on your PC as a card: text, links, colour codes, images and screenshots, and files copied in File Explorer. Open the shelf by moving your cursor to the screen edge or pressing Alt+C, then click a card to paste it or drag an image or file into another app. History survives restarts, and you can search, filter, pin and stack items.

Edge Drop never sends anything to another device. It has no sync, no account and no telemetry. What is Edge Drop? covers the rest.

Which one do you need?

Windows' clipboard history (Win+V) is a third option for text on one PC, and can sync text between Windows PCs signed in to the same Microsoft or work account. It doesn't keep copied files. See how Windows clipboard sync works and, for two PCs on one desk, how to share your clipboard between two Windows PCs.

Using LocalSend and Edge Drop together

A common pattern is phone photos into a document or chat on your PC:

1. Open LocalSend on your phone and PC, on the same Wi-Fi network.
2. Send the photos from the phone. They arrive in the PC's Downloads folder (or the folder you set).
3. In File Explorer, select the photos and press Ctrl+C. Edge Drop records them as a file card. You can also drag them straight onto the shelf, which groups them into stacks of up to 10.
4. Later, open the shelf and drag the card into Word, PowerPoint, Slack or a browser upload box. Steps for this are in how to drag files and images out of Edge Drop.
5. When you're done, delete the card or let the Auto-delete timer clear it. The original files stay in your Downloads folder.

Going the other way works too: take a screenshot on your PC, save it as a file, and send that file with LocalSend. Edge Drop can hold the screenshot for reuse on the PC, but it can't deliver it to your phone.

If you're replacing Microsoft Edge's Drop

Microsoft retired Drop in Edge version 152, released to the Stable channel on August 27, 2026. Drop let you send notes and files between your own devices through OneDrive, using your Microsoft account. What happened to Microsoft Edge Drop explains where your old files went.

The right replacement depends on which part you used:

• Sending files between devices on the same network: LocalSend, or Quick Share for Windows if you use Android.
• Sending between your own Windows PCs: Windows Nearby sharing.
• A message thread you can reach from anywhere: a self-hosted option such as Cliff Drop, compared in self-hosted Edge Drop alternatives, or a cloud folder such as OneDrive.

None of these is a clipboard manager, and Edge Drop isn't a sharing tool. More on that split in clipboard shelf or Nearby Share for moving files.

FAQ

Is LocalSend a clipboard manager?

No. It sends what you choose, when you choose. It doesn't keep a history of what you copy or mirror your clipboard between devices.

Can Edge Drop send files to your phone?

No. Edge Drop works on one Windows PC and makes no network connections for your clipboard. Use LocalSend or another sharing app to reach your phone.

Does LocalSend need an internet connection?

No. It works over your local network without internet or an account. Both devices must be on the same network.

Is LocalSend safe on public Wi-Fi?

Transfers are encrypted with HTTPS and you can require a PIN. LocalSend finds other devices on the same network, so on a network you don't trust, a phone hotspot or your own Wi-Fi is the safer choice.

Related reading

• What Happened to Microsoft Edge Drop in 2026?
• Self-Hosted Edge Drop Alternatives: Cliff Drop, QRDrop, Flitdrop
• Quick Share on Windows: What It Does and How to Use It
• What Is Edge Drop? The Windows Clipboard Shelf Explained

Sources

• LocalSend — platforms, no account or internet, HTTPS and PIN, Downloads folder, licence.
• LocalSend on GitHub — install options, no auto-update, firewall port and AP isolation.
• Microsoft Edge release notes for Stable Channel (Microsoft Learn) — "Drop is retired" in version 152.0.4191.53, August 27, 2026.
• Quick Share for Windows (Google) — Android to Windows sharing.
• Share things with nearby devices in Windows (Microsoft Support) — Nearby sharing between PCs.
• Using the clipboard (Microsoft Support) — Win+V and clipboard sync.

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How to Install Guide · First 10 Minutes Guide · Drag & Drop Guide · Edge Drop vs Win+V · Support