How to transfer files from Android to Android
Install the ZiggSend app on both phones (free), show the QR code on the one that receives and scan it with the one that sends. It’s easy and free, with no ads. Photos, videos and any file arrive with no quality loss, verified byte for byte: no computer, no account, no cloud.
This guide is for Android and Android: open this page on one of them, or send the link with “Send to someone”.
What you need
- Two phones with Android 7 or newer
- Both on the same Wi-Fi (your home wifi works)
How long it takes
We haven’t measured this pair yet. On the pairs we measured, home Wi-Fi ran at 17.5 to 49.7 MB/s; your time depends on your network and devices. How we measure →
Over Wi-Fi, step by step
Both phones on the same network; they connect with a QR code.
On both Android phones, get it free on Google Play. No computer needed.
On the Android that receives, tap “Receive files here”: a QR code appears. On the Android that sends, tap “Connect to a computer”, then “Scan the QR code”, and point the camera at the code. If the sending Android is already connected to a computer, the button is called “Connect a phone or computer”.
On the Android that sends, tap “Send photos and videos”, check what you want in Android’s picker and confirm. For PDFs and other files, use “Send documents, PDFs, ZIPs…”.
On the Android that receives, you see “3 files arrived intact” (with the number of files you sent). Images and videos go to the Gallery, in the ZiggSend folders; other files go to Downloads › ZiggSend.
Other ways (Android → Android)
What each option does, only with facts you can check at the source.
| Option | How it moves | Good to know | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick Share | Wireless | Between Android (6 or newer), Chromebook and Windows. | |
| Through the messaging app | Photos and videos sent as media are recompressed (even HD doesn’t send the original); as a document, up to 2 GB. | ||
| Xender | Wireless | Phone to phone without internet; contains ads. | Google Play |
| ZiggSend | Wi-Fi (QR code) | Free on phones; checks every file byte for byte. | How we measure |
What can go wrong (and what to do)
The QR code doesn’t connect
Both need to be on the same Wi-Fi (one on Wi-Fi and the other on mobile data won’t work). Guest, hotel and office Wi-Fi often isolates devices: use your home Wi-Fi or one phone’s hotspot. Turn off any VPN.
I turned the screen off mid-transfer
On Android, sending keeps going with the screen off when ZiggSend’s notification is allowed. Without it, the app asks you to keep the screen on until it finishes.
The Android phone stopped receiving with the screen off
Android receives with the screen off and the app closed in the background. If the system doesn’t allow it, the app tells you to keep the screen on.
The Wi-Fi dropped
Just send again: it picks up where it stopped. A file that fails the check is never saved, and the app tells you.
Questions from people about to do this
Does it lose quality?
No. The file arrives identical to the original, verified byte for byte: photo, 4K or HDR video, document.
Do the files leave the Android?
No. ZiggSend only copies: nothing is deleted on the Android that sends.
Do I need internet?
Not to transfer: just both on the same Wi-Fi. Your files never go through a server.
Is there a size limit?
No, not even on the Free plan.
Do I need an account?
No. No sign-up.
Is it free?
Yes: ZiggSend for phones is always free.
Is it safe?
Yes. The file goes straight from one device to the other over your own network, with the content encrypted (AES-256), and never through a server. To connect, the two devices recognize each other with a code (the security code or the QR code).
Are there ads?
No.
Does it work on my Samsung, Xiaomi or Motorola?
Yes, on any Android 7 or newer.
And without Wi-Fi?
Put one phone on the other’s hotspot: then both are on the same network.
Can I use a cable?
No. For this pair ZiggSend uses Wi-Fi only; the cable exists only from Android to the Mac.
Where do the files go on the Android phone?
On the Android phone, images and videos go to the Gallery, in the ZiggSend folders; other files go to Downloads › ZiggSend.