My primary devices are an iPhone, a Windows PC, and a MacBook, and I'm looking for a fast, reliable way to share files with each other. I've relied on primitive solutions like sending myself emails or text messages and uploading files to a cloud storage service to send them cross-platform. None of these solutions are as seamless as Apple's AirDrop, however, and even that isn't always reliable. I've had instances where AirDrop transfers have failed for no apparent reason, or where one of my Apple devices can't see the other.

That all changed when I discovered LocalSend, thanks to Jared Newman’s reporting at PC World . LocalSend is a free, cross-platform file-sharing app that works offline. As long as all your devices are on the same Wi-Fi network, you can use the app to send files, folders, text, or even use it as a cross-platform clipboard. That last one is a huge feature for me, since I love Apple’s Universal Clipboard feature that lets me copy from any Apple device and paste to any other.

To set it up, head over to the download page on the LocalSend website and download the app onto all of your devices. The app supports Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, and Android (including Google Play, F-Droid, and the Amazon Appstore). That’s an extensive list, covering every device from your old Windows PC to a de-Googled Android phone.

Once the app is installed, all you need to do is make sure your devices are on the same WiFi network.