Peer to peer · No upload · No size limit
Send large files straight to someone else's device
10 GB, 100 GB, a terabyte — there is no cap, because nothing is uploaded. Share a six-digit code and the bytes go straight from your browser to theirs.
This device — send
Share this code
Expires in 15:00
Channel idle
Their device — receive
- Nothing uploaded
- Encrypted end to end
- No account
- Free, no size cap
In short
What peer-to-peer file transfer actually means
FileXL P2P is a free browser tool that sends a file directly from one device to another using WebRTC data channels. The sender picks a file and gets a six-digit code; the receiver enters that code; the two browsers open an encrypted link and the bytes travel between them. Because the file is never uploaded, there is no size limit, no storage, and no waiting for an upload to finish before the other person can start downloading.
The trade-off is simple and worth stating plainly: both people have to be online at the same time, with the page open, for the whole transfer. If you need someone to collect a file later, a conventional upload-and-link service is the right tool instead.
The handshake
Four steps, about a minute
These are ordered because the order matters — nothing can happen until the sender's browser has published an offer.
Pick a file
Drop it on the send panel. Your browser reads it locally. No bytes leave your machine yet.
Get a code
FileXL's signalling server issues a six-digit code and holds your browser's connection offer for fifteen minutes.
They connect
The receiver enters the code. The two browsers exchange network routes and agree on the fastest path between them.
Bytes move
The file streams device to device and is written to the receiver's disk as it arrives. The handshake record is deleted.
Specification
What you are getting, precisely
| Maximum file size | None imposed. Limited by your bandwidth and the receiver's free disk space. |
|---|---|
| Transport | WebRTC data channel over SCTP, reliable and ordered. |
| Encryption | DTLS 1.2+ with AES-GCM, mandatory in WebRTC and not disableable. |
| Server storage | None. The signalling server holds only the connection handshake, for fifteen minutes at most. |
| Routing | Direct peer-to-peer where the network allows it; TURN relay as a fallback. The page shows you which is in use. |
| Pairing | Six-digit code, single use. Once a receiver connects, the code stops working. |
| Receiver storage | Streamed to disk during transfer, so a 50 GB file does not need 50 GB of RAM. |
| Account required | No. No email, no sign-up, no install. |
| Price | Free. |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Brave — desktop and mobile. |
Choosing a method
When peer to peer beats an upload — and when it doesn't
| FileXL P2P | Email attachment | Cloud storage link | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size limit | None | About 25 MB | Plan dependent |
| Copy stored on a server | No | Yes, indefinitely | Yes |
| Both people online at once | Required | Not required | Not required |
| Wait for upload before download | No — it streams | Yes | Yes |
| Account needed | No | Yes | Yes |
| Cost | Free | Free | Often paid above a quota |
| Best for | Big files, right now, to someone you are talking to | Small documents | Files people collect later |
Questions
Frequently asked
What is peer-to-peer file transfer?
It sends a file directly from one device to another over the internet, without uploading it to a server first. FileXL uses WebRTC data channels: the two browsers negotiate a link and the file bytes travel between them. Our server only helps the browsers find each other. It never receives the file.
Is there a file size limit?
No limit is imposed by FileXL, because nothing is stored. The practical ceiling is your connection speed and the receiver's free disk space. Multi-gigabyte transfers are routine. The receiving browser writes to disk as data arrives rather than holding the file in memory, so browser memory is not the constraint.
Is it secure?
WebRTC data channels are encrypted with DTLS and encryption cannot be switched off, so the file is encrypted in transit between the two browsers and never touches our storage. Be aware of what that does not cover: the six-digit code is the only thing gating the session, so send it over a channel you trust. Each code works exactly once — as soon as a receiver connects, it is retired.
Do both people need to be online at the same time?
Yes. There is no copy on a server, so both tabs must stay open for the whole transfer. Closing either one stops it. If the recipient needs to collect the file later, use a conventional upload-and-link service instead.
How fast is it?
On a direct route, throughput is limited by the slower of the two connections, not by a server in between. Two machines on the same office or home network often move data dramatically faster than a cloud round trip, because the bytes never leave the building. If a strict firewall blocks a direct route, traffic falls back to a relay and slows down — the channel readout tells you which route you got.
Does FileXL keep my files?
Not on this page. The only thing our server handles is the connection handshake between the two browsers. It is deleted the moment the peers connect, and expires by itself after fifteen minutes regardless.
Do I need an account, an app or an extension?
None of them. Both people open the page in a browser and that is the whole setup.
Which browsers work?
Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Opera and Brave, on desktop and mobile. Chrome and Edge also support the File System Access API, which lets FileXL write directly to a location you choose — the fastest path for very large files. Other browsers fall back to a streamed download.
The transfer failed halfway. What happened?
Almost always one of three things: a tab was closed, a device slept, or the network changed (Wi-Fi to mobile, or a VPN connecting). There is no resume, because there is no server-side copy to resume from. Start again with a new code — on a stable connection, large transfers complete reliably.