Lightning P2P
An open-source AirDrop alternative for Windows.
AirDrop-style Windows sharing
An open-source AirDrop alternative for Windows.
Direct answer
Lightning P2P is an open-source AirDrop-style file transfer app for Windows, focused on direct-first transfers, QR/link handoff, no account, and no cloud upload.
If you need AirDrop-like sharing outside the Apple ecosystem, Lightning P2P focuses on direct device-to-device transfers, nearby discovery, QR tickets, and no artificial file-size caps.
The stable public release supports Windows and Android 10+ sideload users. Apple AirDrop interop is not claimed; Lightning P2P transfers require Lightning P2P on both ends.
Download the recommended Velopack one-click installer, the classic NSIS setup installer, or the MSI installer. Android users can sideload LightningP2P-android-latest.apk and verify it with SHA256SUMS-android.txt. Signing status, SmartScreen notes, Android sideload notes, and SHA256 checksums are available on GitHub Releases. App version: v0.5.1.
Key facts
- Product
- Lightning P2P
- Category
- peer-to-peer file transfer app
- Platform
- Windows stable release, Android 10+ sideload release
- Stable release
- v0.4.6
- Experimental release
- v0.5.1 speed modes + reliability (carries v0.5.0 BLE/NFC)
- License
- Apache-2.0
- Account required
- no
- Cloud upload
- no
- Artificial file-size cap
- no
- Transfer model
- direct-first P2P
- Transport
- iroh / QUIC
- Verification
- BLAKE3
- Source code
- GitHub
- Cost
- free
Important caveats
- Sender must stay online until the receiver finishes.
- Tickets are capability tokens and should be treated as secrets.
- Relay fallback helps connectivity, but it is not cloud storage.
- Browser website is receive handoff and marketing, not the transfer engine.
- Public speed leadership claims require repeatable benchmark results.