Lightning P2P

Open a Lightning P2P transfer in the desktop app.

Receive handoff

Open a Lightning P2P transfer in the desktop app.

Direct answer

Lightning P2P receive links use a URL fragment such as /receive#t=... so the ticket stays in the browser and is not sent to Netlify or GitHub. If Lightning P2P is installed, the page tries to open lightning-p2p://receive?t=... automatically. If it is not installed, the page keeps the ticket available while the receiver installs the Windows app or Android APK.

Lightning P2P receive links use a URL fragment such as /receive#t=... so the ticket stays in the browser and is not sent to Netlify or GitHub.

If Lightning P2P is installed, the page tries to open lightning-p2p://receive?t=... automatically. If it is not installed, the page keeps the ticket available while the receiver installs the Windows app or Android APK.

The receive handoff page is the first viral loop in Lightning P2P. Senders can share a normal HTTPS link in chat or email, and receivers get a clear path: open the installed app or install the recommended Windows setup or Android APK first.

The ticket is placed after the # fragment marker, not in the query string. Browsers do not include fragments in HTTP requests, which keeps the transfer ticket out of ordinary web server access logs.

The raw iroh blob ticket remains available as a fallback for manual paste into the Receive view.

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.

Frequently asked questions

Does the website receive my file transfer ticket?
No. Lightning P2P receive links put the ticket in the URL fragment after #t=. Fragments are handled by the browser and are not sent to the website server in the HTTP request.
What happens if the desktop app is not installed?
The page keeps the ticket in the current browser session and points the receiver to the recommended Windows installer. After installing, the receiver can open the app link again or copy the raw ticket.