Temporary file sharing with end-to-end encryption

Send a file handoff or a small collection

A message or group post can include up to five files, with a limit of 1 GB per file and 5 GB in total. Here, 1 GB means 1,000,000,000 bytes. You can add a note or share files on their own, which is useful for documents, project exports, or media that someone needs during a live handoff.

Each room session can temporarily cache up to 5 GB of file content, subject to the browser’s available storage quota and device space. File sharing requires browser support for private on-device file storage and Web Locks. An unsupported browser or insufficient storage produces an explanation.

Receiving and saving are separate actions

Opening a message or joining a chat provides the file descriptions first. Files do not automatically download to the recipient’s permanent downloads folder.

1. Select Attach files in a message, or the attachment control in Group chat, and review the selected names and sizes.
2. Create or send the message and share its secret link with the intended recipients.
3. The recipient chooses Receive files to obtain a file, then Download to save a lasting copy.

How temporary file sharing stays available

Temporary file sharing means availability follows the live session and the peers holding the file pieces. It is not a scheduled file-expiry timer, and it does not erase copies someone has downloaded.

Files move in verified pieces. A recipient can receive pieces from several connected participants, and can share verified pieces onward before obtaining the complete file. The original source must supply every piece at least once.

A live room does not guarantee that every attachment is still available. A download needs all its pieces to exist among reachable participants. Keep the source browser open until the handoff is complete. Cancel removes a partial local receive, while Clear removes the local cached file; neither command deletes other people’s copies.

Share files offline with Optical transfer

For offline file sharing after an initial online setup, Optical transfer sends a file or text from a screen to a camera. This separate mode supports up to 16 MiB per transfer and can work with both devices disconnected from networks. Password encryption is optional and off by default.

The offline file sharing guide explains preparation, transfers across an air gap, and the limits of this experimental mode. Regular peer-to-peer file sharing through a message, chat, or nearby browser still needs network connectivity.

Understand temporary storage and saved copies

Received pieces are cached encrypted on the device under a key held only in the current session’s memory. Session exit invalidates that key and starts cache deletion. A browser crash can interrupt deletion, so later visits also clean abandoned encrypted caches.

Saving a file above 10 MB requires supported desktop Chrome or Edge streaming-save capabilities. Smaller downloads use a separate browser download path. Original files and saved downloads remain after the room ends. Held does not remove embedded file metadata, certify that a file is safe, or promise physical secure erasure of storage.