MultiDropAirDrop for Windows: what works and what doesn't
Windows can't run Apple's AirDrop radio, but you can still move files between an iPhone and a Windows PC in a few seconds, wirelessly and without a cloud account.
Why there is no real AirDrop on Windows
AirDrop needs Apple Wireless Direct Link (AWDL). Windows Wi-Fi drivers don't give apps the access AWDL needs, so no Windows app – including MultiDrop – can appear in the iPhone's AirDrop list. Apps that claim otherwise use a different protocol behind an AirDrop-like name.
What MultiDrop does instead
iPhone → PC: install the free LocalSend app on the iPhone and pick your PC, it shows up automatically. PC → iPhone: pick the iPhone in MultiDrop; LocalSend on the iPhone receives the files.
And Android?
Android and Samsung phones send to the same MultiDrop on Windows through their built-in Quick Share menu, no app needed. If you also want real AirDrop, MultiDrop does that on Linux with a supported Wi-Fi card.
How to set it up
- Download MultiDrop-Setup.exe and run it. It installs for your user only.
- Click Yes when Windows asks once, so phones on your Wi-Fi can reach the PC.
- On the iPhone, open LocalSend and pick your PC.
Questions
Will Apple ever bring AirDrop to Windows?
Apple hasn't announced it. MultiDrop works today with the protocols iPhones already support.
Do I need iTunes or iCloud?
No. Files go directly over your Wi-Fi from device to device.