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Short answers, each with a link to the page that covers it properly. If you are looking at an error message, go to Troubleshooting instead.

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Files and transfers

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Where do my files go?

Straight to the other person’s device. In most transfers they never touch a server at all, and when a network forces a relay, that relay carries encrypted packets it cannot read. How a transfer works

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How big a file can I send?

There is no limit on a direct connection, which is what most transfers get. A relayed transfer is capped at 2 GB per session. File size limits

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Can I send a folder?

Yes from Floe Desktop and the CLI, which walk the folder and rebuild it on the other side. No from the browser, which has no folder picker. Which Floe to use

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How fast is it?

As fast as the slower of the two internet connections, with no throttling of any kind. A relayed transfer is slower because every byte takes a detour. Direct connections

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How long does the sender have to stay connected?

For the whole transfer. Files stream from their device, so closing the tab, quitting the app, or stopping the process ends it. Receiving files

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Are my files stored anywhere?

No. Nothing is stored on any server at any point, and once the session closes the server keeps no record of it. The one thing that outlives a session is a short code’s mapping to a random room id, which expires ten minutes after the code was made. Security and privacy

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Why did a file not arrive?

Floe discards anything whose size does not match what the sender announced, rather than handing you a file that looks whole and is not. Ask them to send it again. Troubleshooting

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Using Floe

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Which browsers work?

Any modern browser with WebRTC: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and most Chromium-based browsers. A secure context is required, which means HTTPS or localhost. Sending files You opened it inside another app’s built-in browser, and those handle file transfers poorly. The page does not join the room until you switch or dismiss the prompt, so nothing is lost. Receiving files

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Why does it say Direct when the other device is on mobile data?

Because it really is direct. WebRTC opens a path between two devices on completely different networks without a server in the middle. Direct connections

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Can I type a short code in the browser?

No. The web app has no code field and never mints one; codes are a desktop and CLI feature in both directions. A browser recipient always needs the link. Which Floe to use

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Do both people need the same version?

No. Peers on different releases interoperate, and the only time a transfer is blocked is a breaking wire-format change, which Floe detects before any data moves. Protocol versioning

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Which one should I use?

The browser unless you need folders, a place on disk, or a script. Which Floe to use

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Privacy and the project

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Do I need an account?

No. There is no account, no sign-up, and no registration on any surface.

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What does Floe collect?

The website runs cookieless aggregate analytics and error monitoring. The CLI and the desktop app contain none of that: their only optional requests are a byte count and an update check, and both have an off switch. Security and privacy

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What is the counter on the homepage?

A public all-time total of bytes Floe has moved, fed by receivers reporting a size and nothing else. Every receiver can turn it off. Aggregate statistics

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What does Floe not protect against?

The signaling server is trusted to introduce the two devices honestly, no client shows a verification code today, and a browser receiver holds each file in memory. There are eight of these and they are all written down. Known limitations

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Is Floe open source?

Yes, MIT licensed, all four parts. GitHub, and you can run your own instance.