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When someone sends you files via Floe, they share a link (e.g. https://floe.one/#room=...) or a QR code. Open it in any modern browser to receive. Click the link or scan the QR code. The page connects to the signaling server and joins the sender’s room automatically. No account or installation is needed.
Some in-app browsers (embedded in Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and similar apps) do not support WebRTC. If you open the link inside one of these, Floe detects it and prompts you to open the page in Chrome, Safari, or your default browser instead.

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Connection

Once the page opens, Floe negotiates the WebRTC connection. A connection indicator appears in the corner: The transfer begins automatically once the connection is established. You do not need to click anything.

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Contribute to global stats

While you wait for the transfer, the receiver view shows a Contribute to global stats checkbox. It is on by default. Floe’s homepage has a public, all-time counter of total bytes transferred across every user. When a transfer finishes, the receiving side adds only this transfer’s byte count to that shared total. File names, file contents, and identifying information are never sent, and the report never slows or blocks the transfer. Your choice is saved in your browser and applies to all future transfers from that device. The sender never reports, and the counter is viewable only on the homepage. See Security and Privacy for the full data-handling note.

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Download options

When all files arrive, download options appear:
On iOS, use Download ZIP. Individual file downloads can behave inconsistently on Safari and iOS web views due to browser sandboxing.

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The sender must stay connected

Files stream directly from the sender’s device. If the sender closes their browser tab or the CLI process before the transfer completes, the connection drops and you will need to ask them to start a new session.

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Receiving with the CLI instead

If you prefer the terminal, paste the full link into floe receive:
Or use the short code if the sender shares one:
See floe receive for details and flags.
  • “Room not found” or “expired”: Short codes expire after 10 minutes. Full links stay valid as long as the sender’s tab is open. Ask the sender to start a new session.
  • Stuck connecting: The sender may be behind a strict network. Both peers need to be on compatible networks for a direct connection. Make sure relay fallback is enabled on the sender’s side.
See Troubleshooting for more help.