File sharing tools have become essential for a growing number of professionals that want to remotely transfer their documents and information. Mobile file sharing apps weren’t born yesterday, but it was practically yesterday that one of the most widely used on both Android and iOS platforms, Send Anywhere, finally found its way to Windows Phone.
Like a cross breed between Snapchat and Dropbox, the app enables Windows Phone users to quickly and directly transfer folders, documents, pictures, video, and audio files from one device to another, peer-to-peer style. It’s also capable of pulling files from the OneDrive cloud to share with almost anyone.
On the surface, Send Anywhere for Windows isn’t exactly what you’d call handsome — this version is noticeably blander than its older Android and iOS counterparts, unfortunately. The obvious emphasis here is still on ease of use, though, and Send Anywhere exceeds in that regard. Files are uploaded either individually using the “+Add Files” or in a batch by using the “+Add Folder.”
After your upload is complete, the app generates a one-time numeric code that you can then send to your recipient, which gives them immediate access to download the file to their device or their desktop via the app’s website. If you’d like to avoid codes altogether, you can also generate a QR code or search for nearby devices to send to. The app doesn’t require any signup or login process whatsoever, so this is really all there is to it – just add a file and share away.
Sent files are made available to recipients for 10 minutes by default, but there’s an additional option to extend that up to 24 hours to give those slow on the uptake a chance to catch up. The catch is that when you choose the extended time frame, the data is temporarily stored to the cloud, unlike the safer P2P ways of the default period. The uploaded files are wiped from the cloud after the 24 hour period ends, however. Either way, Send Anywhere’s methods naturally offers more security than Dropbox and other traditional cloud storage services, which hold your data on their servers until you manually remove it.
Aside from the fact that there are no file size limits and that actual transfers are almost always smooth, one other perk of using Send Anywhere is that it works across a diversity of platforms. You can upload a file from your Windows Phone and have it picked up by a recipient using an Android or iOS device, and like every other cloud storage service, you can also use it to transfer files from phone to desktop without the need for bothersome cables. Of course, because Send Anywhere is a data-intensive app you’ll want to ensure you’re either connected via Wi-Fi or have plenty of cellular data to avoid getting hit with overage fees from your service provider.
Send Anywhere operates on Windows Phones running 8.1 and is available now as a free download.
