Transfer files between two computers
The first question is not which service to use but whether the two computers are in the same room. If they are, an external drive is still the fastest way to move hundreds of gigabytes, and you can stop reading here. If they are not, the files have to cross a network, and then something else matters: whether both computers can be switched on during the same window of time.
The four methods compared
| Method | When it is the best | What it costs you |
|---|---|---|
| External drive or USB stick | Both computers are within reach | You copy twice, onto the drive and off it |
| Sharing over the local network | Same network, settings you know | Configuration, firewall and permissions |
| Cloud sync | You already pay for a plan and have free space | You upload the whole file and download it all again, and the space stays taken |
| A link in the browser | The computers are in different places | Depends on the upload speed of your connection |
When an external drive is the right answer
When both computers are next to you and a video project, a photo archive or the contents of an old laptop has to move. No home connection beats a USB cable over hundreds of gigabytes, and the first rule of big moves is not to send them through the internet unless you have to.
One practical warning: check the drive's file system first. A stick formatted as FAT32 refuses any single file of 4 GB or more (Microsoft documents the largest FAT32 file as 4 GB minus 1 byte, checked on 29 September 2026), which people usually discover halfway through the copy.
When the local network is worth it
When you move files between the same two computers regularly, on the same network, and both run the same operating system. You set up sharing once and it stays set up.
If you do it only once, between a Windows PC and a Mac, or if one of the machines belongs to someone else, setting it up usually takes longer than the move itself. This is where people turn to a link in the browser: not because it is faster, but because it needs no setting on either computer.
A link in the browser, with or without waiting
There are two modes, and the difference is whether the two computers are on at the same time.
Instant transfer runs straight between the two browsers, peer-to-peer, with end-to-end encryption. The files are never stored on our servers, and the speed is that of your connection. Instant is free up to 5 GB on the free plan; above that, any paid plan unlocks any size. The condition is that both tabs stay open until the end, so it suits the moment when you are sitting at the second computer yourself or the person there is online.
A hosted link is uploaded once, encrypted on your device with AES-256-GCM before upload, and stays available after you close the tab. It is the option for "I will switch the other computer on tomorrow morning". How long the link lasts depends on your plan, as explained in the guide on how long a transfer link lasts.
Nothing is installed on the second computer and no account is created there. The link is opened and the download starts, which matters most when the receiving computer belongs to someone else. The details are in the guide on sending large files without an account.
How to move the files, step by step
- Open Transferify in the browser on the first computer.
- Drag the folder or the files onto the page, or use Add a folder. The subfolder structure is rebuilt when the other side downloads everything as one ZIP.
- Choose Direct (instant) if the second computer is on now, or Hosted if you will open the link later.
- If you are not signed in yet, confirm your email address with a one-time code. You do not choose a password.
- Open the link on the second computer and download.
For a folder with a complicated structure, read the guide on how to send a whole folder first: it explains what is kept, what is not, and which files can lose their place.
What really slows you down
Not the file size but the upload speed of your connection, which on home plans is often far lower than the download speed. A transfer over the internet first uploads everything from your side, so the time depends on your upload speed, not the figure in the advert.
That is why instant transfer is usually faster over short distances: the files make one trip, not two. And it is why a shared cloud folder, such as Google Drive, saves no time on a one-off move: it uploads the whole file and downloads it all again, just like a transfer, and it also takes up your account's storage until you delete it.
What to read next
Every way of sending, including how the well-known services compare, is on the page about how to send large files. If the second device is really a phone, the rules change, and the guide on sending large files from your phone has them all.
Start the move from this computer. There is nothing to install on either side.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to move files between two computers in the same room?
An external drive or a USB stick, if you have one big enough. You copy twice, once onto the drive and once off it, but the speed does not depend on your internet connection. From a few hundred gigabytes up it is still the option that finishes first, and we have no reason to talk you out of it.
How do I move files between two computers in different cities?
With a link, and the choice is between an instant transfer that runs straight between the two browsers while both are open, and a hosted link that is uploaded once and downloaded later. The difference is not the size but whether both computers can be on during the same window of time.
Do I need to install anything on the second computer?
No. Everything happens in the browser, and the receiving computer needs no account, no app and no extension. It opens the link and downloads, like any other web page.
Does it work between a Windows PC and a Mac?
Yes, because it goes through the browser rather than the operating system's file sharing. That is in fact the main reason people end up here, since sharing between Windows and macOS on the same network needs settings nobody wants to touch for a single move.
Can I move a whole folder with its subfolders?
Yes. Press "Add a folder" or drag the folder onto the page. The structure is rebuilt when the other computer downloads everything as one ZIP, and each file keeps its subfolder.