Product update
Increased speed and other updates
In this update we look at the changes we’ve made to make Free Transfer faster, more robust and easier to use. All of them are focused on one goal: helping you share files, transfer files and send files secure with as little friction as possible, while still respecting the privacy‑first, P2P‑first philosophy behind the project.
Faster connection setup
One of the first things users notice when they try a new file transfer tool is how long it takes to “get going”. Even before the first byte of your file moves, the app has to create a room, negotiate a connection between peers and verify that both sides are ready. We spent considerable effort optimising this initial handshake in Free Transfer.
On the signalling layer we reduced unnecessary round‑trips and simplified the messages our server needs to exchange. This makes it quicker for browsers to discover each other and start the WebRTC negotiation. On the client side we improved how we reuse existing browser capabilities, which means that in many cases you can start to send files secure a little sooner than before, especially on slower or high‑latency networks.
Improved throughput for large files
Once peers are connected, the next question is: how fast can data move? Free Transfer already used efficient WebRTC data channels from the beginning, but there was still room for tuning. We experimented with chunk sizes, buffering strategies and concurrency settings to find combinations that keep latency low while still making full use of available bandwidth.
The result is a smoother experience for large transfers. Instead of seeing transfer speeds spike and drop, you are more likely to see a stable rate that stays close to the limits of your connection. This is especially noticeable when you make use of the no file size limit design and send very large archives or video files. Even though physical constraints still apply, the software does not get in the way.
Better handling of unstable networks
The real world is messy. Wi‑Fi cuts out, laptops move between rooms and mobile hotspots change signal strength minute by minute. In older versions of Free Transfer, this could sometimes lead to transfers that stalled without clear explanations, especially when network conditions were poor. We have improved several internal safeguards to make this less likely.
Among other changes, the app now reacts more gracefully to temporary connectivity drops. Instead of immediately marking a transfer as failed, it gives peers a chance to recover and continue. Status messages are clearer so that you understand whether the other side is still online or whether you should attempt a new session. All of this helps you continue to transfer files even when your environment is less than ideal.
Interface refinements that support speed
Some of the most effective speed improvements are not technical, but experiential. We refined the layout and copy in several places so you can get from “I want to send files secure” to “the transfer is running” in fewer steps. For example, labels now emphasise what will happen when you click a button, and we reduced visual distractions on the main upload area.
These changes might seem small individually, but together they shorten the path you take every time you share files. When you repeat the workflow many times a day, those saved seconds and reduced mis‑clicks matter. The entire design remains focused on letting you drag, drop and share without hunting through menus or configuration screens.
Staying true to privacy and P2P
Whenever we increase speed or change internal behaviour, we ask a key question: does this preserve our privacy and security goals? For Free Transfer the answer must always be yes. That means no shortcuts that involve logging file contents, no server‑side caching of user data and no hidden analytics that track your transfers.
All of the speed improvements described above stay within those boundaries. The server still acts only as a signalling bridge, file data still flows directly between browsers and no artificial limits are introduced. You can continue to rely on private file sharing with end‑to‑end encryption while enjoying a snappier experience.
Looking ahead
This round of updates is not the final word on performance. We will keep monitoring how Free Transfer behaves under different conditions and will iterate further. New browser features, better congestion‑control algorithms and user feedback will all shape future work. Our commitment is to keep improving without compromising the simplicity that makes the project useful in the first place.
If you have ideas or scenarios where you feel the app could be faster, we would love to hear about them. Real‑world stories, especially from people who use Free Transfer to move large files on a daily basis, help us prioritise the next wave of improvements.