You hand a safe over between two phones in the same room. The receiving phone shows a one-time QR code, the sending phone scans it, and the locked safe travels straight over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Your files never pass through our servers.
What you need
- Both people signed in to SafelyShare on their own phone, with the app open.
- Either both phones on the same Wi-Fi network (fastest), or Bluetooth switched on for both.
- A safe with at least one item in it.
On the receiving phone
- Open the Receive tab. The app prepares a protected, one-time connection.
- Wait for Ready to receive safe, with the message Ask the sender to scan this one-time code.
- Leave the QR code on screen. Under it, an icon shows whether this device is set to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth; Settings next to it opens the transfer preference.
Choosing Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
The receiving device decides the route, under Account › Receiving:
- Wi-Fi. Fastest when both devices use the same network.
- Bluetooth. Slower, but the devices do not need to use the same Wi-Fi network.
Change it before the code is created; if you switch afterwards, create a new receive code. Whichever route you pick, every transfer still starts with the short-lived QR code, and files stay encrypted the whole way.
On the sending phone
- Open the safe you prepared and choose Share with someone you trust.
- Name this copy. The person you chose sees this name, so make it recognisable.
- Choose how often you extend it: 1 week, 1 month, or your own number of days with Pro.
- Check the reminder shown underneath. It uses your account default and tells you when the reminder will arrive.
- Tap Connect to receiver. Your files are locked first; the screen shows the progress.
- The camera opens. Point it at the QR code on the other phone.
During the transfer
Both phones first show that they are connecting, then that they are sending or receiving. A message such as File 2 of 5 and a progress bar show how far it has come. Keep both apps open and the phones close together until it finishes.
- You end on Safe shared. Your own copy stays on your phone and can be shared again.
- The other phone ends on Safe received: the safe is now on that device and stays closed until it opens.
The countdown starts the moment the shared safe is created, so it is already running during the hand-over. Until the other phone confirms delivery, you see Transfer pending. That is about delivery, not about the countdown. If the hand-over fails, take back access or delete the shared safe and share it again. Do not leave an unfinished hand-over counting down.
If something goes wrong
- The code was refused. A receive code works once and expires quickly. Ask the receiver to open Receive again for a new code.
- Devices cannot find each other over Wi-Fi. Connect both to the same network, or switch the receiving device to Bluetooth and create a new code.
- Bluetooth does not connect. Turn Bluetooth on for both devices, keep the phones close, and try again. Speed varies by device and operating system, so large transfers between iOS and Android take longer.
- The transfer stopped halfway. The sender can use Check delivery, or Cancel pending safe if the receiver did not finish storing it.
Good to know
- The shared copy is a copy of this moment. To send later changes, share the safe again.
- Free lets you keep 2 shared safes closed at the same time. Safes that stay on your own phone are unlimited.
- We never receive your files, and we cannot read what is inside a safe.
- Every safe you share gets its own protection.
Need help?
Did a hand-over fail in a way this guide does not cover? Send us both device models and the message shown on each screen through the contact page. Next, read about extending a safe.