One transfer link
Live Relay links connect an active session. Cloud links provide temporary pickup during and after upload. Use Photon Vault for ongoing storage and managed sharing.
Send files with Photon Transfer
Send live. Share for later. Choose Live Relay for delivery together, or temporary Cloud transfer for pickup after upload.
Choose your delivery mode
Live Relay: Both you and your recipients must remain online until the transfer completes. Keep your browser tab or desktop app running until all downloads finish.
Cloud Transfer: Recipients can begin downloading while you upload. Keep your browser tab or desktop app running until your upload finishes. After that, you can close it or go offline, and recipients can still download your files using the shared link.
Cloud transfers default to seven days from upload completion. Choose one to seven days with Free or File Pass funding, or up to the server maximum with Relay subscription funding. Use Photon Vault to keep, share, and sync files over time.
Prepare a reliable transfer
- 1. Sign in before you start. Transfers started without signing in are best effort and cannot resume. Signed-in Free and Lite transfers can use session-based resume while the relay session remains active.
- 2. Choose a resilient receive path. PhotonFile Desktop is preferred for the best privacy and resilience. A browser recipient of a multi-file transfer needs folder-saving support, so use a current Chrome or Edge, or PhotonFile Desktop when that browser capability is unavailable.
- 3. Keep both sides awake for Live Relay. Keep both clients or browser tabs open and their devices awake until the transfer completes.
Pro, Studio, and File Pass transfers support durable recovery when both sender and recipient use PhotonFile Desktop. Choose Cloud transfer to let recipients download after your upload finishes, even when you're offline. Keep your browser tab or desktop app running until the upload finishes. To keep files and manage their share links, Use Vault instead.
Start a transfer
- 1. Open PhotonFile. Choose the file or files you want to send. Anonymous transfers contain one file. Sign in with a verified account, including a Free account, to send multiple files together.
- 2. Pick transfer options. Choose Live Relay or Cloud transfer. Client-side encryption is on by default for Live Relay and required for Cloud and multi-file sends.
- 3. Create the transfer link. For Live Relay, PhotonFile prepares a live session and the file starts moving when the recipient connects. For Cloud transfer, choose funding and accept its delivery policy before starting the encrypted upload.
- 4. Share the link. For Cloud transfer, you can share the link while your files are uploading. Recipients can start downloading and receive data as it becomes available. For Live Relay, share the link when both sides can remain online until all downloads finish.
- 5. Keep the transfer available. For Cloud Transfer, keep the sender running until your upload finishes. After that, you can close it or go offline, and recipients can still download using the shared link. For Live Relay, both sides must remain online with their clients or browser tabs running until all downloads finish.
For a multi-file transfer, the recipient chooses one destination folder and receives individual files through one link. Live Relay streams can spread across multiple Relay servers, up to the per-transfer allowance: one stream on Free or Lite, up to three on Pro, and up to ten on Studio or with an eligible File Pass. The same file allowance applies to Cloud upload and download. A supported browser or PhotonFile Desktop is required. Browser recovery lasts while the transfer tab remains open.
When receiving multiple files in your browser, choose or create a
dedicated folder, such as Downloads/PhotonFile. Browsers
may block selecting the Downloads folder itself and show a
"Contains system files" message. If this happens, choose a
folder inside Downloads.
Client-side encryption by default
The web app uses browser-based client-side encryption by default for supported Relay flows. You can turn it off for a single-file Live Relay transfer when extra browser compatibility is needed, while the Relay connection still uses TLS. Multi-file transfers always use client-side encryption. PhotonFile Desktop provides a richer native experience for send, receive, and Vault workflows.
Resume support
Eligible transfers can checkpoint progress and resume after some interruptions.
Resumable transfers
Best effort means you are not signed in: that transfer cannot resume if interrupted. Signed-in Free and Lite transfers use session-based resume while the relay session remains active. Supported browsers can retry temporary network interruptions while the page and transfer state remain available, but they cannot provide the same recovery after sleep, restart, or loss of the browser session. PhotonFile Desktop can save eligible transfer state for recovery across supported interruptions and restarts. For large transfers, use Desktop on both devices.
Team transfers
If you use a team workspace, Relay transfers can run in that team context. Select the right team before starting the transfer so usage and access match the intended workspace.
Mobile uploads
Relay uploads are blocked on mobile browsers because mobile operating systems can suspend background browser work. For mobile upload workflows, use Vault and keep the tab focused until upload completion.
Transfer for delivery. Vault for ongoing access.
Photon Transfer provides Live + Cloud delivery. Send together or use temporary pickup after upload. Use Vault for ongoing storage, managed sharing, Vault Intake, and version history.
Photon Transfer or Vault?
| Use case | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Send a file while both sides are ready | Relay |
| Keep files available for later | Vault |
| Collect uploads from someone else | Vault Intake |