WifloShare
Send a file

Guides

WifloShare not connecting? Troubleshooting guide

By Thavasi · Updated 31 October 2026

Most connection problems come down to a handful of causes. Start with the quick checklist. If that doesn't fix it, find the message you see on screen below. Each section explains what it means and how to fix it.

Quick checklist

  1. Same network: both devices on the same Wi‑Fi name, or one device joined to the other's hotspot. Turn off mobile data on phones while testing.
  2. Internet on: both devices need internet for a moment to find each other. The file itself then goes over your local network.
  3. Sender's page open: the sender keeps WifloShare open, in front, with the screen on.
  4. Windows: Wi‑Fi set to Private, not Public, on every Windows laptop. If it still fails, allow your browser through the firewall.
  5. Browser: if it fails in Chrome, try Edge or Firefox. If you use Brave, turn Shields off for the site.

"The sender isn't answering"

The receiver found the code, but the sender's page didn't respond in time.

"No sender is online with this code"

"Found the sender, but the two devices can't reach each other"

Both devices found each other, but the network stopped them talking directly. Work through these in order:

  1. Same Wi‑Fi? Many routers broadcast two names, such as "Home" and "Home_5G". On some routers, devices on different names can't see each other. Use the same one on both devices.
  2. Phone quietly using mobile data? Android's "Switch to mobile data" and iPhone's "Wi‑Fi Assist" can move a phone off Wi‑Fi. Turn mobile data off while sharing.
  3. Windows set to Public? Open Settings → Network & internet → Wi‑Fi, click your network, choose Private network. Do this on every Windows laptop involved. Windows sometimes switches back to Public after a router restart. Still failing on Private? See allow your browser through the firewall.
  4. Guest or office Wi‑Fi? These often block devices from talking to each other ("client isolation"). Use a phone hotspot instead.
  5. The hotspot test: turn on one phone's hotspot and connect the other device to it. If it works on the hotspot, your router is the problem; look for "AP isolation" in its settings, or ask your internet provider.

"This device couldn't open a local connection"

The browser on this device never even tried the local route. Two causes are common:

Still failing on a Private network? Allow your browser through the firewall

On some Windows laptops, the firewall blocks the browser from receiving connection checks even on a Private network. A tell-tale sign: the laptop works with some devices but not others. It connects fine when the other device can accept incoming checks, and fails when neither side can.

Quick test: open Windows Security → Firewall & network protection → Private network, switch the firewall off for a minute, and try again. If it works, the firewall is the cause. Switch it back on, then use one of these permanent fixes.

Option A: Windows Security settings

  1. Open the allowed apps list Windows Security → Firewall & network protection → Allow an app through firewall → Change settings.
  2. Tick Private for your browser Find Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge and tick Private. If a browser isn't listed, click Allow another app and browse to it.

Option B: one PowerShell command (more precise)

This allows only incoming UDP for Chrome and Edge, and only on Private networks. Public networks stay fully protected. Open PowerShell as administrator and run:

$apps = @(
  "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe",
  "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe",
  "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe",
  "C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe"
)
foreach ($a in $apps) { if (Test-Path $a) {
  New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Browser local transfers ($(Split-Path $a -Leaf))" -Direction Inbound -Program $a -Protocol UDP -Profile Private -Action Allow | Out-Null
  "Allowed: $a"
} }

To undo it later:

Get-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Browser local transfers*" | Remove-NetFirewallRule

If you use another antivirus with its own firewall (for example Quick Heal, Kaspersky, Avast, McAfee or Norton), allow the browser there too.

"This browser is blocking direct connections"

This appears when the page opens. The browser has turned off the direct connections WifloShare needs.

Devices on different networks

Mobile data (Jio, Airtel, Vi) and many office networks block direct connections between devices, so a device on mobile data usually can't reach one on home Wi‑Fi. You have two options:

Transfer is slow

Transfer stopped halfway

"This page is out of date"

The two devices have different versions of WifloShare open, usually after an update. Refresh the page on the device named in the message (Ctrl + Shift + R on a computer, or pull down to refresh on a phone), then share again.

Still stuck?

Message us on Instagram at @thavasilabs. Tell us the two devices, the browsers, and the exact message you see. On a computer, it also helps to press F12, open Console, and send a screenshot of any line starting with [WifloShare].

Try it now: open wifloshare.com on both devices. It's free, with no sign-up and no size limit.

Open WifloShare

More guides