Open beam on both devices and scan the code. Files go straight from one device to the other — they're never uploaded here.
Start a beam on one device Scan the code with the other — or type it Drop anything, on either end — beams flow both ways
No. beam runs entirely in your web browser. Open beamtm.com on both devices, scan the QR code (or type the 6-character code), and you're connected. Nothing to install, nothing to sign up for, and it's free. The documentation walks through every feature.
Yes — any mix. beam is a good AirDrop alternative when your devices don't share an ecosystem: iPhone to Windows PC, Android to Mac, laptop to laptop. If a device has a modern browser, it can beam.
Direct beams have no size limit — files travel straight between your devices over an encrypted peer-to-peer connection, so speed depends on your network, not on us. If a strict network blocks the direct route, beam falls back to a relay for files up to 7 MB.
Beamed files are never uploaded to or stored on this server — they move device-to-device over an encrypted WebRTC connection. The server's only job is introducing your devices to each other, and beam sessions self-destruct after 15 minutes. The full protocol — including exactly what the server can and cannot see — is documented on the security & protocol page, and the entire codebase is open source.
A self-destructing message. Write it, get a link, send the link to anyone — it can be opened exactly once, then it's permanently deleted. The message is encrypted in your browser before it leaves the page, and the decryption key stays in the link itself, so the server can never read what you wrote. Ideal for sharing passwords and other things that don't belong in chat history.
Open beamtm.com on your computer and press Start a beam — a QR code appears. Open your phone's camera and scan it (or type the 6-character code into beam on the phone). The two devices connect directly, and you can drop photos, videos, or any file across in either direction. There's no cable, no app to install, and no emailing files to yourself.
Yes — beam is completely free, with no account and no ads. It's also open source, so anyone can read exactly how it works on GitHub.
beam is the quickest way to move something from one device to another when they don't share an ecosystem — no cable, no app to install, no account, and nothing parked on a cloud you have to trust. Here's what people reach for it for.
Snapped a photo on your phone and need it on your laptop? Instead of emailing it to yourself or hunting for a cable, beam it — it arrives at full quality, with none of the compression you get from messaging yourself on WhatsApp or Telegram.
AirDrop only works inside Apple's world and Nearby Share inside Android's. beam runs in the browser, so it crosses all of them: iPhone to a Windows PC, an Android phone to a MacBook, two Linux laptops. If it has a modern browser, it can send and receive — a true cross-platform AirDrop alternative.
Direct beams travel peer-to-peer between the two devices, so there's no upload step and no size cap — send a multi-gigabyte video as easily as a screenshot. Because the file never lands on a server, the only limit is your own network speed.
Need to hand someone a password, an API key, or a private note? Write a one-time secret link that deletes itself the instant it's read, so it never lingers in a chat history or inbox. It's encrypted in your browser — even we can't read it.
Sharing a file with a room full of people? Up to eight devices can join a single beam by scanning the same code, and everyone receives the drop — handy for workshops, classrooms, and quick handoffs to a group.
Start a room, share the short link, and talk device-to-device in a chat that stores nothing and vanishes when you leave. Good for a quick, private huddle you don't want logged anywhere.
Curious how it all works under the hood? The documentation walks through every feature, and the security & protocol page lays out exactly what the server can and cannot see.
Or open beamtm.com on it and enter this code:
Waiting for your other device…
Up to 8 devices can join this beam.
Connected directly — transfers are device-to-device.
Setting up the room…
It's encrypted in your browser before it leaves this page. The link works once, then the message is gone.
Your one-time link is ready.
Anyone with this link can read the secret exactly once. The decryption key lives in the link itself and never reaches our server.
It can be read exactly once. When you reveal it, it's deleted everywhere — make sure you're ready to read it now.
It was already read, it expired, or the link isn't valid. Secrets can only be opened once.
Go to beamPoint your camera at the beam QR code.