How to Send a Whole Folder to Someone Online

A folder looks like one thing on your screen, but to most file-sharing tools it is a headache. Email wants a single small attachment, cloud drives want you to upload everything first, and messaging apps send files one at a time and shrink the pictures. If you have ever zipped a folder, waited an hour for the upload, copied a link and then had the link expire before the other person opened it, this guide is for you.

Why folders are awkward online

Folders are only a way of grouping files. The internet does not know about them: it moves files, and each file has to be handled on its own. Many services get around that by compressing the whole folder into one archive on your computer, which takes time and disk space, and then uploading the archive, which takes more time. The receiver then has to download the archive and unpack it. Each step adds delay and a chance for something to go wrong.

The direct way

With PeerFlow's P2P file transfer you skip the archive and the upload. You select the files, share a code, and they stream straight to the other device in one session. They arrive together, with their original names and sizes.

Step by step

1. Open PeerFlow on your computer and choose Choose files.
2. Open the folder in the file picker, press Ctrl+A (or Command+A on a Mac) to select everything, and confirm. You can also drag the files into the PeerFlow window.
3. Share the short code or QR code with the other person by message or voice.
4. They open PeerFlow, enter the code, and the transfer begins. Both of you see the progress.
5. When it finishes, the files are in their downloads folder.

Subfolders and structure

File pickers on most systems select files, not nested folders. If your folder contains subfolders, you have two good options. You can send each subfolder as its own batch, which keeps the transfers short and easy to retry. Or you can zip the whole tree once and send the single archive, which preserves the structure exactly. For photo shoots and project handovers, the second option is usually the tidiest.

Keeping big batches reliable

• Split very large sets. A hundred gigabytes in one go is fine on a stable cable connection, but on Wi-Fi it is kinder to send ten batches of ten.
• Leave the screen awake. Computers and phones that go to sleep pause the transfer.
• Check the count. When it is done, compare the number of files and the total size on both sides.
• Name the batch. Tell the receiver what to expect, such as "42 photos and two videos", so a missing file is noticed straight away.

A quick comparison

For work and for family

Designers hand over assets, accountants send a year of statements, and parents send the whole holiday to the grandparents. In every case the receiver gets the files straight from your device, and nothing stays behind on a server. See the guide to private file sharing without cloud copies for why that matters.

What if the other person is far away?

It makes no difference. The code connects the two devices across the internet, and the speed depends on the slower connection. Install the Windows and Android apps if you send files often, and the app keeps the experience simple on a phone too.