Free file transfer without signup or a stored copy.
Volo has no accounts because it has nothing to attach them to. Files aren't uploaded or stored; file data flows directly between the two browsers while both are open. Here's what that means for your privacy, and the trade-offs that come with a live transfer.
Free · No sign-up · Files aren't uploaded or stored
Why there's no sign-up
Accounts usually exist so a service can tie stored files, share links and quotas to a person. Volo has no file storage and no database of its own. A room is a random code in the page address: the first device to open it waits, the second joins, and a public signaling server introduces them.
With nothing stored to look up later, there's nothing to log in to. It also means Volo can't recover a room or a file for you after the fact.
What is and isn't retained
The files you send and the text you share aren't uploaded or stored. They travel over the connection between the two browsers. Some information does reach other parties, because that's how the web and WebRTC work:
- The public PeerJS signaling server sees the room code and connection details such as IP addresses, never file contents.
- Google's STUN servers see each device's IP address when helping it find a route.
- The other device in the room learns your IP address, as with any direct connection.
- Page views are measured with cookie-free Vercel Web Analytics. Consent-gated Google Analytics measures anonymous product milestones only if you accept it; both receive /room/[id], never the real room code.
- Your theme and analytics-consent choices are saved in your own browser. Transfer history lives only in the open page and is gone when you leave.
Direct transfer or cloud upload?
A cloud upload service stores a copy of your file and gives you a link that keeps working after you close your laptop. Volo streams the file once, live, from one device to the other. Each suits different situations.
Volo compared with cloud upload services
| Aspect | Volo | Cloud upload services |
|---|---|---|
| Account | None | Varies by service |
| Where the file goes | Directly between the two browsers; not uploaded or stored | Uploaded to and stored on the provider's servers |
| Recipient online at the same time | Required for the whole transfer | Not required; the file can be downloaded later |
| Size limits | No fixed limit when saving to disk in desktop Chrome or Edge; 1GB in other receiving browsers | Varies by service and plan |
| Encryption | Encrypted in transit with DTLS, WebRTC's built-in transport encryption | Varies by service |
| If the connection drops | The transfer stops and has to be restarted | Varies by service |
| Price | Free, no account | Varies by service and plan |
The limits of a live transfer
- Both devices must be open and online at the same time. There's no way to leave a file for someone to collect later.
- A dropped connection stops the transfer, and it can't be resumed; it starts again from the beginning.
- There's no relay server, so some network combinations, such as strict NAT or some corporate and mobile networks, can't connect.
- Receiving without a size limit from Volo needs desktop Chrome or Edge; other browsers are capped at 1GB.
- Rooms are one-to-one, so sending to several people means a separate room for each.
Frequently asked questions
Without accounts, what stops a stranger joining my room?
The room code is long and random, and it's the only key. A room holds two devices, so once your other device has joined, anyone else who opens the link is told the room is full. The receiver also has to accept each file before any data is sent.
How can a file transfer be free without an account?
Because file data flows directly between the two browsers, Volo doesn't store files or pay to serve them, which is a large part of what a cloud file service costs to run.
Can I send a file to someone who isn't online right now?
No. Both devices need to be open at the same time. If the other person can only collect the file later, a cloud upload service that stores it is a better fit.
Does Volo keep a record of the files I sent?
The History tab lists what was sent and received during the session, but it exists only in the open page and disappears when you leave or reload. File names and contents travel between the two browsers, not to a Volo server.
Related guides
- Peer-to-peer file transfer in your browser
How the direct connection works, including what the signaling server can and can't see.
- Send files between your phone and PC
Size limits and pairing options for each phone and computer.
Send a file without creating an account
Create a room, open it on the other device, and keep both open while the file transfers.