Moving from PairDrop to AChat
Send files and text peer to peer on your local network, or over the internet through paired devices and temporary public rooms. Choose PairDrop when both machines are on at the same time. Choose AChat if the other machine comes online later and the message still has to be there.
Last checked 2026-11-07. The full comparison is on AChat and PairDrop.
How to move across
- Open AChat on the machine that has what you need and choose Create room. No account or phone number.
- Set a password if the room shouldn't be open to anyone with the link (passwords and encryption).
- Send your message or file, then open the room's link on the other machine and take it (file sharing).
- Delete what you sent, or let it expire (anonymous rooms). The room stays open for replies until then.
How they differ
| Feature | AChat | PairDrop |
|---|---|---|
| No account needed | Yes | Yes (their page) |
| Send both text and files | Yes | Yes (their page) |
| Protect it with a password | Yes | Not stated on the pages we checked |
| The other side can reply | Yes | Not stated on the pages we checked |
Messages in an anonymous room are deleted after a set number of days, unless someone with an account keeps the room. In a room with no password, anyone with the link can read them. Anonymous here means no account, not invisible.
Check it yourself: PairDrop website.