How to send large files privately

Email and chat apps are bad at big files. They have small size limits, and the company behind them usually keeps a copy. Juvega File Transfer works differently: your file goes straight from your device to the other person's device. It is never uploaded to a server and never stored anywhere. It is also encrypted the whole way, so nobody in the middle can open it, not even us.

What you need

• A free Juvega account to send. It does not ask for your email, phone number or ID. The person receiving does not need an account.
• Both of you online at the same time. Your page must stay open until they have the file.
• A normal browser: Chrome, Brave, Edge, Firefox or Safari. (Tor Browser cannot do direct connections.)

Step 1: Log in

1. Open File Transfer.
2. If you are not logged in, press Log in or create an account and come back.

Step 2: Choose your file

1. Drag your file onto the box, or tap the box to choose a file.
2. Choose Allow downloads: once, 5 times, 10 times, 50 times, or any number of times. Once is the most private choice.
3. Optional: add a password. Then a leaked link is not enough on its own: the person also needs the password. Tell them the password another way, for example by phone or in SimpleX.
4. Tick the box to agree to the File Transfer Terms and press Create link.

Step 3: Send the link and wait

1. Press Copy link and send it to the other person.
2. Leave the page open. A green dot shows the link is open. When the other person starts downloading, you will see a progress bar for them.
3. If you are on a phone, keep the screen on until it says Downloaded.

Step 4: The other person downloads

They open the link and press Download. If you set a password, they type it first. The file arrives straight from your device.

When does the link stop working?

• When you close the page or press Close link,
• when the downloads you allowed are used up, or
• after the time limit shown on the page.

Good to know

• Each side can see the other's IP address, because the two devices connect directly (like a video call). If that matters, use a trusted VPN on both sides. See how to use a VPN on GrapheneOS.
• If it says it could not connect, one of you is on a strict network (some offices and mobile networks). Try Wi-Fi or another network.
• Before sending photos, remove hidden location data with the Photo Cleaner.
• To send many files, put them in one zip file first.
• Never send anything illegal. Every download page has a Report link.