Since we cannot use Apple AirDrop to share files with Ubuntu, you can use other file-sharing apps with cross-platform support to transfer files. Apart from apps, you can easily use online cloud storage like iCloud to share files between your Apple devices and Ubuntu PCs. In this article, we have provided you with the four best alternatives to AirDrop that you can utilize to share files between your Apple device and Ubuntu PC.
What are the Alternatives to AirDrop to Ubuntu
Here are some alternative apps and methods that you can use to share files between your Apple devices and Ubuntu PC. Here is how to do it.
- KDE Connect
- LocalSend
- iCloud
- USB
How to Share Files via KDE Connect
KFE Connect is one of the popular cross-platform file-sharing apps that you can use to share files between devices without AirDrop. Here is how to use the KDE Connect app to share files.
1. Connect your smartphone and Ubunutu computer to the same Wi-Fi connection.
2. Install the KDE Connect app on your Apple device from the App Store.
3. To install the KDE Connect on your Ubuntu PC, open the terminal and enter the command below.
$ sudo apt install kdeconnect
4. Launch the KDE Connect app on your Apple device.
5. Select your Ubuntu PC from the available devices.
6. Click on the Request Pairing option on your smartphone.
7. On your Ubuntu PC, click Accept on the pairing prompt.
8. Select Accept on your smartphone to complete the pairing process.
9. Select the Share File option to start sharing files between your Apple device and Ubuntu PC.
How to Share Files via LocalSend
LocalSend is an open-source file-sharing app that allows sharing files with cross-platform devices. You can use the LocalSend app to transfer files from your Apple devices to Ubuntu without AirDrop. Here is how to use the LocalSend to transfer files.
1. Connect your smartphone and Ubunutu computer to the same Wi-Fi network
2. Install the LocalSend app on your Apple device from App Store and your Ubuntu computer from their website.
3. Launch the LocalSend app, and you will get all devices connected to the network.
4. Go to the Send section and select the files you like to share from your device.
5. Under the Nearby Devices section, click on your Ubuntu PC.
6. On your Ubuntu PC, click Accept. Once the files are transferred, click Done.
How to Share Files using iCloud
iCloud is another way to share files between your Apple devices and Ubuntu PCs without the need for AirDrop. iCloud is Apple’s online cloud storage that you can use to store files, access, and share them with other iCloud users. Here is how to use it to share files between your devices.
1. Upload all the files you want to share to your iCloud drive on your Apple device.
2. On your Ubuntu PC, open the browser and visit the iCloud website.
3. Log in to your Apple ID on the website and download the files to your Ubuntu PC.
How to Share Files Using USB Cable
You will need the iTunes app to share files from Apple devices to non-Mac devices using a USB cable. Unfortunately, Linux doesn’t support the iTunes app. The only possible way to share files to Ubuntu using a USB cable is by using the Wine Windows emulator on Ubuntu to share files using the iTunes app. Here is how to do it.
1. Open the Terminal on your Ubuntu and enter the following code.
sudo apt-get install wine winetricks -y
2. Once Wine is installed, run the Winetrics app, and it will create all the necessary directories.
3. On the following windows, click Select and click OK.
4. Then, select the Run winecfg option and click OK.
5. Now, open a browser and your Ubuntu PC and download the iTunes app from the official website.
6. Once you download the file, go to the file’s location and right-click on the .exe file.
7. Select the Open with Wine Windows program loader option.
8. Complete the iTunes installation process.
9. On your Ubuntu desktop, click on the iTunes file to launch the app.
10. In case you see a tile named iTunes.desktop, then you must use the terminal to launch the app.
gtk-launch iTunes.desktop
11. Once the iTunes app is launched on your Ubuntu PC, connect your Apple devices using a USB cable and transfer the files.
FAQ
Yes. You can use the SHAREit app on your Apple device to share the files to your Ubuntu PC.
Yes. You can use any cloud storage like Dropbox, Google Drive, Ondrive, and others to share files on your Ubuntu PC.