KDE Connect links your phone and computer over Wi-Fi. No cables, no cloud, no accounts.

Setup

Install on both devices. On your computer:

# Linux
sudo apt install kdeconnect

# Windows/Mac — download from kdeconnect.kde.org

Install the Android app from Google Play (or F-Droid). For iOS, get it from the App Store (limited features due to Apple restrictions).

Open both apps. They should detect each other on the same Wi-Fi network. Tap “Pair” and accept on both devices.

Features

  • File sharing — Send files in either direction. Appears as a share target in Android
  • Clipboard sync — Copy on phone, paste on computer (and vice versa)
  • Media control — Pause, play, skip tracks playing on your computer from your phone
  • Remote input — Use your phone as a touchpad and keyboard for your computer
  • Notifications — Phone notifications appear on your computer
  • SMS — Send and reply to text messages from your desktop
  • Find my phone — Ring your phone from your computer
  • Run commands — Execute predefined terminal commands from your phone

Configuration

On the desktop app, click your paired device. Enable/disable each plugin individually. For privacy, you might disable notifications but keep clipboard sync and file sharing. Set “Battery report” to see your phone’s battery level on your desktop.

Troubleshooting

If devices don’t detect each other, check: both on same Wi-Fi, firewall not blocking port 1714-1764 (TCP/UDP). On Linux, check your distro’s firewall settings.