Post #2471921

2026-05-12 22:56 UTC

Google claim that their upcoming laptop is the "perfect partner to your Android phone" because you can "access files from your phone as if they live on your laptop" - but did you know that this is already possible, no special laptop model needed? KDE Connect is completely free and open source software (FOSS) to link your devices together, supported by the @kde charity. It works on almost all phone models, and it does more than just allow you to access your phone's storage. For example, with KDE Connect your phone immediately becomes a remote control for music or videos playing on your laptop or desktop PC! Don't get drawn in by the slick marketing - you don't need AI to make your life easier with technology, and most of the features large software companies such as Google are promoting have already been thoughtfully implemented by dedicated volunteers in the FOSS community. #kdeconnect #kde #foss

Replies (29)

@utopiarte@tupambae.org 2026-05-19 02:46

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social RE: tupambae.org/objects/0ac89072-…

Open ##2740847
@enigmatico@mk.absturztau.be 2026-05-13 09:28

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social Its more evident than ever that the big tech preys on people's tech ignorance.

Open ##2740848
@noxypaws@packmates.org 2026-05-13 04:49

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social KDE Connect is the single best smartphone app. It is WONDERFUL.

Open ##2740849
@fourmiune@mastodon.world 2026-05-13 10:28

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @syll@pouet.chapril.org @kde@floss.social KDE connect is on F-droid

Open ##2742723
@maarten@mas.to 2026-05-13 11:53

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social Syncthing and SSH/SFTP/SSHFS too handle the file synchronisation/access perfectly (I'm using both of them for years now). Of course, they don't provide the other features of KDE Connect.

Open ##2742725
@dasgrueneblatt@wien.rocks 2026-05-13 13:21

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social :masto_love: KDEconnect might be the best app of all apps :masto_love:

Open ##2742727
@djsf@fosstodon.org 2026-05-13 13:41

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social i love KDE connect

Open ##2742728
@sihaha@norden.social 2026-05-13 16:28

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social And it also works with Gnome too! 😯🤪

Open ##2742729
@PepperTheVixen@meow.social 2026-05-13 17:11

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social You could also move files around with SyncThing across multiple computers if you want something simplere. No AI gubbins necessary

Open ##2742730
@davepar@mastodon.sdf.org 2026-05-13 19:05

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social Local send is also excellent!

Open ##2742732
@MartinEscardo@mathstodon.xyz 2026-05-13 20:38

@seabass@social.seabass.systems I use KDE Connect, from both Linux and macOS. Additionally, I use scrcpy (to display my Android tablet in my laptops when giving lectures and writing in the tablet) and moonligth/sunshine (to be able to handwrite in my machines (typically using xournal++) using my Android tablet. (I do have an iPad, but the Android tablet is much better for handwriting.)

Open ##2742733
@solonovamax@tech.lgbt 2026-05-13 21:39

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social counter point: this is still not possible, and even with their laptop will not be possible. android prevents me from accessing app data files, and the only way around this is to fucking root the phone

Open ##2742734
@wbpeckham@techhub.social 2026-05-14 14:56

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social As easy and as well established as that is between Android and Linux, or Android and anything else, the ease of Linux to Linux communication if you have a non-Android Linux phone can be just as startling to the uninitiated. If only we could rip Android development lead away from Google and put it back in open source where it belongs Would it not be wonderful if KDE Connect capabilities were built into the Android kernel?

Open ##2742735
@dokterjob@mastodon.nl 2026-05-18 14:30

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social you could do that with all your data safely in Switzerland or Germany with https://proton.me/drive

Open ##2742736
@Goldfigure@mastodonapp.uk 2026-05-13 08:50

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social I've seen alternatives come and go (was a fan of Airdroid), thanks for posting this!

Open ##2742738
@lispi314@udongein.xyz 2026-05-13 08:37

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social "access files from your phone as if they live on your laptop" They could have just made a 9p server for Android. Much easier to implement.

Open ##2742740
@matthijskooijman@fosstodon.org 2026-05-13 08:00

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social Note that KDE connect does not even need KDE, there is also e perfectly working plugin for gnome-shell for when you use Gnome on your computer.

Open ##2742741
@robchapman@ohai.social 2026-05-13 07:55

@seabass@social.seabass.systems An excellent and versatile piece of software @kde@floss.social

Open ##2742743
@rodneylives@mefi.social 2026-05-13 07:27

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social Furthermore: the only reason you can't access files on your phone as easily as if they're on a computer is because of the stupid walls between programs they erected in the first blinking place!

Open ##2742745
@sakura84@lgbtqia.space 2026-05-13 07:03

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social does it work with wired connections (PC)? Last time i tried it didnt worked

Open ##2742747
@kde@floss.social 2026-05-13 06:35

@seabass@social.seabass.systems It will also pause your media when you receive a call, and allow you to answer messages received on your phone from your desktop. Also great as a remote control for passing slides in presentations and even acts as pointer for the screen. Use it to lock your screen or put you computer to sleep as you walk out the door. And tons of other features.

Open ##2742748
@wav3ydave@mas.to 2026-05-13 06:24

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social OMG i did not know this and it's so unbelievably helpful. Thank you.

Open ##2742749
@taseroth@chaos.social 2026-05-13 09:37

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social Cool. Never heard of it before. Currently phone can't see the laptop. Guess some firewall? cachyos..

Open ##2755717
@Dahmonium@mastodon.social 2026-05-13 11:11

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social Using it for years, great software! KDE that is

Open ##2755719
@wojtek@social.vivaldi.net 2026-05-13 14:41

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social google reinventing the wheel, episode 58206294 I di wonder when they will get bored with it and drop support for it altogether...

Open ##2755720
@grayrattus@mastodon.social 2026-05-13 06:52

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social if MacOS users found out about KDE Connect features, Tim Cook would have to change career to grocery shop assistant and start selling real apples. #linux #kde #kdeconnect #apple

Open ##2755728
@dcre@mastodon.social 2026-05-13 06:46

@seabass@social.seabass.systems I dont know about you but I dont keep my files on my phone...

Open ##2755729
@thePB@mastodon.social 2026-05-13 06:36

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social I'm a big fan of KDE Connect ever since @alexbrateanu@mastodon.social recommended it to me a couple of years ago.

Open ##2755730
@TheDutchChief@mstdn.social 2026-05-13 06:33

@seabass@social.seabass.systems @kde@floss.social Have one phone and two laptops, making it work between those laptops too.

Open ##2755731