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Getting Started with LocalGo

LocalGo is a high-performance, cross-platform implementation of the LocalSend protocol. This guide will help you get up and running quickly.

Installation

Option 1: Pre-built Binaries

Download the latest release for your platform from the Releases page.

Linux/macOS:

tar -xzf localgo_Linux_x86_64.tar.gz
sudo mv localgo /usr/local/bin/

Option 2: Install via the install script

# User installation (installs to ~/.local/bin)
./scripts/install.sh

# System-wide with systemd service
sudo ./scripts/install.sh --mode system --service --create-user

Option 3: Build from Source

Requirements: Go 1.19+

git clone https://github.com/bethropolis/localgo.git
cd localgo
make build

Option 4: Install via Go

go install github.com/bethropolis/localgo/cmd/localgo@latest

Option 5: Install via Homebrew (macOS/Linux)

brew install bethropolis/localgo/localgo

option 6: Install via AUR (Arch Linux)

  yay -S localgo-bin

Option 7: Install via Docker/podman

podman run -d \
  --name localgo \
  --network host \
  -v $(pwd)/downloads:/app/downloads:z \
  -v $(pwd)/config:/app/config:z \
  -e LOCALSEND_ALIAS="My Server" \
  ghcr.io/bethropolis/localgo:latest

ensure the mounted downloads and config directories exist and have the correct permissions. for more information see container documentation

Quick Start

1. Receive Files

Start the server. It will automatically discover your network interface and start listening for incoming transfers.

localgo serve

You are now visible to other LocalSend devices on your network.

2. Discover Devices

localgo discover

If multicast is blocked on your network, use the HTTP scanner instead:

localgo scan

Or list the most recently seen devices (fast 2s scan):

localgo devices

3. Send Files

localgo send --file photos.zip --to "QuickShare"

You can send multiple files at once:

localgo send --file image.jpg --file document.pdf --to "MyPhone"

4. Share Files for Download

Start a share server so other devices can pull files from you:

localgo share --file document.pdf

Share multiple files, protected by a PIN:

localgo share --file report.pdf --file data.csv --pin 1234

5. Show Device Info

Check your current configuration (alias, fingerprint, port, etc.):

localgo info

Common Scenarios

Running on a Headless Server

If you are running LocalGo on a VPS or a Raspberry Pi without a display:

  1. Enable Quiet Mode to avoid cluttering logs. 
    localgo serve --quiet &
  2. Disable clipboard since there is no display server — incoming text will be saved as a .txt file. 
    localgo serve --no-clipboard
  3. Run as a Service: See the Deployment Guide.

Using in a Script

LocalGo is JSON-friendly — pipe output into jq or grep for automation:

# Check if "MyPhone" is online
if localgo scan --json | grep -q "MyPhone"; then
    echo "Phone is online!"
fi

# Get device list as JSON
localgo devices --json | jq '.[].alias'

Auto-Accept Mode

For unattended setups where you trust senders on the network:

localgo serve --auto-accept --quiet

Or set it permanently via an environment variable:

export LOCALSEND_AUTO_ACCEPT=true
localgo serve --quiet

Security

  • Encryption: All transfers are encrypted using TLS 1.2+ with on-the-fly generated certificates.
  • PIN Protection: Enforce a PIN for incoming transfers. 
    localgo serve --pin 12345
    The sender will be prompted to enter this PIN.

Next Steps