From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system
There were a half dozen false starts which are outlined over here:
Newsgroups: misc.phone.mobile.iphone,comp.mobile.ipad,comp.sys.mac.advocacy
Subject: How to make iOS work in the real world to copy over Wi-Fi & play video from desktop to iPad
Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2026 18:19:10 -0600
Message-ID: <111pp9s$33j15$
1@paganini.bofh.team>
But this is the sequence that worked for transferring large MP4 files and
srt files over from a desktop to an iPad over Wi-Fi to play movies in VLC.
Friends are going on a summer vacation with toddlers who normally watch Netflix, so I am lending them a spare iPad loaded with movies for the kids.
As all are aware, Apple does not interoperate well with Windows, Linux, or Android but LocalSend fixes that problem since it works on all platforms.
Two apps that work across platforms to copy large videos over Wi-Fi are:
LocalSend (file transfer)
https://localsend.org/
VLC (video player)
https://www.videolan.org/vlc/
I am transferring a directory of large MP4 files and matching SRT subtitle files over Wi-Fi. LocalSend is used because VLC's own Wi-Fi transfer is
flaky with large files, while LocalSend is fast and robust for all files.
Why LocalSend is better than USB on Windows:
No insecure Apple drivers
No iTunes bloatware
No MTP mode
No DCIM folder restrictions
No "trust computer" weirdness
No Apple app-folder visibility issues
Works with any file type
Transfers are fast (50-150 MB/s on Wi-Fi 6)
Start with all devices on the same LAN, connected only over Wi-Fi.
A folder named "vacation" on the desktop contains 10 MP4 & SRT files.
1. Install the required apps
a. On the iPad, install LocalSend <
https://localsend.org/download>
b. On the desktop, install LocalSend <
https://localsend.org/download>
c. On the iPad, install VLC <
https://www.videolan.org/vlc/>
2. Connect LocalSend
a. Open LocalSend on the iPad and leave it open so it is discoverable.
b. Open LocalSend on the PC so it can discover the iPad.
3. Send the videos from the desktop to the iPad
a. On the desktop, click "Send" in LocalSend.
b. Drag the entire "vacation" folder into the LocalSend window.
c. Select the iPad from the device list.
d. On the iPad, tap "Accept".
e. Wait for the transfer to finish (10 videos took me ~30 minutes).
4. Locate the transferred files on the iPad
a. Open the native iOS Files app.
b. Navigate to: On My iPad > LocalSend.
c. You should now see the "vacation" folder.
Note LocalSend saves files into a location iOS treats as "external".
This disables "Move" & hides "Save to Files" for MP4/SRT combinations.
5. Copy the MP4 & SRT files into VLC's folder
a. In Files, open: On My iPad > LocalSend > vacation.
b. Tap "Select" (top right).
c. Select one MP4 file (or select all files).
d. Tap the folder icon (top right).
e. In the row of destination folders, tap the folder labeled "VLC".
f. Tap the blue "Move" button (top right).
g. Repeat if needed until all MP4 and SRT files are in:
On My iPad > VLC
This bypasses the astoundingly restrictive Apple Share Sheet entirely.
It is the reliable way to move MP4 and SRT files into VLC's sandbox.
6. Find the files inside VLC
a. Open VLC on the iPad.
b. Oddly, the video/subtitle files will appear in three places:
Videos = VLC's media library (indexed MP4 files)
Local Files = VLC's internal file browser
Browse = actual iOS filesystem (On My iPad > VLC)
c. VLC will automatically pair videos with matching subtitle files.
In summary, this is one way to transfer large MP4 and associated SRT files
from the desktop to an iPad over Wi-Fi without iTunes, without USB, without
too many Apple restrictions & without relying on VLC's flaky Wi-Fi upload.
As always, if you find where I err or omit, please add value where needed.
The goal is perfect interoperability between platforms, for free, w/o ads.
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