What Is Warpinator?

Warpinator is a small and simple app for copying files or folders to other devices on a local network. The free and open-source app was developed by the team behind Linux Mint and was originally only for Linux devices. The app has since branched out to Android, making Linux/mobile file sharing easier.

So should you use Warpinator?

That depends on your use case. If you want files to be actively synced across devices that might be on other networks, you’re better off using another tool like rsync.

If, however, you just occasionally need to copy a file or folder to another local device, Warpinator should work just fine.

Download: Warpinator App

Is Warpinator Secure?

Warpinator offers a couple of security features so that you can share files with the peace of mind.

Transfer Permissions: Warpinator will always ask you to approve any incoming file transfers. That way you know Warpinator can’t be a bridge for malicious files. If you trust everyone on your network, though, you can disable this feature for frictionless transfers. Group Codes: Warpinator won’t connect to other devices that aren’t using the same group code. This code can be anything you want, but the default is Warpinator. If you want to stay secure, change this in the settings to something only you would know.

How to Install Warpinator on Linux

You can get Warpinator through a few different methods, depending on your distribution.

Linux Mint 20 and Above

Warpinator was originally released natively for Mint 20, so installing it on Linux Mint is easy. Just pass this command in the terminal:

After installing, Warpinator should appear in your launcher menu. Otherwise, you can launch Warpinator with this command:

Linux Mint 19.x

The Mint team has provided a PPA repository containing Warpinator for Linux Mint 19 and above.

These commands will add the PPA, update your package index, and install Warpinator.

Other Linux Distros

You can get Warpinator on just about any other distro using Flatpak. Enter this command in the terminal to begin the installation.

Once installation is complete, launch Warpinator with this command:

If you want to install Warpinator on another distro without Flatpak, you can follow the developers’ guide on GitHub for a manual build.

How to Use Warpinator to Share Files

Launch Warpinator on all devices that will be sending or receiving files and wait for Warpinator to discover all devices on the network. In the main menu on the sending device, click or tap on the device you want to receive the file. On a desktop, drag and drop any files or folders you want to send into the File Transfers box. On mobile, tap the Transfer button and select your file or folder. On the receiving end, you’ll need to accept the transfer request before the transfer can begin.

Note that Warpinator continues to run in the background even after exiting. This allows your device to remain available on the network for the next time you need it.

On desktop, you can shut down the service by clicking Quit under the top-left Menu button. Alternatively, you can find Warpinator in your taskbar, open its options menu, and click Quit.

On mobile, open the options for Warpinator in your notifications area and tap Stop Service.

Troubleshooting Warpinator

If file sharing isn’t working on Warpinator, try these fixes.

Check the Group Code

Make sure Warpinator is set to the exact same group code on all devices you want to connect. Remember that the default on both Linux and Android is Warpinator.

Check Your Firewall

Make sure any firewall on your desktop allows Warpinator to use the port it’s set to. By default, Warpinator uses port 42000, but you can change that if you prefer.

Turn Off VPNs

If you’ve connected your devices to separate VPNs, they likely won’t connect on Warpinator. Turn them off, or make sure they’re on the same network.

Sending Files Over LAN With Warpinator

Warpinator is easy to use and gets the job done when it comes to simple wireless file transmission over the local network. If there are multiple devices on your network, you can even create groups to categorize your devices.

File management is an important practice for everyone. Keeping a handy file-sharing utility like Warpinator can be helpful if you want to sync files on different devices together. Soon you’ll be managing files like a power user.