Frequently Asked Questions

Create a session on the homepage by clicking the "Start Transfer" button. This generates a unique room code and a scannable QR code. Share either one with the person you want to exchange files with — they can join by scanning the QR code or opening the link in their browser.

Once a peer connects, simply drag and drop files into the upload zone. The transfer begins immediately and progress is shown in real time. Keep the browser tab open and active until all transfers are complete, as closing the tab ends the session.

No — StreamSnatcher is designed for instant, frictionless use. There are no sign‑up forms, email verifications, or user profiles. Sessions are completely ephemeral: they exist only while the page is open and peers are connected, leaving no persistent traces on our end.

This design choice is intentional. By removing accounts, we eliminate a common attack surface for data breaches and ensure your file-sharing activity is never tied to a persistent identity.

StreamSnatcher does not impose any artificial file size limit. You can transfer files ranging from small text documents to multi‑gigabyte video files or project archives. The practical ceiling is determined by your browser's available memory, your device's storage capacity, and the stability of your network connection.

For very large files (10 GB+), we recommend using a wired Ethernet connection and keeping the browser tab in the foreground to avoid throttling by the operating system.

Yes. You can select multiple files or drag and drop an entire batch into the upload zone. Each file is queued and transferred sequentially, with individual progress bars showing the status of each file in the queue. You can continue adding more files while transfers are in progress.

No. Files are never uploaded to StreamSnatcher's servers. All transfers happen directly between your browser and the recipient's browser over encrypted WebRTC data channels. Our server's only role is to facilitate the initial connection handshake (called "signaling") — once peers discover each other, all file data flows directly between devices.

This means we physically cannot access, read, or store your files. Even if subpoenaed, there is nothing to produce because the data never exists on our infrastructure.

Yes. WebRTC mandates DTLS (Datagram Transport Layer Security) encryption for all data channels. This is the same encryption standard used by major video conferencing platforms like Google Meet and Microsoft Teams. The encryption keys are negotiated directly between peers during the connection setup, so contents are not visible to StreamSnatcher, your ISP, or any intermediary.

It's important to note that this is transport-layer encryption. While your data is protected in transit, you should still only share files with people you trust, as the recipient has full access to the decrypted file once received.

We collect the minimum technical metadata needed to establish connections: session identifiers, ICE candidates (network routing information), and short‑lived diagnostic data for stability improvements. We do not collect file names, file contents, or any data about what you transfer.

Session data is discarded when the session ends. For full details, review our Privacy Policy.

Yes, StreamSnatcher generally works with VPNs. However, some VPN configurations may affect WebRTC connectivity or reduce transfer speeds because your traffic is routed through an additional server. If you experience connection issues while using a VPN, try temporarily disabling it or switching to a different VPN server location closer to your peer.

Note that some privacy-focused browser extensions may block WebRTC to prevent IP leakage. If you use such extensions, you may need to whitelist streamsnatcher.com for transfers to work.

Transfer speed is determined by the slower of the sender's upload bandwidth and the receiver's download bandwidth. On a typical broadband connection, expect speeds between 5–50 Mbps for direct peer‑to‑peer connections. On local networks (e.g., same Wi‑Fi), speeds can be significantly higher since data doesn't traverse the public internet.

If both devices are behind restrictive NATs or firewalls, the connection may route through a TURN relay server, which can reduce speeds. For best results, use wired connections and avoid congested networks.

Several factors can cause transfers to pause or slow down. Modern browsers actively throttle background tabs to conserve resources — keep the StreamSnatcher tab in the foreground during large transfers. Mobile devices may enter sleep mode, cutting the network connection. Shared networks (offices, cafes, dorms) may have bandwidth caps or high contention.

Try these troubleshooting steps: keep the tab visible and active, disable sleep/screen-off on your device during transfers, close bandwidth-heavy apps (streaming video, large downloads), and switch to a more stable connection if available.

Connection failures are usually caused by restrictive networks. Common solutions include: refreshing both browser tabs and verifying the room code matches exactly, disabling aggressive ad-blockers or tracker-blocking extensions that may interfere with WebRTC signaling, and trying a different network (a mobile hotspot can quickly confirm whether the ISP is the issue).

Corporate firewalls, university networks, and some public Wi‑Fi hotspots are known to block WebRTC traffic. If you consistently can't connect from a particular network, it's likely a firewall restriction. Using a VPN or switching to mobile data usually resolves this.

Slow transfers are typically caused by network conditions rather than StreamSnatcher itself. Start by switching from Wi‑Fi to a wired Ethernet connection if possible, as wired connections offer more stable and consistent bandwidth. Close other applications that consume bandwidth, such as video streaming or cloud sync services.

If speeds remain low after optimizing your connection, the transfer may be routing through a TURN relay due to firewall restrictions on one or both sides. Try connecting both devices to less restrictive networks. For very large files, consider transferring during off‑peak hours when network congestion is lower.

StreamSnatcher works on all modern browsers that support WebRTC data channels. This includes Google Chrome (version 56+), Mozilla Firefox (version 52+), Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based), Safari (version 11+), Opera, and Brave. For the best experience, always keep your browser updated to the latest stable version.

Internet Explorer is not supported, and some niche or heavily customized browsers may lack full WebRTC data channel support. If you encounter issues, try switching to Chrome or Firefox as a baseline test.

Yes. StreamSnatcher works on mobile browsers with WebRTC support, including Chrome and Safari on iOS, and Chrome and Firefox on Android. The interface is fully responsive and optimized for touchscreens, making it easy to upload files and manage transfers on smaller screens.

For long transfers on mobile, keep the screen on and the browser app in the foreground. iOS and Android aggressively suspend background processes to save battery, which can interrupt active WebRTC connections. On Android, you can enable "Keep screen on while charging" in developer settings for extended transfers.

Each session supports up to 2 peers for optimal performance and reliability. This direct one‑to‑one architecture ensures the fastest possible transfer speeds without the overhead of managing multiple simultaneous connections, which can significantly reduce per‑peer throughput.

If you need to share with multiple people, you can create separate sessions for each recipient or share files one pair at a time within the same session.

Sessions are designed to be ephemeral and cannot be bookmarked for later use. Each session exists only while at least one peer has the page open. When all participants close the tab, the session is permanently ended and the room code becomes invalid.

This is a deliberate privacy feature — by ensuring sessions have no persistence, we eliminate the risk of unauthorized access to stale session links.

Any file type can be transferred through StreamSnatcher — documents (PDF, DOCX, XLSX), images (JPEG, PNG, RAW), videos (MP4, MOV, AVI), audio (MP3, WAV, FLAC), archives (ZIP, RAR, TAR), application binaries (EXE, DMG, APK), and more. StreamSnatcher treats all files as binary data streams, so there are no format restrictions.

If a particular file fails to transfer, it's typically due to browser memory limitations for extremely large files or network interruptions, not a file type restriction.

No. Files are transferred bit‑for‑bit without any compression, transcoding, or modification. What the sender uploads is exactly what the receiver downloads. This is particularly important for media professionals who need lossless quality — your RAW photos, uncompressed video, and master audio files arrive exactly as they were sent.

If you want to reduce transfer time for large batches, consider compressing files into a ZIP archive before sending. This is especially effective for text‑heavy files and documents.

Currently, StreamSnatcher does not support resumable transfers. If a transfer is interrupted due to a disconnection or browser crash, you'll need to rejoin the session (if it's still active) and resend the file from the beginning. For very large files on unstable connections, we recommend splitting files into smaller chunks before transferring.

Resumable transfer support is on our development roadmap, and we plan to implement it in a future update to improve the experience for large file transfers over unreliable connections.

WebRTC data channels use SCTP (Stream Control Transmission Protocol), which provides built‑in reliability guarantees including ordered delivery and retransmission of lost packets. This means files arrive intact under normal conditions. However, for critical transfers, you can independently verify integrity by comparing file checksums (MD5 or SHA-256) before and after the transfer using free tools available for all operating systems.

No. Because files flow directly between peers and never pass through or get stored on StreamSnatcher's servers, content moderation is not technically feasible. We are unable to see, access, or scan the contents of any transfer.

Users are solely responsible for ensuring they only share content they have the legal right to distribute. Always scan received files with up-to-date antivirus software before opening them, especially when receiving from unfamiliar sources.

While we cannot monitor transfers, our Terms of Service prohibit the use of StreamSnatcher for illegal purposes, including transferring malware, copyrighted material without authorization, harmful or exploitative content, or any material that violates applicable laws. Users who misuse the service may have their access revoked.

If you become aware of abuse, please report it through our Contact page with as much detail as possible.

Use the form on the Contact page and select "General Support" as the topic. Include any relevant details such as approximate time, session information if available, and a description of the issue. Our team reviews all reports and takes appropriate action.

Yes. The core file transfer service is completely free to use with no hidden fees, premium tiers, or usage caps. We believe that basic file sharing should be accessible to everyone, regardless of budget. There are no "free trial" limits — you get the full product at no cost.

To sustain the service, non-intrusive advertising may be displayed on content pages. Ads are placed away from the transfer interface and never interrupt active file transfers.

StreamSnatcher is sustained through non‑intrusive display advertising on content pages. Because file transfers are peer‑to‑peer (data flows directly between users), our server costs are minimal compared to traditional cloud storage services. This lean architecture allows us to offer the full service for free while remaining financially sustainable through modest ad revenue.

Ad placement is carefully considered to avoid disrupting transfers or degrading the user experience. We follow all applicable consent and privacy regulations.