Changelog
What's new in Handrive. Features, improvements, and platform updates.
Mac App Store release
Handrive is now on the Mac App Store. Notarized, sandboxed, auto-updating. DMG still available for CLI users.
MCP HTTP SSE interface
Fifth interface added. AI agents can now connect to Handrive over HTTP using the MCP SSE protocol — no stdio pipe needed. Run Handrive as a remote MCP server for multi-agent workflows.
Transfer resume at byte offset
Resumed transfers now pick up from the exact byte offset instead of re-sending the last chunk. Saves time on large files over unstable connections.
Headless mode on Linux ARM64
Handrive headless now runs natively on ARM64 Linux — Raspberry Pi, Graviton EC2 instances, Oracle Cloud ARM. Same CLI, same REST API.
3x faster indexing for large directories
Shared folders with 100k+ files now index 3x faster on first scan. Incremental updates remain instant.
Editor access role
New permission level: editors can upload files to your shared folders, not just download. Useful for client delivery workflows where both sides need to send files.
Windows Microsoft Store release
Handrive is now available on the Microsoft Store. Auto-updates, sandboxed install, no admin required.
Clustering — multi-device sync
Log in on multiple devices with the same account. Shares, contacts, and metadata sync automatically. Recipients see one unified contact regardless of how many machines you run.
Multi-instance support
Run multiple Handrive instances on a single machine, each on a different port. Instances share state automatically — changes in one appear instantly in others. Useful for saturating bandwidth on high-throughput servers.
Claude Code skill
Added /handrive slash command for Claude Code. Includes knowledge of all 40+ MCP tools, common workflow templates, and confirmation prompts for destructive actions.
Multi-language support
Desktop app now available in 7 languages: English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, German, French, and Spanish.
File tags and favorites
Star files for quick access and tag them with custom labels. Tags are synced across devices and visible to share members.
Windows filename compatibility
Files with characters invalid on Windows (: < > " | ? *) are now auto-encoded transparently. Original names display correctly in the app. Fixes cross-platform sharing issues.
Handrive 1.0
First stable release. P2P file transfer with end-to-end encryption, desktop app for macOS/Windows/Linux, CLI, REST API, and MCP stdio interface with 40+ tools for AI agents.
System service installation
New 'hand service install' command sets up Handrive as a system daemon. Supports systemd (Linux), launchd (macOS), and Task Scheduler (Windows). Auto-starts on boot.
REST API with Swagger UI
Full REST API on configurable port with OpenAPI 3.0 specification. Swagger UI at /api/docs for interactive testing. Covers auth, shares, files, transfers, members, contacts, and users.
MCP stdio interface — 40+ tools
Model Context Protocol support via stdio transport. 40+ tools across 8 categories: auth, shares, files, members, contacts, users, transfers, and discovery. AI agents can manage files programmatically.
Full-text file search
Search files across all shares by name. Results update in real-time as you type. Available in desktop app, CLI, REST API, and MCP.
CLI — command-line interface
Complete CLI for headless and scripted usage. Commands for auth, shares, files, members, contacts, transfers, and discovery. Interactive and non-interactive modes.
Admin role and member management
New admin permission level. Admins can add/remove members and change permissions on a share. Four-tier model: viewer, editor, admin, owner.
Google OAuth sign-in
Sign in with your Google account in addition to email OTP. Faster onboarding, same security model.
Drag-and-drop uploads
Drag files and folders directly into the Handrive window to upload. Works with editor and admin permissions on remote shares.
Headless server mode
Run Handrive without a GUI on any Linux, macOS, or Windows machine. Always-on file access for NAS, VPS, and cloud servers. Controlled via CLI and REST API.
Keyboard shortcuts
Cmd/Ctrl+U to upload, Shift+Cmd/Ctrl+N for new folder, Cmd/Ctrl+C/V to copy-paste files, Escape to clear selection.
Contact discovery and invitation
Search users by email, send invitation emails to people not yet on Handrive, and discover shares from your contacts automatically.
Dark and light themes
Toggle between dark and light mode in settings. Follows system preference by default.
Transfer progress and history
Real-time transfer progress with speed and ETA. Full transfer history with status tracking. Cancel, restart, or clear completed transfers.
Linux .deb and .rpm packages
Native packages for Debian/Ubuntu (.deb) and RHEL/CentOS (.rpm). Proper system integration with desktop entries and file associations.
NAT traversal improvements
Better connection success rate behind symmetric NATs and restrictive firewalls. Reduced fallback to relay, more direct connections.
End-to-end encryption
All file transfers are now end-to-end encrypted. Files are encrypted on the sender's device and decrypted on the recipient's. Nobody in between — including Handrive — can read the data.
Folder statistics
View file count and total size for any folder in a share. Available in the info panel, CLI, and API.
Grid and list view modes
Switch between grid view (thumbnails) and list view (detailed) in the file browser. Preference is remembered per session.
Windows support
Handrive is now available on Windows 10 and later (64-bit). Same P2P transfers, same encryption, full cross-platform compatibility with macOS and Linux.
Satellite-grade transfer protocol
New transport layer tolerant of high packet loss and latency. Maintains full-speed transfers over satellite links, VPNs, and long-distance connections where TCP would stall.
Resumable transfers
Interrupted transfers can now be resumed instead of starting over. Works across app restarts and network changes.
Linux AppImage support
Single-file AppImage for any Linux distribution. No installation required — download, make executable, run.
Resumable transfers
Interrupted transfers can now be resumed instead of starting over. Works across app restarts and network changes.
Multiple concurrent transfers
Run multiple file transfers at the same time. Each transfer gets its own progress tracking and can be cancelled independently.
Transfer progress and speed display
Real-time progress bar with transfer speed, bytes transferred, and ETA. Previously transfers just ran with no feedback.
NAT traversal
Direct P2P connections now work behind most NAT configurations and firewalls. STUN/TURN handling for cases where direct connection isn't possible.
Large file support
Removed practical file size limits. Chunked transfer with integrity verification handles files of any size — tested up to 500 GB.
Connection auto-reconnect
P2P connections now automatically reconnect after network interruptions. No more manual restarts when WiFi drops or laptop wakes from sleep.
Encrypted transfers
All file data is now encrypted in transit between peers. Encryption happens at the transport layer — files are unreadable to anyone intercepting the connection.
First alpha release
Initial release of Handrive. Basic P2P file transfer between two macOS devices with email OTP authentication. One file at a time, direct connection only.
Have a feature request? Tell us on r/handrive or email han@handrive.ai.