How to Share Files Over Bluetooth on Linux with Blueman

To share a file over Bluetooth on Linux, pair the computer with a compatible device, then use Blueman’s Send a File action. The receiving device must accept the transfer. For the reverse direction, enable Blueman’s file-receiving service and choose where incoming files should be saved. The Bluetooth connection alone is not enough: both devices need to support the Bluetooth Object Push (OBEX) profile.

What you need before transferring

• Bluetooth enabled on a working adapter in your Linux computer.
• The receiving device nearby, with Bluetooth and discoverability enabled for pairing.
• OBEX Object Push support on both devices. Pairing alone does not guarantee file sharing; Blueman supports OBEX transfers, and BlueZ documents its Object Push interface. See the Blueman project and BlueZ Object Push documentation.

The interface illustrations below are visual guides; menu names and layout may differ by desktop and Blueman release. If your desktop already offers a working Send File action, use it. The steps below use Blueman’s graphical interface.

1. Install Blueman and BlueZ OBEX support

Install the graphical manager and the OBEX component from your distribution’s official repositories. Package names vary slightly:

• Ubuntu, Debian, or Linux Mint: sudo apt install blueman bluez-obexd. See the Ubuntu Blueman package and Ubuntu BlueZ OBEX package.
• Fedora: sudo dnf install blueman bluez-obexd. Both packages are listed by Fedora Packages and the BlueZ OBEX package page.
• Arch Linux: sudo pacman -S blueman bluez-obex. The Arch Blueman package and BlueZ OBEX package are in the official repositories.

Launch Blueman Manager from your applications menu. For other distributions, find Blueman and the BlueZ OBEX component in the official software catalog.

2. Turn on Bluetooth and make the other device visible

Open Bluetooth settings on both devices and switch Bluetooth on. On the device that will receive a file, enable discoverability or open its Bluetooth pairing screen. Some phones stop advertising after a short time, so keep that screen open while pairing. Leave the devices close together until the transfer finishes.

3. Pair the Linux computer with the device

In Blueman Manager, choose the search or add-device control to scan for nearby devices. Select the correct device, choose Pair, and confirm that any pairing code shown on the Linux computer matches the code on the other device. Approve the pairing on both screens. If the device is already paired, continue to the transfer step.

4. Send a file from Linux

1. In Blueman Manager, locate the paired device.
2. Right-click its row and choose Send a File.
3. Select the file in the file chooser and choose Open.

Watch the transfer indicator in Blueman. On the receiving device, accept the incoming file when prompted. The file may not start moving until the recipient confirms it, and the receiving device may save it to a default folder or ask where to put it.

5. Receive files on Linux

To send from a phone or another computer to Linux, open the Blueman tray applet menu, choose Local Services, then open Transfer. Enable File Receiving (Object Push) and note the incoming-folder path.

Use the folder button to choose a destination you can access, then apply the change. Blueman also offers automatic acceptance from trusted devices. For safer everyday use, leave that option off and approve transfers manually.

Start the transfer from the other device and approve it on Linux if prompted. If no prompt appears, check the receive toggle, OBEX package, and sender’s Object Push support.

Troubleshooting Bluetooth file transfers

• The device is missing: keep its Bluetooth screen open, enable discoverability, and scan again.
• Pairing works but sending fails: check that the other device supports OBEX Object Push; audio or keyboard support is not enough.
• Linux cannot receive: install the distro’s BlueZ OBEX package and enable File Receiving (Object Push) in Blueman.
• The transfer stops: keep both devices awake and nearby, check destination space, and retry with one file. Compress folders into an archive first.

When Bluetooth is the wrong fit

Not every phone exposes generic Bluetooth file transfer. Apple describes AirDrop as sharing with nearby Apple devices, so an iPhone or iPad is not a standard Blueman OBEX target. For transfers over the same network, KDE Connect shares files between computers and phones without using Bluetooth.