#25 Symmetric QR pairing: allow both peers to generate or scan QR codes

[Anonymous]

Originally created by: riftrogue

Problem

Currently, the sender always generates the QR code and the receiver always scans it.

This can be inconvenient in some situations.

For example, if I want to send a file from my Android phone to my laptop:

• Phone becomes the sender
• Phone generates the QR code
• Laptop has to scan it

But many laptops don't have a webcam or scanning from a laptop can simply be awkward.

Proposed solution

Instead of limiting QR generation to the sender, allow both sides to:

• Generate a QR code
• Scan a QR code
• Enter a connection code manually

The QR code would simply be used to establish the connection.

Example

Phone → Laptop

• Select file on phone
• Open scanner on phone
• Generate QR on laptop
• Scan and connect

Laptop → Phone

• Generate QR on laptop
• Scan from phone
• Connect

This would make the pairing process more flexible and work better for phone ↔ laptop transfers.

Additional context

The idea is to treat QR codes as a connection/pairing mechanism rather than a sender-only feature.

[Anonymous]

Originally posted by: denislupookov

Hey @riftrogue , thanks for raising the issue and I like the idea.

I am planning to add it to the app in the near future. It also ties in nicely with an upcoming remember device feature, which will make it easier to pair your trusted devices, so you can send to your own devices repeatedly without scanning anything at all.