{"id":"bridge-devices.what-does-find-each-other-automatically-do","url":"/faq/bridge-devices/what-does-find-each-other-automatically-do","category":{"id":"bridge-devices","title":"Bridge & your devices"},"subcategory":{"id":"connection","title":"Staying connected"},"question":"What does “Find each other automatically” do in Bridge?","alt_questions":["Should I turn on Find each other automatically?","Bridge can't connect across networks — what setting helps?","Find each other automatically meaning","Does Find each other automatically send my files to a server?","Bridge auto-detect setting"],"short_answer":"It helps two devices on different networks find each other when the code alone won't connect, such as on a mobile hotspot. Only finding happens there — your files and clipboard still go directly between your devices, end-to-end encrypted.","answer_markdown":"It helps two devices on different networks locate each other when the connecting code alone won't link them — for example when one is on a mobile hotspot. It's on unless you switch it off.\n\nIt only helps the devices find one another. Your files and clipboard never pass through it: they still travel directly between your devices, end-to-end encrypted. We don't publish the details of how devices locate each other, but that's what it means for you.\n\nIt can't be used together with **Use local network only**, which keeps Bridge off the internet entirely.\n\n- [Hotspot connections](/faq/bridge-devices/why-wont-bridge-connect-on-a-mobile-hotspot)\n- [Is Bridge private?](/faq/bridge-devices/is-bridge-private)","answer_html":"

It helps two devices on different networks locate each other when the connecting code alone won't link them — for example when one is on a mobile hotspot. It's on unless you switch it off.

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It only helps the devices find one another. Your files and clipboard never pass through it: they still travel directly between your devices, end-to-end encrypted. We don't publish the details of how devices locate each other, but that's what it means for you.

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It can't be used together with Use local network only, which keeps Bridge off the internet entirely.

\n","answer_text":"It helps two devices on different networks locate each other when the connecting code alone won't link them — for example when one is on a mobile hotspot. It's on unless you switch it off.\n\nIt only helps the devices find one another. Your files and clipboard never pass through it: they still travel directly between your devices, end-to-end encrypted. We don't publish the details of how devices locate each other, but that's what it means for you.\n\nIt can't be used together with Use local network only, which keeps Bridge off the internet entirely.\n\n- Hotspot connections\n- Is Bridge private?","tags":["bridge","settings","connection"],"related":[{"id":"bridge-devices.why-wont-bridge-connect-on-a-mobile-hotspot","question":"Why won't Bridge connect when one device is on a mobile hotspot?","url":"/faq/bridge-devices/why-wont-bridge-connect-on-a-mobile-hotspot"},{"id":"bridge-devices.is-bridge-private","question":"Is Bridge private and secure?","url":"/faq/bridge-devices/is-bridge-private"},{"id":"bridge-devices.what-does-use-local-network-only-do","question":"What does “Use local network only” do in Bridge?","url":"/faq/bridge-devices/what-does-use-local-network-only-do"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"What does “Find each other automatically” do in Bridge? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"It helps two devices on different networks find each other when the code alone won't connect, such as on a mobile hotspot. Only finding happens there — your files and clipboard still go directly between your devices, end-to-end encrypted.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Bridge & your devices","path":"/faq/bridge-devices/"},{"name":"What does “Find each other automatically” do in Bridge?","path":"/faq/bridge-devices/what-does-find-each-other-automatically-do"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/bridge-devices/what-does-find-each-other-automatically-do","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What does “Find each other automatically” do in Bridge?","alternateName":["Should I turn on Find each other automatically?","Bridge can't connect across networks — what setting helps?","Find each other automatically meaning","Does Find each other automatically send my files to a server?","Bridge auto-detect setting"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"It helps two devices on different networks locate each other when the connecting code alone won't link them — for example when one is on a mobile hotspot. It's on unless you switch it off.\n\nIt only helps the devices find one another. Your files and clipboard never pass through it: they still travel directly between your devices, end-to-end encrypted. We don't publish the details of how devices locate each other, but that's what it means for you.\n\nIt can't be used together with Use local network only, which keeps Bridge off the internet entirely.\n\n- Hotspot connections\n- Is Bridge private?","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/bridge-devices/what-does-find-each-other-automatically-do"}}]},"fragment":"
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Bridge & your devices · Staying connected

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What does “Find each other automatically” do in Bridge?

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Short answer: It helps two devices on different networks find each other when the code alone won't connect, such as on a mobile hotspot. Only finding happens there — your files and clipboard still go directly between your devices, end-to-end encrypted.

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It helps two devices on different networks locate each other when the connecting code alone won't link them — for example when one is on a mobile hotspot. It's on unless you switch it off.

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It only helps the devices find one another. Your files and clipboard never pass through it: they still travel directly between your devices, end-to-end encrypted. We don't publish the details of how devices locate each other, but that's what it means for you.

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It can't be used together with Use local network only, which keeps Bridge off the internet entirely.

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Last reviewed

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Related questions

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