diff --git a/src/file_transfer.rs b/src/file_transfer.rs
index 03165db..63f5ff1 100644
--- a/src/file_transfer.rs
+++ b/src/file_transfer.rs
@@ -164,21 +164,21 @@ pub fn encode_frame(payload: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
 
 pub fn parse_copy_endpoint(raw: &str) -> CopyEndpoint {
     if looks_like_windows_path(raw) {
-        return CopyEndpoint::Local(PathBuf::from(raw));
+        return CopyEndpoint::Local(local_copy_path(raw));
     }
     if let Some((host, path)) = parse_bracketed_remote_endpoint(raw) {
         return CopyEndpoint::Remote { host, path };
     }
     if raw.starts_with('[') {
-        return CopyEndpoint::Local(PathBuf::from(raw));
+        return CopyEndpoint::Local(local_copy_path(raw));
     }
     let Some(index) = raw.find(':') else {
-        return CopyEndpoint::Local(PathBuf::from(raw));
+        return CopyEndpoint::Local(local_copy_path(raw));
     };
     let host = &raw[..index];
     let path = &raw[index + 1..];
     if host.is_empty() || host.contains('/') || host.contains('\\') {
-        return CopyEndpoint::Local(PathBuf::from(raw));
+        return CopyEndpoint::Local(local_copy_path(raw));
     }
     CopyEndpoint::Remote {
         host: host.to_string(),
@@ -266,6 +266,23 @@ fn looks_like_windows_path(raw: &str) -> bool {
     bytes.len() >= 2 && bytes[0].is_ascii_alphabetic() && bytes[1] == b':'
 }
 
+fn local_copy_path(raw: &str) -> PathBuf {
+    let rest = if raw == "~" {
+        Some("")
+    } else {
+        raw.strip_prefix("~/").or_else(|| raw.strip_prefix("~\\"))
+    };
+    if let Some(rest) = rest
+        && let Some(home) = dirs::home_dir()
+    {
+        if rest.is_empty() {
+            return home;
+        }
+        return home.join(rest);
+    }
+    PathBuf::from(raw)
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
@@ -346,4 +363,27 @@ mod tests {
             CopyEndpoint::Local(PathBuf::from("[::1]"))
         );
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn copy_endpoint_expands_local_home_paths() {
+        let Some(home) = dirs::home_dir() else {
+            return;
+        };
+        assert_eq!(parse_copy_endpoint("~"), CopyEndpoint::Local(home.clone()));
+        assert_eq!(
+            parse_copy_endpoint("~/Downloads/file.txt"),
+            CopyEndpoint::Local(home.join("Downloads/file.txt"))
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            parse_copy_endpoint("~\\Downloads\\file.txt"),
+            CopyEndpoint::Local(home.join("Downloads\\file.txt"))
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            parse_copy_endpoint("host:~/Downloads/file.txt"),
+            CopyEndpoint::Remote {
+                host: "host".to_string(),
+                path: "~/Downloads/file.txt".to_string()
+            }
+        );
+    }
 }