How to use Google Nearby Share to share files between Android and Windows

Here's how you can use Google's Nearby Share to easily share files between Android and Windows devices.

• By Saipansab Nadaf -
Published On: April 19, 2023

Google's Nearby Share was first launched on Android to make file sharing between Android devices easy. Now Google has made Nearby Share available on Windows in Beta version and is widely available for users to try out. With Windows support, users can not only share files between Android smartphones but also share files with Windows devices in a simple way.

The file-sharing technology from Google is similar to Apple's AirDrop in the sense that it allows you to share local files, links, photos, videos, apps, and more with other nearby devices extremely easily. In this article, we explain how to use Nearby Share on Android and Windows devices so you can easily share files between your smartphone and Windows laptop/PC. So, without further ado, let's get started.

How to enable and setup Nearby Share on Android

Nearby Share is part of the Google Play System Services and comes pre-installed on most Android devices. But before we begin installing and setting up Nearby Share on your Windows machine we need to make sure it is enabled on your Android smartphone. Follow the below step to enable Nearby Share on Android devices:

• Go to your phone's Settings
• Scroll down and tap on the Google option
• Now scroll down and click on Devices and sharing
• Enable Nearby Share on the next screen by toggling on 'Use Nearby Share'
  

If you cannot find the Google option for some reason on the device's system settings, you can also directly access the option to enable Nearby Share settings from the Android's Quick Settings menu.

• Open the Quick Settings on your device by opening the notification panel.
• Just long press on the Nearby Share icon and you'll get the Nearby Share setup option. After that, proceed to enable Nearby Share on the device.

If you cannot find the icon, it can usually be found by clicking on the little Pencil icon below the Quick Settings. In the Edit screen drag the Nearby Share icon to the active Quick Settings tiles by long pressing and dragging it to the active tiles section.

Note: Whenever you want to access the Nearby Share, you can simply tap on the Nearby Share icon in the Quick Settings tile and start sharing/receiving the files with others. 

Changing Nearby Share Device Visibility settings

Now, that we have successfully enabled the Nearby Share on the smartphone. We need to tweak the Device Visibility of the Nearby Share service so that other devices can easily find your phone and share files with you.

• Go to Nearby Share settings
• Toggle the Device Visibility on

Device Visibility has three settings -- Everyone, Contacts, and Your Devices. (You need to tap on the Device Visibility label, not the toggle beside it, to get these options.) The 'Everyone' option lets anyone nearby share the files with you. Fret not, the receiving request still needs to be approved. However, after some time, this setting will switch to 'Contacts' to protect user privacy. The 'Contacts' option, as the name suggests, lets only people in your contact list share files with you. Lastly, in the 'Your Devices' mode, files can only be shared between the devices that are signed into your Google account.

Incidentally, you can also control the data consumption settings from the Nearby Share settings screen. The 'Data' option uses your mobile data to send small files while the 'Wi-Fi only' mode shares files without using any internet connection. You can also select the 'Without Internet' option if you want files shared offline always.

You can also rename the device in the Nearby Share settings so that others can easily identify your device when sharing files with you. While you are at it, make sure the Show notification option is toggled on so that you'll get a notification when receiving files. 

Nearby Share is now ready to use on your Android device.

How to enable and setup Nearby Share on Windows

Now that we have set up Nearby Share on Android devices, it's time to install and set up Nearby Share on your Window machine. Follow the below steps to do so:

• Download Nearby Share Beta by clicking on Get Started with Beta button on the website. 
• Install Nearby Share by double-clicking on the 'BetterTogetherSetup' file you just downloaded.

Note: Nearby is available on Windows 10 and above (64-bit). ARM devices are not currently supported.

• When you enter Nearby Share, at the startup screen you'll be asked to sign into your Google account. Note that you can also use Nearby Share without logging in to your Google account.

• Rename the device to your liking. This is the name that will appear on receiving device.

• Next, you want to tweak your Device Visibility settings so that other devices can easily find your laptop. By default, this is set to 'No one'; you'll want to change this setting to Everyone, Contacts, or Your devices so that you can receive the files from other devices. As explained earlier, the 'Everyone mode' lets you receive files from all the nearby devices and the 'Contacts' visibility setting lets you receive files from people that are only in your contact list (of course, you will need to sign in to your account for this). And you can use the 'Your Device' setting to only receive files from your personal devices that are signed with your Google account.

• Click Done when you're satisfied with your preferences.

Nearby Share is ready to use on your Windows device. Remember you can change all of the above settings at any time including the file download location by going to settings (little gear icon at the top left located beside profile/sign-in button).

How to use Nearby Share to share files between Android and Windows

Now that we have completed the Nearby Share setup on both Android and Windows devices, here's how you can share files between them:

• Open the app you want to share the file from. 
• In this instance, we are trying to share a photo from the phone's gallery with a nearby Windows laptop.
• Select the image and click the share button on your Android phone
• As soon as you click Nearby Share in the share sheet, it'll ask you to grant location permission so it can scan the Nearby Devices. Simply grant the location permission and proceed.
• Nearby Share will now begin to scan the Nearby devices

• When the device you want to share the file with (a Windows laptop in this instance) appears on your Android device, click on its name to begin sending the file. (Before the file transfer actually starts, you need to accept the displayed PIN on your laptop.)

(On your laptop side of things, Keep your Wi-FI and Bluetooth turned on your laptop. Also, ensure that Device Visibility is set to 'Receive from everyone'. When your laptop is ready to receive the file from your phone it'll display a blinking animation with a Ready to receive label at the top.)

• Now it'll ask you to confirm the code on the next screen on your laptop.
• Click on Accept to receive the file from your phone.

• The file will begin downloading on your laptop as soon as you click Accept on your laptop.

• Click Done on your phone when the file transfer is complete.

How to use Files by Google app to share files from Nearby Share

If you want a central hub for file sharing, the Files by Google file manager (which comes pre-installed on most Android), makes it extremely convenient to share things such as apps, music, movies, and more with other devices from a central location. Here's how you can share using Nearby Share on Files by Google:

• Open the Files by Google app on your Android device or install it from Google Play Store if you don't already have it on your phone.
• Switch to the Nearby Share tab in the Files by Google app.

• After switching to the Nearby Share tab, click Send button.
• The Files by Google app will present you with the things you can share. You can share things such as downloaded files, installed apps, videos, music, and even photos from your gallery.

• Select the files you want to share and click Next. 
• Now Nearby Share will present you with a share screen where you can choose to send the intended file to other nearby Android devices.
• On the receiving device, open Files by Google app and click Receive in the Nearby Share tab to receive the file.

Similarly, you can receive files from your nearby devices such as laptops or other Android phones. Note that you don't need to have the Files by Google app installed on your Android device to receive the file since Nearby Share is pre-installed on most Android smartphones. Just keep the Nearby Share service in the active state, and you should receive a notification to receive the file on your device. If you have temporarily disabled Nearby Share on your Android device for some reason, you can click the Nearby Share icon in the Notification drawer to enable the service. Or you can also click the Receive button in the Files by Google app to activate Nearby Share.

FAQs

1. Can I share installed apps with Nearby Share on Android devices?

Yes, you can definitely share installed apps on your phone with other Android devices. In fact, Google makes it pretty easy to send apps to other devices with Google Play Store and the Files by Google app. You don't need any APK extractor or third-party apps just so you can share apps with friends or family. 

To start sharing apps on your Android device, just open the Google Play store --> Click on the profile icon --> in the resulting menu, select Manage apps and devices --> click Send in the Share apps option --> select the apps you want to share and click the Send icon. Follow the same steps on the other Android device and click Receive in the Google Play Store app to receive the apps.

The apps can also be shared using the Files by Google app. Open the Files by Google app --> switch to the Nearby Share tab --> click the Send button --> switch to the Apps tab --> select the apps you would like to share with other devices --> click Next. Now select the device you want to share the apps with on the share screen to begin sending the apps.

2. Is Nearby Share available on macOS, Chromebooks, and other operating systems?

Nearby Share is officially available on Windows in Beta, Chromebooks, and Android (Android 6.0+) devices. Although laptops/PCs with only Windows 10 (64-bit) and above can access the service, Windows ARM devices are currently not supported. As for as macOS support is concerned, Google has not officially made the service available on macOS devices. Google may bring support for the macOS later but it's still not confirmed. If you want to use Nearby Share, third-party solutions are available for macOS. You can download and install the NearDrop utility developed by grishka to get partial Nearby Share support on the macOS. For now, the tool only lets you receive files from other devices.

3. Is Nearby Share secure?

Yes, according to Google, Nearby Share uses End-to-End (E2E) encryption to send and receive files from devices. Further, you will also be asked to confirm before receiving the files from any device.

4. Can I share files with devices that are not nearby?

No, Nearby Share is not an online file transfer/storage utility and only lets you send/receive files from nearby devices that are around the 5-meter/16 feet perimeter.