How to Share Files Between Android and Windows Using Nearby Share

After over a year of Google’s Nearby Share announcement at CES 2022, the search giant has finallyreleasedNearby Share for Windows PCs. Currently, it’s in Beta, but in my testing, Nearby Share worked flawlessly on my Windows 11 PC. You can finally share files between Android and Windows using Nearby Share without any limitations, and the transfer speed is also pretty good. You no longer need to use third-party solutions totransfer files across devices and platforms. Now, to use Android’s Nearby Share feature on a Windows PC, follow our detailed tutorial below.

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Things to Keep in Mind Before Using Nearby Share on Windows PC

Things to Keep in Mind Before Using Nearby Share on Windows PC

  1. To use Nearby Share on a PC, you must haveBluetooth and Wi-Fi supporton your Windows computer. And both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi should be turned on.

  2. To get better transfer speed while using Nearby Share on Android, make sure both devices are connected to thesame Wi-Fi network(preferably on the same Wi-Fi channel as well). Otherwise, it will default to Bluetooth, which offers slow transfer speeds.

  3. Nearby Share is onlyavailable on Windows 11 and 10running on 64-bit x86 architecture. It does not support ARM-based PCs right now. In addition, you must have an Android device running Android 6.0 or above.

  4. Nearby Share on Windows isavailable in most regions globallyexcept in some countries. You can check out the list of unsupported countrieshere.

  5. For Nearby Share to work properly, both devices should be in close proximity,within 5 metersor 16 feet of each other.

How to Set Up Nearby Share on Your Windows PC

How to Set Up Nearby Share on Your Windows PC

  1. First, head tothis linkand click on “Get Started” todownload the Nearby Share appon your Windows PC.

  2. Next, launch the setup file and let it install.

  3. Once Nearby Share is installed, it will ask you to“Sign in” with your Google account. By the way, you can use Nearby Share without a Google account as well.

  4. Once you click the “Sign in” button, you will be redirected to a browser window, where you need to choose your account and sign in.

  5. Move back to the Nearby Share app once you are logged in. Here,set a name for your PC, which will be visible to others. In addition, only “Contacts” can share files with you by default, so that’s fine. Finally, click on “Done” here.

  6. If you are using Nearby Sharewithout a Google account, choose “Receive from everyone”. This will keep your Windows PC visible to others for a few minutes. After some time, your PC will be hidden. Note that, you will have to approve the requests manually.

Share Files/ Folders from Android to Windows Using Nearby Share

If you followed the steps in the above section, you are now ready to seamlessly share files between your Android phone and Windows 11/ 10 PC. To show you how it works, let’s look at a quick demo:

  1. First, open a photo, video, file, or document on your Android device and tap on the “Share” button after selecting the desired file. After that, choose the “Nearby Share” option.

  2. On your Android phone, theWindows PC will now appear. Tap on it.

  3. Open the Nearby Share app on your Windows PC andaccept the request. And that’s it.

  4. The file will be transferred from your Android phone to your Windows PC right away. As per my testing over a 5GHz Wi-Fi connection, ittook around 42 seconds to transfer a 220MB file. The effective transfer speed was around4.8MBps, which is pretty good.

  5. By the way, the Nearby Share app will be activeunder the system trayat all times. You can open the Nearby Share app and accept any requests with ease.

  6. The file/folder you share from your phone to your Windows PC will be saved under the “Downloads” folder by default.

  7. If you want to change the default location, click on the “Settings” icon in the top-right corner and change the destination for received files.

  8. If youdon’t wish to approvethe requests every time you transfer a file, change “Device visibility” to “Your devices”. For this to work, you must be signed in with the same Google account on both your Android phone and Windows PC.

Share Files/Folders from Windows PC to Android Using Nearby Share

In addition to quickly sharing files from your Android phone to your Windows PC, the Nearby Share app also supports the opposite. That said, here is how it works:

  1. Google has also added a handy “Send” option in the right-click context menu on Windows 11 and 10. It makes sharing much easier from Windows PC to an Android device. So to use Nearby Share on PC, right-click on a file or folder and choose “Send with Nearby Share.”

  2. This will open the Nearby Share app. Here, click on yourAndroid deviceto send the file. If your phone is not showing up on Windows, open the Nearby Share notification on your Android device.

  3. On your Android phone, you need toaccept the request. That’s all.

  4. The file will be transferred immediately. In our testing, the speed wasaround 4.5MBpswhile sending the file from the Windows PC to my Android phone.

So these are the steps you need to follow to use Nearby Share on Windows PC. I tested it several times, and it worked without any glitches, which is great. I love the fact that Google added a Nearby Share option in the context menu on Windows 11. Anyway, that is all from us. If you are looking for thebest free and open-source software for Windows 11, follow our curated list. And to use the newIntel Unison app on Windows 11, which shows your photos and messages, lets you accept/ place calls, and transfer files between Android and Windows devices, head to our linked guide. Finally, if you have any questions, let us know in the comment section below.

Arjun Sha

Passionate about Windows, ChromeOS, Android, security and privacy issues. Have a penchant to solve everyday computing problems.

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