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While pairing an iPhone with your Mac would be the only custom in an ideal world, there are a lot of us who like using our favorite Android phones with Mac computers. A big downside of this pairing is that transferring files between Android and macOS is not at all an easy task, and you often need to jump through several hoops to send any kind of file. The existing solutions aren’t elegant as they either require a wired connection or a wireless setup that isn’t as seamless as AirDrop. Google has recently shown some active interest in bringing Quick Share to devices outside its ecosystem, and it’s about time macOS joined the list as well.
Google's Quick Share update makes sharing files even easier than before
A long-awaited upgrade to Google’s sharing service is finally rolling out
Earlier this month at CES, Google announced that it had partnered with Samsung to bring Quick Share to every Android phone. Samsung’s Quick Share service has long coexisted with Google’s Nearby Share service on Galaxy devices, but the two services are finally interoperable with one another. By integrating Nearby Share into Quick Share, Samsung users no longer have to pick between two distinct file sharing services. And by updating the Nearby Share branding to match Samsung’s, Google has made the file sharing experience between Galaxy and non-Galaxy devices feel more unified. However, not all the functionality has been carried over with the rebrand.
The big Nearby Share rebranding is starting to roll out on Pixels
The new Quick Share has popped up for some people on their Google phones
Google and Samsung teamed up to improve Android’s AirDrop competitor Nearby Share, rebranding it to Samsung’s Quick Share for everyone in the process. The announcement was initially made at CES 2024. This new name has now started rolling out to the Google Pixel 8 and more Pixel phones.
WhatsApp muddies the Android Quick Share waters with its own nearby file sharing
The latest WhatsApp for Android beta showcases its work on a Bluetooth 'Nearby Share' feature
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi file sharing has been a hot topic at the start of 2024, with a big Android feature being rebranded. It's time to say goodbye to Nearby Share, because Quick Share is the new norm, as Google announced in conjunction with Samsung at CES 2024. It’s basically a new name for what will be the unified wireless file sharing experience on Android smartphones starting in February. Just like Apple’s AirDrop working on iPhones and MacBooks, the Quick Share feature will work between phones and computers, albeit those running Chrome OS and Windows (with a quick app download needed on Windows). This is pretty neat, and a unified experience across the mobile operating system is welcomed, but WhatsApp just muddied the waters again with its latest developments in beta.
Nearby Share is dead, long live Quick Share
Google partners with Samsung for a rebrand and subtle visual changes
Apple users enjoy the conveniences of AirDrop and AirPlay to share files between devices or stream content to connected displays. Since Android is an open ecosystem, it’s much more challenging to have a standardized system that works universally. However, Google recently invested efforts in Nearby Share for Android, even enabling file sharing with Windows devices. Now, Google has announced a complete rebranding of the feature, improved in collaboration with Samsung.
In typical Google fashion, Nearby Share looks to be in for a rebrand
Nearby Share could soon be known as Quick Share, indicating a Samsung cooperation
Android's Nearby Share is a handy tool to send files seamlessly between devices in your vicinity. Samsung has its own version of this file sharing tool called Quick Share, serving a similar purpose but for Galaxy devices. It's now coming to light that Google is prepping to rebrand Nearby Share as Quick Share, sparking speculation about this being part of a collaboration between Google and Samsung.
We all take photos and videos or download PDFs that we want to share with our other devices or those around us. Usually, you'd send an email or a text to share those items, but there's a better way. Google's AirDrop-like Nearby Share feature allows you to send any type of file to other people or your other devices cleanly and seamlessly. This works great for sharing items between phones but is better if you want to share an item with one of our favorite Chromebooks. This guide shows you everything you need to know about Nearby Share and how to use it with your Chromebook.
Google now disables Nearby Share by default when you’re at work
Finally plugging a massive corporate data loophole
Sharing files from Android devices was a rather janky affair, sometimes involving cloud storage or third-party apps, until Nearby Share burst onto the scene and simplified the process. It came even closer to Apple’s AirDrop in terms of function with support for sharing files, folders, and text to Windows computers introduced earlier this year. However, convenient data sharing is the bane of corporate data security, and with billions of people using Android for work, the concerns are amplified greatly. Google is finally addressing this concern with an update disabling Nearby Share by default on Android devices when you enable a work profile.
New details emerge on how Android's upcoming device linking feature should work
Link Your Devices will save you from re-entering your security credentials
Apple device owners know that when they purchase a new product from the company, they’ll be able to seamlessly link it to their existing Apple products. Despite the development of features like Nearby Share, Android still doesn't have quite this level of integration. Now, Google is continuing plans to address its shortcomings with a feature called Link Your Devices. New details have emerged that suggest Android device sharing may become as easy switching on Bluetooth and logging into your Google account.
Nearby Share could soon save received files in a dedicated folder on your phone
No more dumping files in your downloads
Nearby Share is the AirDrop competitor Google always wanted to give Android users, but it barely lived up to the lofty expectations. Apple’s implementation works with iPhones and Macs as long as they’re on the same Wi-Fi network. However, Google only recently focused on popularizing Nearby Share on Android, and adding support for sharing files with Windows machines. Since Google is playing catch-up, the implementation is still rough around the edges.
Android's Nearby Share is becoming as seamless as AirDrop
Nearby devices are showing up right in Android's system share sheet for some
Nearby Share is a worthy AirDrop alternative for Android, making it incredibly easy to share files between Android devices. Google turned it into an even more functional tool by adding official support for Windows PCs for quick transfers between your phone and laptop. But it still takes quite a few taps to start the transfer process, even if both devices are logged into the same Google account. It appears that Google is making the transfer process a tad more seamless with new quick-access shortcuts for Nearby Share targets.
You can now send entire folders with your Android device thanks to Nearby Share
The Files by Google app makes the process really convenient
Files by Google has been a staple in stock Android, and one of the best file manager apps on ROMs developed by other smartphone brands. It doesn’t exactly lead the way with new feature additions, but certainly benefits from deep integration with the Android OS when implementing stuff like Nearby Share support. Now the Files app can share entire folders from your Android device via Nearby Share without destroying the folder structure.
Google is working on a redesign for Nearby Share in the Files app
You could get a lot more done on a single screen
There’s a bevy of file manager apps to choose from on an Android phone. However, many OEMs prefer bundling in the Google Files app, or its lightweight equivalent, Files Go. Both apps offer a simple, Material You-themed UI that organizes your files neatly and makes it easy to find what you’re looking for. After locating a file, we usually open or share it, and Files helpfully has a Nearby Share tab baked into the bottom bar. Google is currently redesigning the UI to make this your go-to tab for file sharing.
Nearby Share for Windows is officially out of beta
Google is also working with HP to pre-install Nearby Share on Dragonfly Pro laptops
Nearby Share is Google's take on AirDrop for Android, letting you wirelessly share files with other Android devices close by. To make Nearby Share a true AirDrop alternative on Android, it needs to be available on more than just Android phones. Google expanded the wireless file-sharing feature to Chromebook in 2021, and at CES 2022, the company promised to bring Nearby Share to Windows. The long-delayed app finally debuted in beta in April 2023. And now, just a few months later, Nearby Share's official Windows app is out of beta.
Nearby Share now wakes up your sleeping Android phone
Google has silently rolled out a small but useful quality-of-life improvement to Nearby Share
Nearby Share makes it easy to wirelessly send large files to other Android devices and even Chromebooks. Depending on the devices involved, the feature can use Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, WebRTC, or peer-to-peer Wi-Fi for transferring files. You can even use Google's AirDrop alternative to wirelessly and quickly send files between your devices. Now, Google has silently changed how Nearby Share works when sharing files between your devices to make the entire process faster and more convenient.
Nearby Share: How to use Android's AirDrop alternative
Get started with Google's AirDrop alternative
Sharing photos or other files between Android devices has historically been a struggle, especially compared to Apple's Airdrop feature. Google recognized that deficit and, in August 2020, rolled out its Nearby Share feature for Android devices. In June 2021, Google rolled out this feature for Chromebooks, and in March 2023, Google released a beta app for Nearby Share functionality on Windows devices.
Google's Nearby Share for Windows beta is finally available everywhere
Users can easily transfer files from Android to Windows PCs
For years, Google users have longed to receive their own version of Apple’s AirDrop tool. Earlier this year, much to our delight, Google finally addressed the gap by introducing a beta version of Nearby Share for Windows to let Android users easily transfer files between their phones and PC. While the tool was initially restricted to just a handful of countries, Google is now expanding access to the beta globally.
Unofficial Nearby Share for macOS is finally possible — here's how it works
We finally have something like AirDrop for Android
It may not be the most common pairing, but there are lots of people who prefer the polish of Apple's computers and the flexibility of Android phones. The trouble comes when trying to get these two otherwise awesome platforms to play nice together. Windows users can send files from their phone to their PC using Google's Nearby Share, and of course macOS users can AirDrop stuff to and from their iPhones. Meanwhile, it's always been a little tricky to send files from an Android phone to a Mac, but that's finally changing.
Google Nearby Share Beta for Windows really gives AirDrop a run for its money — and here's how it works
The phone-to-PC sharing solution is a joy to use
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Since the advent of Nearby Share in 2020, Android users have been enjoying the convenience of wireless file transfers between their phones and tablets. However, moving files from an Android device to a Windows computer has always been a little more clunky, making us envious of Apple’s AirDrop. Times are changing and Google finally has a workable Nearby Share implementation for Windows, currently in beta. We took the utility for a spin to get a look at everything it has to offer.
Android's Nearby Share finally arrives for Windows PCs
It is currently in beta in the US and a few other countries
For a long time, Android users have envied Apple's AirDrop, which allows iOS users to quickly and seamlessly share files between Apple devices. So, when Google introduced Nearby Share in 2020, Android users everywhere rejoiced because they finally had a simple way to transfer files between devices without having to attach them to an email. But sending a photo or video to your PC shouldn’t be a hassle, either — even with an ecosystem gap in the way. Thankfully, Google revealed at CES 2022 its plans to launch Nearby Share in beta for Windows at some point in the future, and that day has finally come.