In 2020, Google introduced a new feature called Nearby Share, specifically designed to share files between devices with Android 6 or higher and computers based on ChromeOS. Since then, users have wondered when they could access this technology on Windows, and after a brief presentation at CES 2022, Google finally launched the first beta of Nearby Share for Windows.
Transferring files from a mobile device to a computer and vice versa remains a complicated task for most users. Some go to the extreme of sending emails to their own addresses with the files as attachments, which seems absurd at first, but in a pinch it works better than we imagine.
Users in the Apple universe have an excellent solution at hand called AirDrop, which debuted in 2011. However, Android users had to wait until 2020 to receive Nearby Share, with a very important limitation: it was impossible to transfer files to Windows. Today, Google aims to end that by launching the first beta of Nearby Share for Windows, which enables sending and receiving files between Android devices and computers.
How to use Nearby Share for Windows to transfer files
The first step is to activate Nearby Share on your mobile device. The exact location of this feature may vary depending on your Android version, but it's as simple as flipping a switch. At the same time, the device needs WiFi, Bluetooth, and location turned on. After that, you need to download Nearby Share for Windows and complete its installation on a computer with Windows 10 or Windows 11.
The app can be used without signing into a Google account, but doing so also activates an extra option in settings: the ability to limit file reception to our associated devices. Initially, that option is set to "No one", so the computer won't receive files until it becomes visible.
Once everything is configured correctly, the Nearby Share app will show an animation with the message "Ready to receive files" on the computer, and the ability to make drag and drop to send files. The rest is a matter of opening the file manager on your phone or tablet, selecting the files, and sharing them using the Nearby option. If everything goes well, the transfer will start immediately.
Unfortunately, I must admit that I ended up running into the "beta condition" of the app. I met every single requirement (permissions, WiFi, Bluetooth, location, and physical proximity), but my Android tablet never found the computer, and every time I tried to send a file from the computer to the tablet, all I got was an error. I admit that my sample size of 1 doesn't allow for deep analysis, but it took me five seconds to connect the tablet via USB and start transferring files. Even AirDroid, with all its natural limitations, was faster and more effective.
Still, we definitely welcome Nearby Share for Windows. Some may think that Google took too long to create an AirDrop equivalent, but all Android users deserve an official solution, and with a bit of luck, its future updates will eliminate the compatibility issues that exist today.
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