Nearby Share is a feature that allows you to share files, photos, videos, links and more with other Android devices that are near your location. This feature is similar to AirDrop on Apple devices, which utilizes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to send and receive content quickly and easily. Nearby Share also supports Windows devices, so you can share files between PC and Android smartphone.
How to Use the Nearby Share Feature on Android
How to enable Nearby Share on Android?
To use the Nearby Share feature, you must ensure that your Android device is running the Android 6 operating system or higher. Apart from that, you also have to activate Bluetooth and location in your device settings. Here are the steps to enable Nearby Share on Android:
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and select “Google”.
- Select “Device Connection”.
- Select “Nearby Share”.
- Select which Google account you want to use for sharing.
- Select “Device Name” and change the name as you wish.
- Select “Device Visibility” and choose who can see your device when sharing, whether everyone, just contacts, or just your own device.
- Select “Data Usage” and choose whether you want to use cellular data, Wi-Fi, or no internet when sharing.
How to share content with Nearby Share on Android?
Once you activate Nearby Share on Android, you can start sharing content with other devices that also have this feature. Here are the steps to share content with Nearby Share on Android:
- Open the application or file you want to share, for example gallery, browser, or document.
- Select the share icon, usually shaped like three connected dots or a curved arrow.
- Select “Nearby Share” from the list of options.
- Wait until your device detects other available devices around you. Make sure the other device also has Nearby Share enabled and is visible to your device.
- Select the destination device you want to send content to. You can also scan the QR code displayed by the destination device to select it.
- Wait until the destination device accepts your request. You will see a notification that your content is being sent.
- After the content is successfully sent, you will see a notification that your content has been received by the destination device.
Benefits and limitations of Nearby Share
Nearby Share is a very useful feature for sharing content easily and quickly without the need for cables, flash disks or additional applications.
This feature is also safe and private, because you can control who can view and send content to your device. Apart from that, Nearby Share can also adapt to network conditions, so you can share content even without the internet.
However, Nearby Share also has several limitations, namely:
- This feature can only be used between Android and Windows devices that support it. You can’t share content with Apple, Linux, or other devices.
- This feature requires the device to be in close proximity, namely around 5 meters. If the device is too far away, you can’t share content with Nearby Share.
- This feature requires active Bluetooth and location, which can drain your device’s battery.
Conclusion
Nearby Share is a feature that allows you to share files, photos, videos, links, and more with other Android devices that are near your location. This feature is similar to AirDrop on Apple devices, which utilizes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to send and receive content quickly and easily. Nearby Share also supports Windows devices, so you can share files between PC and Android smartphone.
To use the Nearby Share feature, you must enable Bluetooth and location in your device settings, then set your device’s name, visibility, and data usage. After that, you can start sharing content by selecting the share icon, then selecting Nearby Share from the list of options.
You can also scan the QR code displayed by the destination device to select it. You have to wait until the destination device accepts your request, then your content will be sent.
Nearby Share is a very useful feature for sharing content easily and quickly without the need for cables, flash disks or additional applications. This feature is also safe and private, because you can control who can view and send content to your device.
Apart from that, Nearby Share can also adapt to network conditions, so you can share content even without the internet. However, this feature also has several limitations, namely that it can only be used between Android and Windows devices that support it, requires the device to be in close proximity, and requires active Bluetooth and location.