Google brings Android’s “Nearby Share” feature to the desktop with a new Windows app. According to Google, the new program will make sharing between Windows and Android easier, letting you send files with just a few clicks and taps.
Google’s Nearby Share has been built into Android for several years and lets you transfer files locally over Wi-Fi. First device pairing is done via Bluetooth. Nearby Sharing was a little tricky to use in real life, as most people share files over the internet. Also, for personal use, most people only have her one her android device i.e. her phone, so there is nothing to share files with. However, many of his Android users are using his Windows PC, so for many, this will be their first time actually using Nearby Share.
Using the app is easy. Download from the Android website and install the[次へ]Just click a few buttons. Requires a 64-bit Windows PC (ironically, not ARM) with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.From there, drag and drop on Windows or[共有]using the button[近くの共有]You can easily share by clicking . You can choose to sign in to Windows apps or not. Otherwise, you will have to manually approve all transactions on both your phone and your PC. Once signed in, you can set up auto-approval from yourself, anyone from your contacts, or the possibly-not-recommended ‘everyone’ option.
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Settings page. This app has almost nothing.
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After signing in, you’ll see these viewing options.
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setting.
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Here we are waiting to send or receive. It’s easy.
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I am sending a file to my smartphone.
Google says you can transfer “photos, videos, documents, audio files, or entire folders between Android devices and Windows PCs.” I tried it and it seems fine. It’s quick and easy and runs at Wi-Fi speeds.
Google’s Nearby Share is entering the incredibly competitive market of making Windows computers work with Android phones. If you’re only interested in moving files between computers you own, sync-style apps like Dropbox and Google Drive let you move files with far fewer taps. Nearby Share requires that “both devices are unlocked, in close proximity, and have Bluetooth turned on,” but that’s not a requirement for the app to sync.
My go-to file sharing solution for my computer is the self-hosted SyncThing. It syncs files seamlessly in the background. phone In addition to desktop. Dropbox and Google Drive don’t automatically download files to your phone, they just sync files between PCs, but there are some third-party apps that can do this. If you just want to keep everything in sync, one of these 24/7 automatic sync settings will make your day much easier. Files are automatically saved with zero-tap on all computers.
You can also make your phone work better with your computer from Microsoft’s ecosystem. Microsoft has been shipping Windows-Android solutions for nearly seven years. The company’s latest solution is called “Link to Windows” or “Phone Link” (oddly, Android and Windows have different names). Besides simple file transfers, this is a much more comprehensive phone link system that allows you to view and reply to notifications, use the Phone app on your PC, and make phone calls. Again, this only works if you’re connecting two devices you own, but it’s pretty cool!
Some Android skins also include some kind of Windows-Android apps. Lenovo/Motorola’s “Ready For” is one of them, and Samsung includes a solution from Microsoft.
So Nearby Share doesn’t seem like the best solution for the computer you own if you really just want files. Nearby Share is great if you want to quickly send files to computers that aren’t yours. Apps can be installed quickly. can You don’t need to sign in and each transfer can be run in guest mode with separate authorization. This is the original Android-to-Android use case for Nearby Share, and works well on Windows as well, assuming you can find someone else who wants to exchange files locally.
