After failing to conquer the mobile market with Windows Phone, Microsoft is trying hard to befriend Android with Windows 11. The Phone Link application provides many unique features to those using PCs and Android devices. However, it is not the only option you can use. Google's latest app makes transferring files from Windows computers to Android (and vice versa) much easier.
Nearby Share, a feature Google introduced in 2020 for Android smartphones, is now available on Windows in select markets thanks to Google's latest application (do not confuse this with Microsoft's Nearby sharing in Windows 10 and 11). The app runs in the background and allows sending files by dragging them onto the app's icon in the notification area or selecting the corresponding option in the right-click menu. Google wants to make the process as seamless as possible, so it allows receiving files without approval if you use the same Google account on your computer and smartphone.
Sending files from a smartphone to a PC is also straightforward—open the share menu, tap Nearby Share, and select your computer from the list of available devices.
Google Nearby Share currently works only with Android smartphones and tablets, but the company plans to add more Google-powered devices in future updates. Also, the app is not available in Europe —according to Google, Nearby Share is supported in the US and select regions globally. Finally, your devices must meet the following hardware requirements:
- A PC with 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 (ARM64 is not supported)
- An Android smartphone or tablet with Android 6.0 and newer
- Both devices should support Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, connect to one network, and be within 16 feet or 5 meters of each other.
You can download Nearby Share Beta for Windows from the official website.
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