Nowadays when we want to send files, photos or videos to any friend or relative that we have next to us, we all turn to WhatsApp. The downside of this system is that it entails an uncomfortable loss of quality in the files sent but, fortunately, more and more smartphones are compatible with Nearby Share , the easiest way to share photos, links, videos and much more with other close people on Android.
Imitating the system that Apple uses to share content between iPhones, the new Android system begins to green every time for a greater number of mobiles, making it easier to send any content that we have hosted on the phone.
Imitating AirDrop
Apple users have AirDrop , which lets you seamlessly send almost anything to other nearby Apple devices with just a few taps. Now, Google is finally expanding its technology to more devices to facilitate sharing with a new feature called Nearby Share and that, although it is not available on all phones, it is beginning to spread like foam.
Similar to what the Apple system does, Nearby Share searches for devices in the vicinity using the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection to automatically choose a protocol to use depending on what is being sent and how the connectivity is. For example, the Wi-Fi network will be used peer to peer if the two mobiles are connected to the same Network, Bluetooth, or Hotspot technology, WebRTC, etc….
This tool will work if you are sending things to a user who is a couple of meters away, so it will work if you are in the same room or close to whoever you want to send your files to.
How to use Nearby Share on Android
Nearby Share is initially available for select Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones, as well as OPPO, but Google says that because the feature is part of Google Play Services, it should work with most phones running Android 6.0 or higher. . Obviously, Huawei phones are left out.
To use it you must follow the following steps:
- Go to your phone’s Settings, scroll down a bit and select Google.
- Click on Device connections.
- If your phone supports Nearby Share, you will find the option on the displayed page.
- Now go ahead and tap on Share with Nearby to customize your settings. You can turn it on or off. You can also set the device name. In addition, you can also configure the visibility of your device, in addition to having control over data usage and who can share files with you.
Of course, to use it, you must have the email addresses of the contacts (the one they use for their Google account) with which you can share files stored in their contact information.
If you can’t find it, you can manually force the Google Play Services update. Head to your phone’s Settings app and click on Apps & Notifications. Search for Google Play Services, select Advanced and access the details of the application. You will be directed to the Google Play services page in the Google Play Store, and if an update is available, you can force it.
How to share files with Nearby Share
The easiest and most universal way to share photos, videos or whatever you want with Nearby Share is through the Android share menu. Select a photo, video, audio, document or URL and select the share / send icon. Among your most used apps you will find an option that says ” Share with Nearby “. Press and you can select who to send it to.
In terms of device visibility, you have three options: All contacts, Some contacts, and Hidden. Choosing the first option means that your phone will be visible to all contacts that have the function activated and you will see nearby devices with the active function. Some contacts, as the name suggests, allow you to toggle between selected people from your contact list and Hidden means that no one nearby will be able to see your device, but can still see your contacts’ devices if they are trying to share in your vicinity.
How are the files received?
The person you’re sharing with will need to be relatively close to you, and may need to tap on a pop-up notification to make it visible to your phone. You will probably both be able to receive a message to activate the Bluetooth connection and the Location if they are not already.
Once both devices are visible, tap on your device’s name and accept. The sharing process will begin and, depending on the size of the file you are sending, it will complete in a few seconds.
Is your mobile compatible with this function?
Android has long had a sharing feature called Android Beam , which allows the backs of two phones to be pushed together (if both devices have an NFC sensor) to send files without the need for external apps, but it was never widely recognized. For this reason, Google removed it in 2019 with the intention of replacing it with Nearby Share .
The new tool only works with phones that are compatible with Android 6.0 or higher. This version was released 6 years ago because of how rare the phone is that you cannot use it. At first it landed on Samsung and Google mobiles but today the only limitation is having a mobile phone that is not compatible with Google services. I mean, a Huawei.