Google has announced the launch of Nearby Share Beta for Windows, an app that allows users to share files between Android devices and Windows PCs. The app is currently available in select regions, including the U.S., and supports Windows 10 and 11.
Nearby Share Beta for Windows is an extension of Nearby Share, a feature that Google introduced in 2020 for Android phones, tablets and Chromebooks. Nearby Share enables users to quickly send and receive content across their own devices and with friends who are close by, without using the internet or Bluetooth.
How to use Nearby Share
To use Nearby Share Beta for Windows, users need to download and install the app on their PC. They can then send files to nearby Android devices, or receive files from them, based on their device visibility preferences. Users can also choose to sign in with their Google account to make their PC visible only to their contacts, or use the app without an account.
The app works with the PC whether it is open on the desktop or running in the background. Users can drag and drop files into the app, or select “Send with Nearby Share” in the right-click menu, to share them with nearby Android devices. They can also share files from their Android device to their PC by tapping Share on the content they want to send, and selecting the PC from the list of available devices.
According to Google, file transfers between devices are automatically accepted if both devices are logged into the same Google account, even if the screen is off. The company also said that it plans to expand official support to share content with other Google ecosystem devices in the future.
Nearby Share Beta for Windows is one of the ways that Google is trying to make its products work better together across platforms.