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Since the advent of Nearby Share in 2020, Android users have been enjoying the convenience of wireless file transfers between their phones and tablets. However, moving files from an Android device to a Windows computer has always been a little more clunky, making us envious of Apples AirDrop. Times are changing and Google finally has a workable Nearby Share implementation for Windows, currently in beta. We took the utility for a spin to get a look at everything it has to offer.

Google announced plans to launch Nearby Share for Windows at CES 2022. Nearly a year later, like many of you, I was still emailing files to myself, using cloud storage as an intermediary, or messaging myself on WhatsApp. But hope for change arrived earlier this week, when Google announced the Nearby Share beta for Windows. Although still in testing for now, this release gives us a solid look at what to expect from the stable feature.

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Googles beta is available in the US and many other countries, with the notable exceptions mostly in Europe. Youll need a device running Android 6 Marshmallow or newer (which is hopefully not a problem for pretty much anyone), and a computer running the 64-bit version of Windows 10 or 11. Unfortunately, ARM-based computers arent supported.

All the devices involved in the transfer need Bluetooth, and must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Google recommends a separation of 16 feet (5 meters) or less between your phone/tablet and computer.

To use Googles Nearby Share utility, you'll need to download and install the software. Click Get started with Beta on the Nearby Share app webpage, download the installer file (named BetterTogetherSetup.exe), and run it. During the installation, it may ask you to sign in to your Google account, name your computer for the Nearby Share transfers, choose who can share with you, and opt in to sending diagnostic data. Dont worry about incorrectly configuring these during installation, because we can change all these settings later. Close the installer after the setup is complete.

Google Nearby Share Windows Beta installation process

Disappointingly, the installation doesn't create a desktop shortcut, but you will find Nearby Share Beta from Google now living in your Start menu. You can pin it to the Start menu, or set it to auto-run after boot like I did. Switch on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth from the taskbar on your Windows computer and open the program. I was pleased to see a rather Android-y interface, even though that means a stark contrast to the Windows 10 or 11 UI. In the program, click the gear icon in the upper right corner to change a few settings (the ones you configured during installation) before your first file transfer using Nearby Share.

The Device name setting defines how your computer will appear to other devices. Below that, you can configure the directory to save received files. The application defaults to using the Downloads folder, which is okay, but remember that you cannot define the save location separately for each transfer. The Device visibility setting has four options, just like on Android:

We advise against using Everyone mode on public Wi-Fi like at airports and coffee shops, for security reasons. The mode is useful if youre on secure Wi-Fi, though. I found it convenient to switch device visibility from the drop-down menu on the programs home page.

It's also really nice how the program is minimized to the taskbar corner overflow menu even when you close it. Remember that you can use Everyone mode even without signing in during the setup process, but other modes require a Google sign-in.

On your phone, make sure Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are turned on. An option to turn on Nearby Share should be available under Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Nearby Share. Here, switch on the toggles for Use Nearby Share and Device visibility, so your phone is visible to your computer.

You can tap the Device Visibility option to switch from Everyone mode to any other setting. For this demonstration, we will use Everyone mode on both the PC and the Android device, but if you sign in to the same Google account on both devices, you can stick to the Your devices mode for enhanced security. Note that Device visibility must be switched on for transfers, even if youre sharing files between your own devices.

Once configured correctly and connected to the same Wi-Fi network, you can start your first transfer.

Receiving files on your PC is just as straightforward, as long as you connect the devices to the same Wi-Fi network.

In our usage over the last couple of days, Googles Nearby Share beta has worked reliably, and we didnt encounter any failed transfers or random disconnects as long as the Android device was close to the PC. Transfer speeds are respectable, too, with multiple images and documents taking just a few seconds when transferred to and from the Windows computer.

Googles Nearby Share for Windows has the potential to become the AirDrop equivalent we've always wanted, but the companys choice of an Android-inspired design for the Windows client serves as a constant reminder this is not Microsoft's native solution. Googles solution is functional, but for a truly homogenous experience, we may have to wait for Microsoft to upgrade its own nearby sharing for Windows to support Android phones.

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Google Nearby Share Beta for Windows really gives AirDrop a run ... - Android Police