As a part of Windows 10 version 1803, Microsoft Introduced the Nearby Sharing feature to transfer files effortlessly to any PC running April 2018 update and later. If you ever used Apples AirDrop Feature ” allows you to transfer files from one device to another, and these files can be gigabytes in size. It’s truly amazing because the transfer can happen in seconds” and The Windows 10 Nearby sharing feature is like Apples AirDrop feature which allows Windows 10 users to send and receive files from the nearby PCs without any problems.
What’s Nearby Sharing on Windows 10?
Nearby sharing is a file-sharing feature ( Or you can say new wireless file sharing capability ), allowing users to instantly share videos, photos, documents, and websites with people and devices near you over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. For Example, Say you’re in a meeting and you need to quickly send some files to your client Nearby Sharing helps you do this quickly and easily.
Here’s what you can do with Nearby Sharing.
- Share quickly. Send any video, photo, document, or webpage viewed on Microsoft Edge to people nearby by clicking on the share charm in the app or right-clicking to get the share menu. You can share a report with a colleague in your meeting room or a vacation photo with your best friend in the library.3
- Take the quickest path. Your computer automatically picks the fastest way to share your file or webpage, either over Bluetooth or Wifi.
- See who’s available. Bluetooth allows you to quickly discover potential devices with which you could share.
Enable Nearby Sharing feature in Windows 10
Using Near Share to transfer files between compatible Windows 10 PCs is quite easy. but keep in mind both sender and receiver PC should be running Windows 10 April 2018 Update and later so that this feature will work.
Make sure you have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi enabled before you send your first file using Nearby Sharing.
You can turn on Near Share by visiting the Action Center, Microsoft has added a new quick action button there. Or you can head to Settings > System > Shared Experiences and turn on the “Nearby Sharing” toggle or you can turn it on from the Share menu.
Now let’s See How to Share Files, Folders, Documents, Videos, Pictures, Website links, and more using the Windows 10 nearby feature. Before performing this first make sure the Nearby sharing Feature is turned on (select action center > Nearby sharing) On the PC you’re sharing from, and the PC you’re sharing to.
Share a document using Nearby sharing
- On the PC that has the document you want to share, open File Explorer, then find the Word document you want to share.
- In File Explorer, select the Share tab, select Share, and then select the name of the device you want to share with. Also, you can right-click the document and select the Share option.
- This will now popup a dialog box that will show all the nearby PCs and you can select the PC name you want to send to and you will see a “sending to the PC” notification.
Another notification will appear on the PC in which the file needs to be sent and you need to accept the request in order to get the file. You can select either “Save” or “Save and Open” depending on your requirements.
Receive files using Nearby sharing
Share a link to a website using Nearby sharing
You can also share web pages with other people using the Share button in Microsoft Edge. It is present in the menu bar, next to the Add Notes button. open Microsoft Edge, and then go to the webpage you want to share. Just click the Share button and look for nearby Windows 10 devices supporting Near Share.
On the device you’re sharing with, select Open when the notification appears to open the link in your web browser.
Share a picture using a nearby sharing feature
- On the PC you’re sharing from, select action center > Nearby sharing and make sure it’s turned on. Do the same thing on the PC you’re sharing to.
- On the PC that has the photo, you want to share, open the Photos app, select the picture you want to share, select Share, and then select the name of the device you want to share with.
- On the device you’re sharing the photo to, select Save & Open or Save when the notification appears.
Change your settings for nearby sharing
- Select the Start button, then select Settings > System > Shared experiences.
- For I can share or receive content from, choose the devices you want to be able to share with or receive content from.
- To change the place where files you receive are stored, under Save files I receive to, select Change, choose a new location, then select Select folder.
Final notes: keep in mind when sharing files, the receiver must be in your Bluetooth range, so if the computer isn’t in the same room, there’s a good chance it won’t show up in the sharing popup. This means that you need to move closer to the recipient before you’re allowed to share files.
That’s all about Windows 10 file transfer feature Nearby Sharing. Try this feature and tell us your experience about this how it worked for you. Also, Read Windows 10 Timeline “The star of its latest update” Here how it works.