How to Use Nearby Sharing to Share Files on Windows 11

Like AirDrop and Nearby Share in iOS and Android, Microsoft offers similar functionality on Windows 11 to share files, documents, and media files from one PC to another. This is how you can use the Nearby Sharing feature in Windows 11.

Nearby sharing has been available since Windows 10. With the redesigned Settings menu in Windows 11, things have changed a bit. You have full control over permissions, add a Share Nearby shortcut in the quick toggle menu, and even change the destination folder for incoming files. Let’s test it in action, shall we?

Enable Nearby Sharing on Windows 11

Nearby sharing is disabled by default. You need to enable this on both PCs to start sharing files. Go through the steps below.

Step 1: Press Windows + I key combination to open Settings.

Step 2: Select System from the sidebar and open the Nearby Sharing menu.

Step 3: You have three options – Off, Only My Devices and People Nearby.

Off: This is the default option that disables Nearby Sharing on your Windows PC.

My devices only: Allows you to share and receive files only from your devices (those signed with your Microsoft account).

People nearby: Lets you share files and documents with all nearby Windows devices.

If you just want to transfer content from one Windows PC to another, select ‘My devices only’. If you’re exchanging files with friends, select ‘People nearby’.

Share photos, files, and web links using nearby sharing

After you enable Nearby Sharing on the relevant devices, use the steps below to start sharing media and files.

Step 1: Press Windows key + E to open the File Explorer menu.

Step 2: You cannot send a folder from one PC to another. You need to select all the files and documents you want to share.

Step 3: Click the Share icon at the top.

Step 4: Check the devices in the ‘Share Nearby’ menu. If you don’t see your PC or laptop, change the permission to ‘Everyone’ from the same sharing menu.

Step 5: Select your device and tap Save on the receiving device.

Step 6: You will see a confirmation of successful file sending from your main PC.

Microsoft has successfully implemented the Nearby Sharing feature on Windows. This feature works perfectly and completes the transfer in no time.

Share web links using nearby sharing

The trick below only works with the built-in Microsoft Edge browser. Google Chrome or Firefox uses a different share menu.

Step 1: Open any website in Microsoft Edge.

Step 2: Select the Share menu in the upper right corner.

Step 3: Tap ‘Windows Sharing Options.’

Step 4: Select the relevant Windows desktop in Nearby Sharing.

Step 5: Receive a notification to open or reject the same link on your PC.

Add Nearby Sharing Shortcut in Quick Switch Menu

If you often share files between Windows devices, you need to add the Share Nearby shortcut in the quick switch menu. It allows you to enable or disable the function with just one click. You don’t need to navigate Settings to make changes.

Step 1: Click the network icon in the bottom right corner of the Windows taskbar.

Step 2: Select the edit icon.

Step 3: Click Add.

Step 4: Tap Share Nearby.

Step 5: Move the shortcut to the appropriate location. You can right click on the Nearby Sharing shortcut and open the same in Windows Settings.

Change destination folder for nearby sharing

Windows saves all incoming files and photos received with Nearby Sharing in the Downloads folder. To organize those files better, you can change the destination folder from Windows Settings.

Step 1: Go to Nearby Sharing in System Settings (refer to the steps above).

Step 2: Select Change next to ‘Save the file I receive in.’

Step 3: Choose another folder from the File Explorer menu and you’re good to go.

If you have OneDrive or Google Drive set on Windows 11, you can save and sync all incoming files to the cloud storage platform.

Change your PC’s name for better discoverability

When you have several Windows PCs nearby, you need to change the device name for better discoverability.

Step 1: Open Nearby Sharing in Windows Settings (check the steps above).

Step 2: Select Rename and rename your device to something easy to remember.

Tips to improve the speed of nearby sharing

Here are some tips to improve the speed of Nearby sharing on your PC.

• Make sure to connect to the same Wi-Fi connection.
• Use the 5GHz Wi-Fi frequency for powerful transfer speeds.
• Confirm the Wi-Fi connection is working, otherwise your PC will use Bluetooth to complete the transfer, which is slow compared to sharing over Wi-Fi.
• If you send files via Bluetooth, turn off the audio streaming through the Bluetooth speaker or TWS (Total Wireless Stereo).

Seamless sharing on Windows

As expected, Nearby Sharing only works between Windows devices. Given Microsoft’s well-known interest in Android and its deep partnership with Samsung, it will be interesting to see something similar on Galaxy phones.

Categories: How to
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