Nearby Sharing” is a relatively new feature that allows Android device owners to share data with other devices. Here’s how to use it.
What is the “Share with the environment” function for?
The option is not directly an Android feature. It was developed by Google. But the service was implemented in the OS, the update occurs automatically, so “Exchange with the environment”, or Nearby Sharing, can be considered a specialized addition to Android.
Another point is that the function is often ignored or simply not noticed. What is it needed for? To exchange files between different devices, and we are not talking only about smartphones.
Nearby Sharing lets you send documents or media at high speed. It uses different communication channels: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, even NFC. The latter is slower than the first two, but it handles sending small texts very well.
The main feature and advantage of the technology is the transfer of files without the need to be in the Wi-Fi coverage area. On average, the sending speed is about 1 GB per minute. And photos weighing 4-5 MB are transferred instantly.
How to turn on or off Nearby Sharing
“Nearby Sharing” is tied to Google services. As soon as they are updated to the latest version, the function will appear and will be active by default.
It is not yet known whether the battery charge decreases due to the service’s activity, but a certain percentage of RAM is allocated for this task. If you need to turn off the function, and the required tile is not in the Android quick settings curtain, you need to find the option as follows:
- activate geolocation, turn on the Bluetooth function;
- then go to “Settings”;
- find the “Google” section;
- we go into it, go down to the very bottom, where it says “Devices and exchange with the environment”;
- open it, find the line “Nearby Sharing”;
- go to this page, if the switch is in the “On” position, just click on it.
If you need to activate the function in the future, simply repeat the described sequence of actions.
You can simplify interaction with the service. To do this, you will need:
- open the quick settings curtain;
- click on the pencil located in the corner above or below;
- find the option icon (a circle with two intertwined arcs inside), drag it to the main settings.
How to send a file via Neighborhood Share
The option allows you to send files without volume restrictions. These can be short text documents, photo albums, or long videos.
To send a file to another device, you need to use the following instructions:
- go to the device manager, it is best to use Explorer;
- find the required file, select it, click on the share icon;
- in the list of available tools, select “Exchange with the environment”;
- If the function is disabled, you need to activate it using the instructions above;
- Next, place the two devices at a distance of 25-30 centimeters from each other;
- the search for a smartphone will start automatically, select the required model from the list provided;
- Click “Send” and wait for the data exchange to complete.
File transfer is only possible if the function is activated on both devices, and if the owner of the second smartphone/laptop or tablet gives consent to the exchange.
If you are receiving a file, not transferring it, you will need to agree to receive it. First, activate the functions, wait until your device is found in the list of available devices for transfer, and then click on the tile that pops up in the notification bar. There you will need to agree to receive the file.