How to Share Files and Apps on Android with Nearby Share

share by proximity, Also known as Nearby Share is a feature that allows share files and apps on android (from version 6.0 onwards) and on devices with a Chrome OS through proximity technology. It has been available since August 2020 and has similarities with its competitor from Apple , AirDrop.

The concept behind the Nearby Share is in the sharing of files and Apps between devices with the system Android simply and centrally. This functionality aims to be a practical and agile mechanism, using proximity features such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to transfer documents and applications between devices that do not currently have an easily available internet network.

Enabling Nearby Share

Enable the feature share by proximity, or NearbyShare, as it is better known out there, it is simple and only requires the user to enable Bluetooth, Location and Wi-Fi on the device, the latter just to create a network point — also known as Wi-Fi Direct — so an internet connection is not required. It is also worth mentioning that both screens of the devices that will interact need to be unlocked for the service to work.

As it is an Android feature, it is not necessary to download any program. However, we recommend that the user enable a shortcut for this application in the top menu of the device.

How to share files by proximity

share by proximity on Android devices is a feature that is still practically new and not very widespread among the brand's utilities. However, its popularity tends to grow as new devices and updates put it more in front of the user, giving it greater support so that it can be widely used. 

Below, we list a step-by-step guide to answer any questions you may have regarding proximity file sharing on Android devices. 

Step 1: With the three aforementioned icons (Location, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi) enabled, select the photo or any other file you want to share — this includes contacts, audio files, PDFs, and more — and click the share icon  ;

Step 2: Within the sharing options, look for the icon share by proximity for a screen to open and start searching for nearby connected devices. It is important that both devices are close by and configured to accept proximity sharing. This includes being visible to each other, an option that can be accessed in the resource settings (see more in Nota below).

Step 3: After the previous step, the sender screen will open a sharing environment and start searching for connected devices that are nearby. Select the contact you want to share the content with and click on it to send the previously selected file(s). On the other hand, the recipient's screen will have the task of accepting the content that has been sent to him. But be careful: it is possible that, even before this step, an alert from a nearby device appears, asking the receiver to be visible to establish a connection.

Nota: You may need to configure some options within the service share by proximity, such as feature activation, account selection, device name, visibility and data usage. On cell phones, they can be done through the upper shortcut (accessible by dragging your finger from top to bottom), clicking on the symbol share by proximity and, soon after, on the Settings icon (gear located in the upper right corner) or through the menu Settings > Google > Device Connections > Share by proximity.

How to share Apps by proximity

More recently available is the ability to share apps between devices Android using the proximity feature. A kind of extension of Nearby Share, now present through the Google Play Store (accessible from version 24.0). 

The method is similar to the already illustrated file sharing, but with the difference that it is restricted to a specific environment, in which both cell phones need to activate the “send” and “receive” buttons at the same time to activate the interactive interface. . One step ahead of Google for the future of Proximity Share!

See below how to share Apps on Android by proximity.

Step 1: Open the Google Play Store of your device and select the user profile icon (located in the upper right corner on mobile devices) to access the “My apps and games”;

Step 2: In the tab "Share“, choose the “Send” button, if you have the cell phone that will send an application, or select the “Receive” button to open a receiving screen;

Step 3: If you click “Send”, the next screen will display a list of apps that can be shared. Select as many apps as you want on this screen and click the directional arrow (located in the upper right corner on mobile devices) to send the content;

Step 4: A user selection screen will appear and you will have to choose the cell phone with which you want to share the desired application(s) by proximity. In this step, the recipient's screen must accept the download, agreeing to the pairing code that will appear on both screens as an additional security feature. Right after downloading, choose to install the app to complete this sharing step.

Top errors and solutions

whereas the resource share by proximity is still a new tool for the Android, and due to the scope of this operating system for dealing with many different devices, from different brands, failures in the steps to share files and Apps can become common at the beginning.

Among visibility errors, button that automatically deactivates and other possible events, we list below the main ways to deal with these system failures. Check out:

• If the contact you want to share files and Apps with on Android does not appear in the contact list within the section device visibility (in the settings of share by proximity) edit it in Contact Us and include an email to him. Many users may not be available on the visibility selection screen because they do not have a saved Google account associated with their phone number;
• Create a top shortcut and activate the “share by proximity” to leave the device active at times when you want to be active for the other; 
• After these two steps above, it may be necessary to “reset” the device for the options to work correctly. Put it in airplane mode or even turn it off for a moment to activate updates after turning it back on;
• It is possible that the transmission of content may take longer if the user disables the transfer using data or Wi-Fi, leaving only the offline sharing available;
• It is worth bringing the cell phones at a distance of 30 centimeters from each other for better connection stability;
• Not all apps can be shared by proximity. A good example of Apps that cannot be shared are those that have some cost and are sold on Google Play Store. The rule also applies to applications that are not publicly available.

Is sharing files and apps on Android by proximity worth it?

It is still too early to classify between which of the two resources available today, the already established AirDrop da Apple and the recent share by proximity (Nearby Share) Of the Google is the best. Some differences are clear, such as the wide visibility, present only in AirDrop, which removes the need to include a contact or even an associated email to establish a connection. On the other hand, the greater range of compatibility between devices of different brands and the possibility of sharing applications through the Google Play Store, a very welcome novelty in this medium, are the strengths of Google. 

In any case, the resource share by proximity, as well as the AirDrop, came to simplify the user's life, offering him the option to enjoy a unified and simple environment to share content in the most practical and usual way possible. 

Proximity communication is an old concept — even through video games (who doesn’t remember the GameBoy Advance and his wireless adaptors?) —, capable of bringing together people who seek to use sharing in a less distant way, and in perhaps atypical network situations, their best files and applications. 

Still on sharing, also check out this article teaching about how share real-time location with Google Maps.

And you, dear readers, have already used or knew share files and apps on android using the feature Share by proximity (Nearby Share)? Or prefer the already established AirDrop? Tell us below in the comments!

Sources: Google Support, Android Central, 9TO5Google, Android Police, How-toGeek