An Answer to Airdrop, Here's How to Use It

Android Nearby Share is a handy file sharing option for Android devices. Nearby Share is also a relatively new addition to Android, coming to a limited number of devices in mid-2020. As the number of devices that can use Nearby Share grows, here's your handy guide to how it works.

Android Nearby Share is Android’s answer to Apple’s AirDrop feature. iOS devices have long been able to transfer files wirelessly. Simply place your phones near each other, turn on AirDrop, and start transferring files. Android users have been begging Google to implement a similar feature soon for the better part of a decade, in fact.

Now, Google is rolling out Nearby Share to Android devices running Android 6.0 and above. Nearby Share started rolling out with Google Pixel and Samsung devices and is already starting to appear on other devices. Additionally, Android-based operating systems like LineageOS are implementing Nearby Share in their latest updates.