✍️ 4th July 2020

There is no file sharing mechanism built in Android unlike Apple's Airdrop which comes in super handy in sharing the large files without any compression at lightning speed⚡

Yeah I know initial releases of Android has something called Android Beam. But the connection is limited to NFC or Near Field Communication and you know how slow the transfer rate will be when it comes to NFC and the devices should be as close as possible to each other. This Android Beam feature reminded me transferring songs through Infrared on Nokia phones where we need to literally place the phones side by side near infrared port. 

With poor transfer rates and range, Android Beam feature was never owned by people and it became obsolete. Obviously apps like ShareIt, Xendex become popular cause they use file transfer over common Wi-Fi network. This addressed both range and transfer rate issue with Android Beam / Manual BT or NFC transfers. Later they developed apps for other operating systems like Windows, iOS and supported cross platform transfer of files.

Now Google introduced an easiest way of transferring files between other Android phones. Like Airdrop, there is no registration/login required. There is no extra application that is required to install as this feature is built into system.

Want to try the "Nearby Sharing" feature right now?
Go to Playstore, search for "Google Play Services". By default every Android phone have this application. However, to try the feature right away, you need beta version of this app. On the application page, when you scroll down you will see an option to become beta tester of this app (This applies to any android app that has public beta testing)




Now just restart your device once and then you should have this feature. You should be able to find this feature in the quick toggles.



Turn on "Nearby Sharing" toggle both sender and receiver(s) phone. Now select the file (I tested with photos and videos) and click on share. You can see "Nearby Sharing" in the sharing options, when clicked you will see nearby devices just like Apple's Airdrop. Now you can select the phones to whom you want to send and the receiver will get an alert and once he accept, the transfer starts. It is comparable with Airdrop in every aspect like transfer speed, concept of application, etc.

Unlike Airdrop, Nearby Sharing provide a lot of control and customization. You can select the mode of transfer like Wi-Fi, mobile data or both. You can set the visibility of your phone.

I don't know why Google took this long to implement this handy feature which is useful to every person on this platform. Anyways, it is better late than never right? 😉

Behind the Blog


Hi, I am AA. An IT employee whose happy place in the world is her own home, a Cancerian (which tells many things), emotional, foodie and Harry Potter fan. Overthinking is both my friend and enemy.
Let's Get Connected:- Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram



Hi, My name is Ravi Teja. I am a Salesforce technical consultant. Besides coding, I love hi-tech gadgets, playing video games, weekend trips, watching handpicked movies and experimenting with food.
Let's Get Connected:- Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram

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