Instantly share things like photos, videos, files, and links with friends’ devices near you.

Settings and features vary by device and Android version. The steps might be different on your phone.

Step 1 of 14
You can use Nearby Share to share photos, files, links, or other content with people around you.

On your phone, go to the content you want to share in any app. Tap Share .
Step 2 of 14
Then select Nearby Share or Nearby in the options.

Tip: Sometimes you need to click “More” to find it.
Step 3 of 14
If this is your first time using Nearby Share, tap Turn on when prompted.

Tip: On this opt-in page, you can adjust how your device name is displayed to others by tapping Device name. You can also choose who can share content with you by tapping Device visibility.
Step 4 of 14
Your device will start looking for available devices near you.

Hold your phone and your friend’s phone close to each other.

Tip: Ask your friend to follow steps 11-13 to make their device visible to you.
Step 5 of 14
When it appears, tap your friend's device. You can also tap more than one device to share with multiple people.
Step 6 of 14
Your friends will get a notification that you’re sharing content with them. Once they tap Accept, you’ll receive a confirmation that it’s been “Sent”.
Step 7 of 14
To make sure your device is set up to receive files using Nearby Share, swipe down from the top of your screen to access your Quick Settings.
Step 8 of 14
To access all your Quick Settings, swipe down again and look for Nearby Share .
Step 9 of 14
If Nearby Share is not listed, tap Edit .
Step 10 of 14
Scroll down to find Nearby Share.

Touch and hold the icon. Then move it to where you want it.

When you’re done editing your settings, tap the Back arrow .
Step 11 of 14
Now Nearby Share has been added to your Quick Settings. To edit your receiving settings, tap Nearby Share .
Step 12 of 14
Here you can choose who can find your device when they share content using Nearby Share.

Tip: To protect your privacy, your device will be shown as a potential receiver on their screen only when your device is unlocked and close to them. Transfer won’t happen until you accept it.

Tip: You can tap on “Settings” to see the full settings for Nearby Share.
Step 13 of 14
If someone is sharing content near you but you’re not visible to them, Nearby Share will show a visibility reminder notification.

You can tap this alert to become visible to all nearby devices temporarily, or ignore it if you don’t want to receive the file.

Tip: To receive the notification, you will need to have “Bluetooth” turned on and “Do not disturb” turned off. You can also opt-out from the visibility reminder notification from Nearby Share settings.
Step 14 of 14
Once the sender chooses you as the receiver, tap Accept to start the transfer.

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