Use Quick Share on your Android device

With Quick Share, you can immediately send and receive files from devices close to your location.

Important:

• This feature was previously known as Nearby Share. If you still find Nearby Share on some devices, Quick Share will still work.
• Quick Share is available on Android 6+ devices and Chromebooks, and on selected Windows devices through an App.
• For a Galaxy device with Android 10 & One UI 2.1 or later, the settings and features can be different. Learn about Quick Share feature on Galaxy devices.

Share & receive content on your Android device

You can share and get contents with someone when you use Quick Share.

Share content with someone

1. Open the content, like a photo or webpage from any app.
   • Quick Share has no limit on content size or number of files, but the app that you share from might.
2. Tap Share Quick Share .
3. Make sure the device you want to share with is nearby.
4. Tap the device you want to share with.
   • If the device you want to share with isn’t listed, you can also share your file with a QR code. To generate a QR code, tap Use QR code .
   • Nearby Android devices can scan the QR code to get connected and receive the files.
5. Wait for the other device to accept your sharing request.
   • To cancel an in-progress transfer, tap the same device again.
6. During the transfer:
   • You can leave the screen and the transfer will continue.
   • You’ll get a notification in your notification tray when you leave the sending screen. You can check the status, cancel, or go back to the transfer screen from that notification.
7. To select multiple receivers, you can tap more than one device.
   • Due to technical constraints, simultaneous sharing is only supported on selected device models.
   • In other cases, transfers will be queued and receivers you select later will get the transfer request when previous transfers are completed.

Tips:

• On selected devices with Android 13 and up, you can also share contents from your clipboard with Quick Share. After you copy something, you get a pop-up confirmation at the bottom of the screen. Tap Devices and choose the device you want to share the content with.
• When you scan the QR code on the sending device, the receiving device appears on the sender device’s screen. It automatically connects and receives the content.
• To use Quick Share, make sure Wi-Fi and Bluetooth access is granted when prompted.

Get content from someone

Important:

• If you share content between your own devices with the same Google Account, the device that receives automatically accepts the transfer.
• If you share content from the clipboard of your own device, the content is automatically copied when someone receives it.

1. Check that you’ve selected the right setting for “Who can share with you.”
2. Turn on Bluetooth .
   • Make sure your screen is unlocked when you receive content from someone else.
3. Wait for a pop up notification that tells you who’s trying to share and what content they want to share with you.
4. Select Accept or Decline.

Tip: You can scan the Quick Share QR code from the sender. This allows your devices to connect directly with the sender device and receive the files. To scan a QR code:

• Through the camera app: Open your device’s camera app, with the default photo mode, point at a QR code. The support to scan QR code using the default camera app varies by device models. If this doesn’t work on your device, try the QR code scanner through Quick Settings. Learn how to scan QR code using Google camera.
• Through Quick Settings: Open your device’s Quick Settings, find and tap Scan QR code . If your device doesn’t have a QR scanner in the Quick Settings, learn how to customize your Quick Settings.

Fix problems sharing content

If you try to share or receive content, but it doesn’t work, try these steps:

• On both devices, check if Bluetooth is turned on. Learn how to turn on Bluetooth.
• Bring the devices close together, within 1 foot (30 cm) of each other.
• Turn Airplane mode on, and then off.
• Wait until no one else is sharing content with the other device.
• If the device is on Android 12 or earlier, check if Location is turned on. Learn how to turn on location.
• Turn your device off, then back on.

Adjust Quick Share settings

1. At the top of your screen, swipe down.
2. Tap Quick Share .
   • If there’s no Quick Share :
     1. Tap Edit .
     2. Under “Quick Settings,” add Quick Share .
3. Choose who can share with you:
   • Your devices: If your screen is off, your device is still visible to your other devices with the same Google Account.
   • Contacts: While your screen is on and unlocked, your device is visible to your nearby contacts.
   • Everyone: While your screen is on and unlocked, your device is visible to anyone nearby.
     • Only for 10 minutes: To protect your privacy, your visibility automatically switches back to your previous selection after 10 minutes.
4. To manage additional settings, like how you appear to others, at the lower left, tap Settings.

Related resources

• Interact with apps & people around you
• Find & set up devices near you
• Share files between your Android device & Windows computer