Skip to main content

Nearby Share on Android and laptops is becoming ‘Quick Share’

Nearby Share was officially announced in August of 2020 to let Android users locally send files from one device to another. Google is now “collaborating with Samsung” to create a “singular cross-Android solution” called “Quick Share,” and it begins rolling out next month.

Before today, Quick Share was the name of a similar Samsung feature first introduced with the Galaxy S20 and later made available on the company’s Windows laptops

Google and Samsung are now combining their two efforts, with the “Quick Share” brand replacing “Nearby Share.” There’s a circular logo with two arrows in a blue and white color scheme that matches Google’s aesthetic. 

In integrating the two experiences, Google says Quick Share is the “best default, built-in option for peer-to-peer content sharing across all types of devices in the Android ecosystem, including Chromebooks.”

Android Quick Share

Meanwhile, Google is “working with leading PC manufacturers” to make Quick Share a pre-installed app on Windows. LG was named as a partner today, with Samsung devices presumably also featuring it. 

In terms of the end user experience, the current Nearby Share experience (settings, privacy controls, etc.) should not be changing beyond the new icon and branding. That said, the bottom panel has been replaced by a fullscreen UI after you tap the new Quick Share icon in the system Share sheet.

Officially, Quick Share is supported on Android 6.0+, ChromeOS 91+, and computers running a 64-bit version of Windows 10+.

Quick Share will start rolling in February to current Nearby Share devices, with all transfers working regardless of the name. Samsung devices should see an update from the Galaxy Store that replaces the old experience.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Google — experts who break news about Google and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Google on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

Author

Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com