Use Quick Share on your Android device

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

• This feature was previously known as Nearby Share. If you still find Nearby Share on some devices, the feature will still work.
• 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.
• Quick Share is available on Android 6+ devices, Chromebooks, and on select Windows PCs through our Quick Share for Windows App.

Find Quick Share on your Android device

From the Share menu From the Quick Settings From the device Settings

Send content on your Android device

With Quick Share, you can share content with other nearby devices.

Important: Make sure the device you want to share with is nearby.

1. On the Quick Share page, select the content that you want to share.
2. Tap the device you want to share with.
   • If you can’t find the other device, make sure the other device is in “Receive” mode from the Quick Share page.
3. Wait for the other device to accept your sharing request.
   • Make sure the screen on the other device is unlocked.
   • To cancel an in-progress transfer, select the same device again.
4. 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 the notification.
5. 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 select devices with Android 13 and above, you can also share content from your clipboard with Quick Share.
• After you copy something, you get a pop-up confirmation at the bottom of the screen.
  1. Tap Devices .
  2. Select the device you want to share the content with.

If you can’t find the device you want to share with, you can also share content through a QR code.

1. To generate a QR code, on the Quick Share page, tap Use QR code .
2. Nearby Android devices can scan the QR code to get connected and receive content.

Important:

• If you share content between your own devices with the same Google Account, the device that receives the share automatically accepts the transfer.
• If you share content from the clipboard of your own device, the content is automatically copied when someone receives it.
• On both devices, be sure to turn on Bluetooth .
• To receive content from someone else, make sure your screen is unlocked.

Important: On both devices, be sure to turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth .

To scan a QR code:

From the camera app

1. Open your device’s camera app.
2. With the default photo mode, point at the QR code.
3. Tap on the URL that appears.

Tip: The support to scan the QR code with 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 codes on camera from Google.

From Quick Settings

1. Open your device’s Quick Settings.
2. Find and tap Scan QR code .

Tips:

• When you scan the QR code on the sending device, your device will automatically connect to the sending device to receive the content.
• If your device doesn’t have a QR scanner in the Quick Settings, learn how to customize your Quick Settings.

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.