Sharing with Nearby is a nifty little Windows feature that lets you easily share documents, photos, and other content with nearby devices using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. However, it is turned off by default in Windows 11. Therefore, today we will show you how to enable Nearby Sharing on your Windows 11 PC. We’ll also show you how you can use this feature to share files with nearby Windows devices.
Enable Nearby Sharing in Windows 11 (2021)
Microsoft first rolled out Nearby Sharing as part of the April 2018 update for Windows 10. This feature is also available in Windows 11, but is disabled by default. In this article, we will tell you all about Nearby Sharing, including what it is, how it works, how to enable and use it on your Windows 11 PC. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
What Is Nearby Sharing in Windows 11?
Nearby sharing is a useful feature in Windows 10 and 11 that allows users to share documents, photos, links to websites, and other content with other nearby Windows devices over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. This feature works similarly to AirDrop, which is commonly used by Apple users to transfer content between MacBooks, iPhones, and iPads.
However, there’s a reason why the Windows feature isn’t as successful as its Mac counterpart. Currently, Nearby Sharing only works between two feature-enabled Windows PCs (whether running Windows 10 or Windows 11). It does not allow you to share content with or from smartphones, tablets, or other devices running non-Windows operating systems.
Minimum Requirements for Nearby Sharing Support
Not all Windows computers support Nearby Sharing. The minimum requirements for Near Sharing support on Windows PCs are:
- Both computers must be running Windows 10 or Windows 11.
- Bluetooth 4.0 (or higher) with Low Energy (LE) support on both computers.
- Both computers must be accessible via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and have Nearby Sharing enabled.
- The transmitter and receiver should be close to each other.
Things to Remember Before Using Nearby Sharing
- File transfer over Bluetooth takes more time compared to Wi-Fi. When sharing files over Bluetooth, make sure that large amounts of data are not already being sent over Bluetooth, such as streaming audio over a wireless speaker.
- For the fastest file transfer speeds, make sure transfers are made over Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth. To do this, make sure both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network and in both cases set the connection profile to ‘Private’. You can do this by going to Settings -> Network & Internet -> Features -> Custom.
- You don’t need to pair two computers over Bluetooth to use Nearby Sharing. It is sufficient to enable Nearby Sharing on both computers for file transfers to work. When Nearby Sharing is enabled, Bluetooth is turned on automatically for the feature to work as intended.
Steps to Enable Nearby Sharing in Windows 11
As mentioned above, Nearby Sharing can help you quickly share files between two nearby Windows 11/10 devices over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. To turn on Nearby Sharing on your Windows 11 computer, follow these steps:
- Open Settings using the ‘Windows key + I’ Windows 11 keyboard shortcut. Then, click on ‘systemSelect ‘ from the left sidebar and ‘Share nearby‘ in the right pane.
- On the Nearby Sharing settings page, choose whether you want to share files, photos, and links with all nearby devices or just your own devices. Your preference will be automatically saved for future use.
note: By default, shared files are saved in the ‘Downloads’ folder. However, you can click the ‘Change’ button next to ‘Save files I receive’ on the Nearby Settings page to specify where you want to save the received files..
Share Files with Near Share in Windows 11
First, you need to enable the feature on both Windows 10 and 11 computers to share documents or images between two devices via Near Sharing. After that, follow the guide below to proceed further.
- Use File Explorer to navigate to the file you want to share on your computer. Now, right click on the target file and ‘show more options‘.
- In the next context menu, click ‘Share‘.
- If there are no devices available, Windows will ask you to make sure sharing is turned on on the target device. If there is more than one device available, select the name of the device you want to share files with. Now a ‘Share [PC name]’ notification while your computer is waiting for the other device to accept the sharing request.
note: On the receiving computer, ‘Save‘ or ‘Save and open‘ to save the incoming file.
Share Website Links From Microsoft Edge Via Nearby Sharing
If both computers are running Windows 10 or Windows 11, you can also share links to any website or webpage using Nearby Sharing in Microsoft Edge. Once you have that, follow the guide below to share links to webpages via Near Sharing in Windows 11. .
- Open Microsoft Edge and navigate to the website or web page you want to share. Next, click on the three dots (three-dot menu button) at the top right and ‘Share‘ from the drop-down menu.
- The name of the recipient’s computer opens in the field that says ‘.Make sure sharing is turned on on other devices‘. When you select the recipient’s computer from the list, they must accept the sharing request to access the content.
Disable Nearby Sharing in Windows 11
It’s best to disable the Nearby Sharing feature when you no longer have anything to share. This is how you do it:
- Set route to Settings -> System -> Close Sharing, as previously described. Here, under Close Sharing, click ‘Closed‘ using the radio button next to it.
This much! You have successfully disabled Nearby Sharing on your Windows 11 PC.
Easily Share Content Between Windows PCs with Nearby Sharing
As you can see, enabling Nearby Sharing on your Windows 11 computer is easy. Now that you know how to do this, check out how you can easily enable Nearby Sharing on your Android device. If you’re using an Apple Watch, you might also be interested to know how to share photos on Apple Watch via Messages and Mail. Finally, Chromebook users needn’t worry, because you can too. Enable Android’s Share with Nearby function on your Chromebook To share files with other devices.