Apple’s AirDrop is great for file sharing, right? Well, Android users now have something similar called Quick Share. It comes preloaded on most Androids and can be installed on Windows, making file transfers between the two ecosystems pretty simple. Let’s get it set up.
Step 1: Installing Quick Share on Windows
You’ve got a couple of choices for getting Quick Share onto your Windows computer, depending on your phone brand.
Method 1: Downloading from Google
If you’re using a non-Samsung Android phone, you will want to get Quick Share directly from Google. It’s usually the more universal option.
- Head over to the Google’s Quick Share page and download the installer.
- Your browser might give you a “this file isn’t safe” warning because it’s not from the Microsoft Store. You will have to choose to keep the unverified download.
- After that, just run the installer on your PC.
- The setup is straightforward regardless of which version you have. You can sign in with your Google account (recommended for customizations and privacy), or use it without an account.
- You will see your device name and the “Receiving” option. Click on “Receiving” to adjust who can send files to you.
- For convenience, “Receive From Everyone” is the easiest for transfers, but you can also choose “Contacts”, “Your devices”, or “No one” for better security.
Note: For security, set “Receive From Everyone” to a more private setting when you’re not actively transferring files.
Method 2: Using the Microsoft Store (Samsung Only)
If you’re using a Samsung Galaxy phone, you can get Quick Share from the Microsoft Store, but it only works between Samsung devices.
- Go to the Microsoft Store and install Quick Share.
- After that, you can set up the app as described in Method 1.
Step 2: Setting up Quick Share on your Android device
The steps might vary slightly depending on the brand of your Android.
- On Motorola and Redmi devices, swipe down from the top and find the Quick Share toggle in your Quick Settings. POCO devices usually have this option within the Settings menu.
- When you enable Quick Share, it’ll ask you to turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. You’ll also be prompted about sharing contacts with Google, which is necessary for receiving files from others. Tap “I agree” to move forward.
- Select who can share files with you. Tap on “Everyone” for the easiest transfer, and you can uncheck the “Only for 10 minutes” option if you want to be continuously discoverable.
Using Quick Share to transfer files
Now that you’ve got Quick Share set up on both devices, let’s share some files.
- To send from your Windows computer, ensure Bluetooth is on for both devices. Then either drag and drop files into the Quick Share window, or click “Select” to choose your files.
- Quick Share will display nearby devices with the feature enabled. Choose your Android phone.
- Your Android will ask you to pair the devices. Tap “Pair” then “Accept” to receive the files from your computer. If already paired, a notification will appear directly upon receiving the file.
- To send files from your Android phone, choose a file and select “Share”, then “Quick Share.”
- Pick your Windows computer from the sharing list.
- You’ll get a notification on your Windows PC that the file has been received.
Things to know
- You’ll need at least a 64-bit version of Windows 10 or later and Android 6 or newer. Your devices should be within about five meters of each other.
- You can share files and folders including images, documents, audio, and videos. All files transferred with Quick Share are end-to-end encrypted. Transferring bigger files wirelessly will take a while, though.
- You can also customize device names, set where files are saved, and choose if the app runs on startup.
- Quick Share isn’t perfect, it can sometimes have trouble finding devices. Being logged into your Google account can help with this but isn’t a guaranteed fix.