Share with a Nearby Computer

Written by Eric Wyatt (last updated August 16, 2021)

There are times you may find it necessary to share a photo, document, or link to a website with another computer near yours. In the past, this would require me to determine the best way to do it. I could try transferring it via Bluetooth, USB drive, network drive, email, or cloud storage. These options required needing to know what worked best for the other device and could present problems. With the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, Microsoft introduced the Nearby Sharing feature. Now when I want to share with another computer, I can do so quickly using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

To start using Nearby Sharing, you will need a few things in place. The first is that both computers need to be running Windows 10 (with the April 2018 Update installed). Next, both computers also need to have Bluetooth. Finally, both computers need to enable Nearby Sharing. To enable Nearby Sharing, follow these simple steps:

  1. Click on the Start button in the bottom-left corner. Windows displays the Start screen.
  2. Click on the Settings button (it looks like a small gear). Windows displays the Settings Dialog box.
  3. Click on the System link. Windows displays the System options of the Settings dialog box.
  4. Click on Shared Experiences in the left list of options. Windows displays the Shared Experiences options of the Settings dialog box. (See Figure 1.)
  5. Figure 1. The Shared Experiences Section of the Settings dialog box.

  6. Under Nearby Sharing, turn on the Nearby Sharing option.
  7. Close the Settings Dialog box. Your settings should take effect immediately.

Now, from any Universal Windows Platform App (apps that are used across all compatible Windows devices) such as the photos app, click on the Share icon. Windows shows the Share pane on which you can see a list of nearby computers. (See Figure 2.)

Figure 2. The Share pane of the Photos App.

It is important to note that in testing between computers that did not have Bluetooth installed by default, we had to use third-party Bluetooth accessories. We did experience some inconsistencies with the Nearby Sharing experience. These potential inconsistencies should not stop you from trying to see if Nearby Sharing can help you share your files. Microsoft is still working to improve Nearby Sharing, and recently announced at their 2018 developer conference that Nearby Sharing will be expanded to Android and iOS devices.

 This tip (13560) applies to Windows 10.

Author Bio

Eric Wyatt

Eric Wyatt is a swell guy (or so his friends tell him). He is a formally trained designer and branding expert, bringing a wide range of skills to his Tips.Net articles. ...

MORE FROM ERIC

Turning on Inactive Window Scroll

Have you ever needed to scroll through an inactive window while keeping another window active? This tip will show you how ...

Discover More

Use Notepad as a Journal

As you go through the day or work on a project, you may find it helpful to write thoughts or inspirations down and have ...

Discover More

Setting an Account to Automatically Logon

Passwords are a great way to protect the content on our computers. What if you want to login to your system without using ...

Discover More
More WindowsTips

Refreshing the Explorer Window

It's possible that the Windows Explorer window may occasionally get out of sync with the data it's displaying. You can ...

Discover More

Wielding the Power

If you are done using Windows for a while, it is a good idea to shut down your system. Windows provides several different ...

Discover More

Determining if You Have 32-bit or 64-bit Windows

There are occasions when you may want to know whether you're running the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows. This tip ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 5 - 0?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips