Android’s Nearby Share boost means it’s almost a match for Apple’s AirDrop

Now gains the ability to transfer entire folders to other devices

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Nearby Share on Android has received a major upgrade, giving you the ability to send entire folders to other devices.

This feature was recently discovered by industry insider and tech journalist Mishaal Rahman whoshared his findings on X(or Twitter, if you prefer the older, less obtuse name). Rahman states you’re able to transfer folders from one Android phone to another as well as toChromebooksand Windows PCs via theFiles by Googleapp. He says that all you have to do is long-press any folder withinGoogleFiles and then select the Nearby Share icon on-screen. From there, you will see all of the connected devices which can accept the transfer. Pretty simple stuff.

Neat: You can send an entire folder from your Android device to other Android devices, Chromebooks, or Windows PCs from the Files by Google app! Just long-press on any folder in the Files app and then tap the Nearby Share icon in the top right. pic.twitter.com/yk7epVxojhJuly 31, 2023

There are some limitations to be aware of.Tom’s Guidestates in their report, “Nearby Share has a 1,000-file limit”, so folders can’t be too big.Another piece from Android Policereveals the upgrade is exclusive to Google Files as it doesn’t seem to work properly withSamsung’s own file manager. Files will still be shared on Samsung’s app, but it won’t retain the folder structure, according to Rahman.

What’s interesting is there’s a good chance you already have this feature if your device has Google Files. Rahman says that Nail Sadykov, another notable industry insider, claims “the earliest he saw someone mention it was back in May” of this year. It’s just that no one knew about it until very recently. Apparently, Google didn’t give anyone the heads-up.

So, if you have Google Files on your phone and haven’t updated it in a while, we recommend downloading the patch to get the boosted Nearby Share.

Closing the gap

Admittedly, it’s a small update, but an important one as it allows Nearby Share to close the gap a bit between it andApple’s AirDrop. Android users will save a lot of time since they won’t be forced to transfer files one by one. It’s a function iPhone owners have enjoyed for many years now. It’s hard to say exactly when AirDrop first gained the ability to send folders to Macs. The oldest instance we could find was one of ourHow-to guides from 2015.

However, Nearby Share still has a long way to go before it can be considered a proper rival to AirDrop. For iOS 17,Apple plans on further enhancingits wireless file transfer tool by introducing new features like Contact Posters for friends plus improved security for unsolicited images.

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If you’re looking for other management options besides Google Files, be sure to check out TechRadar’slist of the best file transfer software for 2023.

Cesar Cadenas has been writing about the tech industry for several years now specializing in consumer electronics, entertainment devices, Windows, and the gaming industry. But he’s also passionate about smartphones, GPUs, and cybersecurity.

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