How to Share Files from Windows 11 to Android with Nearby Sharing

What is Nearby Sharing?

Nearby Sharing is a Windows 11 feature that sends files and links to devices close to you. It picks Bluetooth 🔷 or Wi-Fi 📶 depending on what is available and how big the file is. It works best for one-off transfers such as a handful of photos, a PDF, or a link you want to open on your phone.

If the feature isn’t switched on yet, turn it on first. Our guide on enabling Nearby Sharing in Windows 11 walks through it: How to Enable Nearby Sharing in Windows 11. This works on both Home and Pro editions. If the option is missing or greyed out, check that your PC has working Bluetooth 🔷 and that Windows is fully up to date.

How to Connect Your Android Phone to Your Windows PC

Sending files to Android starts by linking your devices with the Phone Link app, which is built into Windows 11. You use Phone Link on the PC and the Link to Windows app on the phone. Sign in with the same Microsoft account on both devices, then follow the on-screen prompts to finish pairing. You only need to do this once. After that, the two devices stay linked.

1. On your Windows PC, open the Phone Link app. You can find it by typing its name in the Start menu ⊞ search box 🔍. You should see a welcome screen asking which type of phone you want to connect.
2. On your Android phone, install and open Link to Windows. Some phones, such as many Samsung models, already have it installed. If you are asked, allow the permissions it requests, because pairing and file transfer won’t work without them.
3. Follow the steps on both screens to connect the two devices using your Microsoft account. Use the same account on the PC and the phone. When pairing finishes, Phone Link on your PC should show your phone as connected.

If the devices won’t pair, check that both are online and signed in to the same Microsoft account. This article covers device pairing in more detail: Link Your Android Mobile Device to Your Microsoft Account.

Share Files from 🪟 Windows 11 to Your Android Phone

With the devices linked, you can send photos, documents, and videos straight from your computer to your phone. You right-click the file on your PC, choose the share option from the menu, and pick your phone from the list of available devices. The steps below show how.

1. Find the file on your Windows PC that you want to send. File Explorer is the easiest place to do this. You can select several files at once if you want to send a batch.
2. Right-click the file to open the context menu. The menu should appear next to your pointer.
3. Click the Share button. In Windows 11 it may appear as an icon in the new context menu rather than as a text entry. If you can't see it, try Show more options at the bottom of the menu. A sharing window should open.

The sharing window lists the apps and nearby devices you can send the file to. Take a moment to check that the file name shown at the top is the one you meant to send.

4. In the sharing window, find Nearby Share and click the Turn On button. Nearby Share is switched on from here the first time you use it. After that, you should see nearby devices listed in the window.
5. Select your Android phone from the list of devices. Keep the phone unlocked and close to the PC while it appears. If it doesn't show up, check that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are on for both devices. Google has also renamed Nearby Share to Quick Share on newer Android versions, so the name on your phone may differ.

After you pick your phone, Windows shows the transfer status and waits for the phone to accept the file. Leave the sharing window open until the transfer finishes.

6. Your Android phone will get a notification asking to accept the file. Tap Accept to receive it. Once the transfer finishes, the PC reports that the file was sent. If you tap decline or ignore the notification, nothing is saved, so just send the file again.

Where Do Files Go on Your Android Phone?

Incoming files from your Windows PC land in the Downloads folder, inside a subfolder named 'Sent from your PC'. You can open them at any time from your phone's file manager or gallery app. To keep a file permanently, move it from that folder to wherever you store your files.

Summary

Windows 11 Android file sharing lets you move photos, videos, and documents between your computer and phone wirelessly over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Link your devices with the Phone Link app, right-click the file you want to send, and pick your phone from the Nearby Share menu. No cables are needed.

• Why use Nearby Sharing? It lets you send files from Windows 11 to Android devices easily using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. No cables or email needed.
• What happens first? Make sure your Android phone is linked to your PC using the Phone Link and Link to Windows apps, signed in with the same Microsoft account on both.
• What happens next? Right-click the file on your PC, click Share, turn on Nearby Share, and select your phone.
• What happens on your phone? Accept the file on your Android device when you get the notification.
• Where do files go? Files are saved in Downloads › Sent from your PC on your phone.