Phone to PC file transfer

A photo on your phone, a document on your computer: sometimes you just need to move a file between the two. Nearby Share lets you transfer files between your phone and PC through a browser, without installing an app or creating an account.

This guide covers sending files in both directions over the same Wi-Fi network. Start with a few photos or a small document so you can confirm that both devices connect and save files as expected.

Before you start

You need a phone and a computer, a browser on each device, and access to the same Wi-Fi network. You also need an internet connection to load the website, discover devices and set up the connection. Nearby Share does not provide offline device discovery.

Open Nearby Share on both devices and keep both pages open while transferring. A browser tab left in the background or a locked phone can interrupt a transfer, so keep the receiving page visible until you have checked the saved file.

Nearby Share is an independent web tool. It is not Google's Quick Share and does not connect to the Quick Share app. Both devices must use this website.

Send files to your PC

1. Connect your phone and computer to the same Wi-Fi, then open nearbyshare.app in both browsers.
2. On your phone, choose the photos, videos or documents you want to send. Your phone may offer a photo library or a file picker depending on the browser and file type.
3. Select your computer from the device list. Check its displayed name so you send to the intended device, then start the transfer.
4. On the computer, review the incoming request and choose Accept files.
5. Keep both pages open until the transfer completes. Check your browser's downloads and open the saved file. Allow multiple downloads if the browser asks when you receive several files.

You can use this process for Android-to-PC file transfer or for sending files from an iPhone to a Windows computer. On an iPhone, open the website in Safari; on the computer, use a current browser. The file picker and download prompts can look different on each device.

Send files to your phone

To transfer files from a PC to your phone, reverse the roles. Choose the files on the computer, select the phone in the device list and accept the request on the phone.

Keep the receiving browser in the foreground. After the transfer, follow its download or save prompt and check where it stored the file. A downloaded photo may appear in your files or downloads rather than automatically appearing in your photo library.

The same browser-based steps apply when the computer is a Mac. You do not need a separate Nearby Share desktop application.

If a device is missing

Start with the network and the two browser pages:

• Check the Wi-Fi network. Both devices should be connected to the same local network. A computer on a separate network will not become reachable just because it has opened the website.
• Keep both pages open. Wake the phone and return to the browser. Reload the pages if discovery appears stuck; reselect any files after reloading.
• Check network isolation. Hotel, school, office and guest networks can prevent connected devices from communicating. Try a trusted home Wi-Fi network if you have access to one.
• Check VPN settings. A VPN can change network routing. If appropriate for your connection, disconnect it temporarily and try again.
• Check the intended recipient. Compare the displayed device names on both screens before sending. Accept only transfers you expect.

An invitation link can help you open the same page on another device. It does not remove the same-network requirement or bypass a network that blocks direct connections.

Privacy and large files

Nearby Share uses a signaling service to exchange the connection information needed to connect the browsers. File contents travel over a direct encrypted connection between the devices; they are not uploaded to a file-storage server.

There is no application-level file-size limit, but practical limits still apply. Received files are assembled in browser memory, so a very large video or a large batch of files can exceed the receiving device's available memory. Network conditions and browser download behavior also affect the result.

If a large transfer fails, try fewer files at a time and confirm each saved file before continuing. Keep the original files until you have verified the copies. Nearby Share does not promise a particular transfer speed or that every file size will work on every device.

Try your first transfer

Open Nearby Share on your phone and computer, connect both to the same Wi-Fi and send a small file. Once you have confirmed the destination and saved the copy, you can use the same steps for photos, videos and documents in either direction.