Microsoft is adding a new feature to Windows to take on Apple ecosystem

Windows 11

Microsoft has been trying to bridge the gap between Windows and Android and make them work together the way Apple iPhones and Mac devices work. The updated Nearby Share feature takes a step closer towards making the entire Windows x Android connect better and seamlessly.

Nearby Share on Windows gets a new share menu

The Nearby Share feature on Windows 11 PCs isn’t new. However, it was limited to Windows devices only. Microsoft has now updated the Nearby Share feature to transfer files between PCs and Android smartphones.

According to Windows Central’s report, when an Android phone is linked to a Windows PC via Phone Link, the Nearby Share will pop up with its own share menu when sharing files.

This will allow users to directly share the files between the connected Android smartphone from their PC. However, it is worth mentioning that Nearby Share on Windows PC is different from Google’s Quick Share and Microsoft hasn’t merged the Windows’ Nearby Share with Quick Share. On the other hand, Samsung and Google did implement the feature to make things more seamless between different Android devices.

Rollout details

Microsoft is currently testing the updated Nearby Share feature in the Preview Channel, and we expect to roll out to the stable Windows 11 build in the coming months.

Meanwhile, if you want to try the updated Nearby Share on Windows 11, you can install Preview build on your PC and connect your phone via Phone Link app.

That’s it. Once you share any file, Nearby Share will provide a dedicated share menu to share the files with your connected Android phone.