How to Use Nearby Sharing in Windows 11

Do you want to use Bluetooth to send files, links, photos, and more to PCs nearby? The “Nearby Sharing” feature in Windows 11 works similarly to Apple’s AirDrop. You can send any size file to another PC within Bluetooth range using Windows 11’s “Nearby Sharing” feature. Because this feature is dependent on Bluetooth, both the PC and the device must have Bluetooth installed. The beauty of this tool, on the other hand, is that you don’t have to pair both PCs with Bluetooth.

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How to Enable Nearby Sharing on Windows 11?

Follow these steps to enable nearby sharing on Windows 11:-

Press Windows + E on the keyboard at the same time to open File Explorer.
Right-click any file and choose Show more options from the context menu that appears.
Select the option to Share.
Select the Everyone nearby option from the drop-down menu next to Nearby sharing in the pop-up window that appears.

Your computer will now turn on with Nearby sharing and Bluetooth enabled.

Nearby Sharing files are saved to your user account’s Downloads folder by default, but you can change this in the Settings app. Navigate to Settings > System > Nearby sharing to do so. Select the desired location on your computer by clicking the Change button next to “Save files I receive to.”

You can also choose who can share with you in Windows 10. By default, every Windows 10 PC in your immediate vicinity can share or receive files from you. Nearby Sharing will only work between PCs that are signed in with the same Microsoft account if you select the “My Devices Only” option in step 4 above.

Related: How to Enable or Disable Password Protected Sharing in Windows 11

How to Share Files using Nearby Sharing on Windows 11?

Enable Nearby Sharing features on both computers to share files between two Windows 11 PCs.
After that, open File Explorer and right-click a file you want to share with another computer. Now, from the context menu, choose Show more options.
Select the Share option.
Your PC will now search for and list nearby devices. Under “Nearby sharing,” select the computer’s name.
A new pop-up window will appear on the right-hand taskbar, displaying the file’s status.
On the next computer, a notification will appear in the taskbar’s right-hand corner indicating that the file has been received.
To receive the file from another computer, click the Save button.7