People with iPhones have had the ability to “Airdrop” photos amongst themselves for a long time. They think nothing of simply saying, “will you airdrop that photo to me?” When the sender complies, the photo magically appears in the receiver’s camera roll. Easy-peasy.
Android users have the same functionality, and it is now just as easy as airdrop. It’s called “Nearby Share.”
4 Steps
- Open a photo and tap the Share icon
- Select “Nearby Share”
- You should now see an icon for any nearby Android phone, tap the one you want to send to
- The recipient needs to tap on “Accept”
That’s it. The photo should now be in the photo library of the recipient, just as if they had taken the photo with their phone.
If you don’t see the other person’s phone listed
It can take a minute to show up, be patient. If it still doesn’t show up after a minute or two, here are the settings to check on the recipient’s phone:
- First be sure your recipient has turned on the Nearby Share feature.
System settings, Connected Devices, Connection preferences. Nearby Share.
If that menu doesn’t exist, use search to find “Nearby Share.”
Make sure it is on - Bluetooth must be on
- Location Services must be on
- Their phone needs to be unlocked
When you’ve successfully shared once with this person, future shares should be very quick and easy. This also works with other types of files like documents and contacts.
From 2003-2017 she traveled the country in an RV with her husband, Jim offering technology seminars at RV rallies, computer clubs, and senior centers. Now they travel the world and continue teaching on their website, GeeksOnTour.com, over Zoom, and on their YouTube channel. Specializing in the use of Google Photos, Chris teaches people how to get control of the thousands of photos and videos taken with both phones and cameras these days. She is designated by Google as a Diamond leve Product Expert for Google Photos.
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