Nearby Share is one of those features that made the transition from Android to Chromebooks. The functionality allows you to share files with nearby devices. But how exactly does that work? You still need to activate the option.
Nearby Share is available on Chromebooks running at least Chrome OS 89. Are you sure you have that version on your Chromebook, then we can start. Open the settings. You do this by navigating to the clock on the drawer at the bottom. Click it and then click the gear icon. You will find that icon in the quick settings that appear on the screen.
Set up Nearby Share on Chromebook
You can proceed as follows in the settings menu.
- Go to the heading for connected devices.
- If the feature is available for your Chromebook, you’ll find it here. Next to the Nearby Share heading is a white button with blue letters with the command for setting. Click that button.
- Give your Chromebook a name. This is the name you will find on other devices. Now click on the blue button to continue.
- At this step, it is important to consider who you want to share files with. You can choose from three different visibility options:
- All contacts – anyone you know can send and receive files
- Some contacts – you choose yourself with which contacts you want to exchange files; nevertheless you can still see all the devices that are nearby
- Hidden – nobody can see your device, but you can see all other devices apparaten
Once you choose the first or last option, you don’t have to set anything further. If you choose the second option, you have to set with which people you want to exchange files. You will then see your contact list on the screen, where you can select people individually. Go through the list and move the slider on the right to the right to effect sharing. Now confirm your choices so that you are ready to use Nearby Share.
Using Nearby Share on Chromebook
Now open the files folder on your Chromebook, which you will find in the app overview. Select the file you want to share and right click on it. Press the share option and on the next screen select the Nearby Share option. Now you can see which devices are nearby (they all have to be configured correctly, of course). Select the device with which you want to share something (for example a smartphone or tablet) and press the next button. Accept the file on the target device and wait for a while for the sending to finish.
Receiving a file is even easier. Make sure your Chromebook is unlocked and visible. When a device wants to share something with your Chromebook, you will automatically see a pop-up on the screen. Indicate that you want to receive that file (or not) and then let your Chromebook do its work. If your Chromebook does not appear as an option on another device, the quick menu has an extra option for that. The Nearby Share button ensures that your Chromebook is visible for five minutes, regardless of your settings.
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