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How to Send Files Between Android and Windows with Quick Share

Quick Share lets you transfer files between Android and Windows nearby. Learn the requirements, steps in both directions, visibility settings and fixes for discovery problems.

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For a nearby transfer between an Android phone and a Windows PC, start with Google Quick Share. It is built into Android 6 and later; install the Quick Share app on Windows. If your PC is a Samsung, use Samsung’s Quick Share app from the Microsoft Store instead: Google says its own Windows app is no longer supported on Samsung PCs.

What you need before you start

  • Android: Android 6.0 or later, with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi or Ethernet enabled.
  • Windows: A 64-bit PC running Windows 10 or later. ARM-based PCs require Windows 11 or later.
  • Samsung PCs: Install Samsung Quick Share from the Microsoft Store. For other supported Windows PCs, use Google’s app.
  • Connection: Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on the Windows PC. Keep the devices within 5 metres (16 feet) of each other.

Requirements and app availability can change; confirm current details on Google’s Quick Share for Windows page and Android Help.

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Send a file from Android to Windows

  1. Install and open Quick Share on the Windows PC. On a Samsung PC, use Samsung Quick Share.
  2. On the Android phone, open Quick Share and select the file or files to send.
  3. Choose the nearby PC from the device list.
  4. Accept the incoming transfer on the PC if prompted, then wait for it to finish.

Send files from Windows to Android

  1. Open Quick Share on the PC.
  2. Select files or folders in the app, or drag them into its window.
  3. Choose the nearby Android phone.
  4. Accept the incoming transfer on the phone.

Google says received files are saved in a “Quick Share” folder under Downloads. Quick Share supports incoming transfers only after the recipient confirms them.

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Control who can find your phone

Quick Share’s visibility options are Everyone, Contacts, Your devices and No one. Google recommends signing in and using Contacts or Your devices for more private sharing. Choose a visibility setting that lets the sender find the device, then return to a more restrictive setting when you are done. Google says Quick Share transfers are protected by end-to-end encryption.

If your PC or phone does not appear

  • Check that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on for both devices and that Quick Share is open and enabled.
  • Check the receiver’s visibility setting; it must allow the sending device to discover it.
  • Move the devices within 30 centimetres (1 foot), then close and reopen Quick Share.
  • Some office networks block device-to-device sharing. Google suggests turning on the phone’s hotspot and connecting the PC to it.

These checks can help with discovery problems, but they cannot guarantee that every network or PC will support a transfer. See Google’s troubleshooting guidance for current steps.

When Microsoft Phone Link may be a better fit

Phone Link is an alternative if you want file sharing alongside Microsoft’s broader phone integration, including messages, calls, notifications and photos. It pairs Phone Link on Windows with Link to Windows on Android. Microsoft lists these minimums for its file-transfer workflow:

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Requirement Minimum listed by Microsoft
Windows Windows 10 with the May 2019 update or later
Android Android 10 or later
Link to Windows app Version 1.24032.518.0 or later
Phone Link app Version 1.24032.156.0 or later

Microsoft says the PC and phone must be on the same Wi-Fi network, and Phone Link supports select Android manufacturers and models. A file saved locally on the PC transfers as a file; if it is stored in the cloud, Phone Link shares a link to its cloud location instead. Received files are saved under Downloads > Sent from your PC. Check Microsoft’s file-transfer instructions and Phone Link’s requirements and setup page for supported devices and current app versions.

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Which method should you choose?

Consideration Quick Share Phone Link
Best suited to A nearby, one-off transfer between Android and Windows File sharing as part of broader phone integration
Device and OS basics Android 6.0+; 64-bit Windows 10+ (Windows 11+ for ARM PCs); Samsung PCs use Samsung Quick Share Windows 10 with the May 2019 update+; Android 10+; specified minimum app versions and supported devices
Discovery and connection Nearby sharing; Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on the PC, with visibility controls PC and phone on the same Wi-Fi network
Received file location Quick Share folder under Downloads Downloads > Sent from your PC
Cloud-stored PC files Not stated in the cited Google instructions Shares a link to the cloud location rather than transferring the file itself

Quick Share is a practical starting point when you only need to send a file nearby. Choose Phone Link if its supported-device requirements fit your setup and you also want its messaging, calling, notification and photo features. This is a feature-based distinction, not a claim that one app is universally easier or faster.

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