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Beginner guide ​

By the end of this page you will have received a photo from an Android phone on your Linux computer and sent a file back to the phone.

What you need ​

  • NearShare installed. See Install.
  • An Android phone with Quick Share. It is built into Android 6 and later through Google Play services; on Samsung phones it is in the share menu too.
  • The phone and the computer on the same Wi-Fi network.
  • Bluetooth turned on, on both, if you can. It helps the phone find your computer faster.

The window ​

The NearShare window with visibility on, two nearby phones and two transfers
  1. 1Visible to nearby devices — On: nearby devices can find you and send you files. The line below shows the name they see.
  2. 2Nearby devices — Devices whose Quick Share receive screen is open on your network.
  3. 3Send files… — Pick files to send to that device.
  4. 4Transfers — Each transfer with its progress, speed and time left.
  5. 5Remove from this list — Clears the row. Received files stay on disk.
  6. 6Completed — A finished transfer, with how many files and how long it took.

Your computer appears to others under the name shown below Visible to nearby devices: your user name and computer name, such as alice@laptop.

1. Receive a photo from your phone ​

  1. On the computer, open NearShare and check that Visible to nearby devices is on.

  2. On the phone, open a photo, tap Share, then tap Quick Share.

  3. Wait for your computer's name to appear in the list on the phone, then tap it.

    If it does not appear within a few seconds, see Nothing shows up.

  4. On the computer, a dialog opens: Incoming transfer from the phone's name, with the number of files, their size, and Verify PIN: followed by four digits.

  5. Check that the phone shows the same four digits, then select Accept.

    The photo arrives in your Downloads folder. The row under Transfers changes to Completed.

  6. Select the folder button on the finished row to open the folder.

WARNING

Only select Accept when the PIN on both screens is the same and you know who is sending. If they differ, select Decline.

2. Send a file to your phone ​

Your phone only appears in NearShare while its Quick Share is ready to receive.

  1. On the phone, open Quick Share's receive screen. On most phones: pull down the quick settings, tap Quick Share, and set who can share with you to Everyone.

    NearShare is not signed in to a Google account, so the phone must accept from everyone, not only contacts.

  2. On the computer, wait for the phone to appear under Nearby devices.

  3. Select Send files… next to the phone, pick a file and confirm.

  4. On the phone, accept the transfer.

    A Sending to row under Transfers shows the progress. To compare PINs on both screens when sending, use the Files right-click menu or the command line, which show the PIN; see Send files.

The file is saved where the phone normally saves Quick Share files, usually its Download folder.

What you learned ​

  • Receiving needs Visible to nearby devices on; sending needs the other device's receive screen open.
  • Matching PINs on both screens mean the transfer is safe to accept.
  • Received files go to Downloads.

Next steps ​