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Send files ​

Send files from your Linux computer to a nearby device in three ways: from the NearShare window, from the Files app, or from a terminal.

Make the other device ready to receive ​

NearShare cannot wake up the other device. It only appears in NearShare while its Quick Share is open and ready to receive:

DeviceWhat to open
AndroidThe Quick Share receive screen, for example from the quick settings panel. Set it to receive from Everyone.
WindowsThe Quick Share app, set to receive from everyone
MacNearDrop, running
LinuxNearShare, with Visible to nearby devices on

NearShare has no Google account, so a phone set to receive only from contacts or your own devices will not see it.

Sending works whether Visible to nearby devices is on or off on your computer.

From the NearShare window ​

  1. Open NearShare. Wait for the device under Nearby devices.

    Each device shows its type, such as Phone or Laptop, and its network address.

  2. Select Send files… next to it.

  3. Pick one or more files and confirm.

  4. Accept on the other device. A Sending to row under Transfers shows the progress, and a message says Transfer with the device's name complete when it is done.

From the Files app ​

PPA package ​

  1. In Files, select one or more files and right-click them.

  2. Choose Send with NearShare.

  3. In the Send with NearShare dialog, wait for Looking for nearby devices… to list the device, then select Send next to it.

  4. The dialog shows PIN: and four digits. Check that the other device shows the same PIN, then accept there.

If the menu item is missing, run nautilus -q once, or log out and back in.

Snap package ​

The snap cannot add items to the Files right-click menu. Instead, right-click a file, choose Open With, and select NearShare (send to phone). The same send dialog opens.

From a terminal ​

bash
nearshare peers                                   # list devices that can receive now
nearshare send photo.jpg report.pdf --to "Pixel 8"
nearshare send photo.jpg                          # --to is optional when only one device is nearby

nearshare send works even if the NearShare window is not open. It looks for the device for up to 20 seconds, prints the PIN as soon as there is one so you can compare it, then sends. See the command reference.

Phones that show up as "Phone (ABCD)" ​

Recent Android versions hide the phone's own name in what they advertise, so NearShare may list a phone as Phone followed by a short code until that phone sends you something. Give it a permanent name with:

bash
nearshare rename "Phone (6SWJ)" "My phone"

You can use the name shown or the address from nearshare peers. nearshare forget lists saved names, and nearshare forget "My phone" removes one.

Next steps ​