Getting Nearby Share to Work on Windows 11 — Real Talk
If you’re trying to move files between your Android phone and Windows 11 without those clunky cables or messing with cloud uploads, Nearby Share can be a lifesaver. But honestly, the setup can be confusing, especially the first time. I remember spending way too much time trying to get it to recognize my device, so here’s what finally worked for me — and some stuff to watch out for.
First off, you need the Windows Nearby Share app, which you can find on their official site. It’s not always front-and-center; I had to dig through the download links in the Downloads section or do a quick search for Nearby Share Windows app. Once you find it, hit ‘Get Started’ and follow the prompts. The install is straightforward — just a few clicks, maybe a restart if Windows asks, and you’re nearly there.
During installation, Windows will ask if you want to give the app network and Bluetooth access. Don’t skip that — it’s essential for the magic to happen. After installing, you’ll need to enable Nearby Sharing manually through Settings. Go to Settings > System > Shared Experiences. If you don’t see the toggle for Nearby sharing, double-check that your Windows is fully updated and that no OEM restrictions are blocking it. Sometimes, on certain brands or older hardware, this setting might be grayed out or missing.
You’ve got to ensure your PC has Bluetooth, too. On my older ASUS, it was buried under Advanced options or Device Manager. Check under Bluetooth and make sure it shows something like Intel Wireless Bluetooth. If Bluetooth isn’t working, toggle it off and on, or update your driver via Device Manager. Windows sometimes forgets these settings after updates, which can cause all sorts of issues. Also, check that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both turned on — I found toggling these from the Action Center (Windows + A) or in Settings can help resolve discoverability problems. Sometimes they’re just hidden behind privacy settings or disabled by default.
A crucial point: make sure your network options are set correctly. I initially thought I just needed Bluetooth, but it turns out both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth need to be active and connected. In the same Shared Experiences menu, you’ll see options like Everyone nearby or My devices only. Set this based on your privacy comfort — I wouldn’t set it to everyone unless you want random strangers to send files.
Also, during setup, you might be asked to sign in with your Google account — this is important if you’re syncing or using related Google services. Just click ‘Sign In’ again if needed. Then, you’ll give your PC a visible name, which is what shows up when other devices try to send you stuff. You can tweak who can send you files — contacts, or anyone nearby, but honestly, most people just leave the defaults unless privacy is a big concern.
Once you’ve got all this set, hit ‘Done’. That’s it — nearby sharing should be enabled. Now, sending files is just about proximity and trust. The system will notify you when nearby sharing is active, or you can double-check in Settings > System > Shared experiences. If things are acting flaky, turning Nearby sharing off and on again, or toggling Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, usually helps.
To test, make sure your Android device is discoverable in Bluetooth settings, with Wi-Fi active — both are necessary because transfers are actually using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct. I honestly had success when I kept both devices close (within a few meters), especially if I was on VPNs or multiple networks. VPNs can block the connection, so turning those off might be helpful if you’re hitting a wall.
Finally, check your Windows Bluetooth discoverability settings. Head into Settings > Bluetooth & devices. Sometimes you need to click More Bluetooth options and then check Allow Bluetooth devices to find this PC. It’s usually unchecked by default unless you’ve changed it. If it’s not discoverable, the sharing will never work well.
And if things still aren’t syncing, the Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc) can help — look under Windows Logs > System for Bluetooth or network errors. In my experience, I just kept toggling, checking device visibility, and making sure everything was close enough. It took a few tries, and honestly, a couple of reboots, but that’s Windows sometimes.
This whole thing needed a bunch of patience — Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, sharing permissions, device discoverability, and proximity all have to line up. Hope this helped — it took way too long to figure out. Anyway, hopefully this saves someone else a weekend or two.