14 DAY TRIAL // One of the new features bundled into Windows 10 Spring Creators Update (also known as Redstone 4 or version 1803) is called Near Share, and as you could easily guess by simply reading its name, it is supposed to enhance the action of sharing content between Windows 10 devices.
The self-explanatory name of the feature is also an indicator that sharing is enabled for systems near you, and you’ll understand in a second why this is the case.
Near Share only works for computers running the Windows 10 Spring Creators Update because both the sender and the receiver need to have this feature enabled. It requires Bluetooth, so unless your computer supports it, you won’t be able to use it. No Wi-Fi support is offered but given that most laptops offering Wi-Fi also come with Bluetooth, this shouldn’t be such a big problem.
On the other hand, on desktop systems where Bluetooth is not available, using Near Share is impossible, and the icon won’t show up to enable it.
Where to find it
Near Share is available in the Action Center in the right lower corner, and once you click the icon, you should see it next to the other quick actions like tablet mode, location, and Night light. Near Share must be enabled to send and receive files.
If the Near Share toggle isn’t there, then you have to enable it. To do this, head over to the Settings app > System > Notifications & actions > Add or remove quick actions and make sure it’s enabled.
If Near Share is missing from the list of quick actions in the Settings app, then you don’t have Bluetooth enabled on your system or something isn’t working correctly.
Also, make sure you’re running Windows 10 Spring Creators Update. To verify, press Win key + R and type regedit. In the version section, it should display 1803.
How to use Near Share
Using Near Share is easier than you think, and it all comes down to the sharing functionality that was already part of the operating system.
For example, if you want to share a photo, simply launch it in the Photos app and then click the Share option. In the sharing pop-up, you should see computers around you that have Near Share activated, and it’s enough to click any of them to instantly send the photo. The receiver will then see a prompt that you’re attempting to send them a file and be able to save it to a user-defined folder.
The best of all is that Near Share can be used with many more than files. In Microsoft Edge, for instance, you can use Near Share to instantly share links to a different computer. The receiver will see small popup informing that a link is being shared, and if approved, the shared link will open in Edge on their own system.
There are several things to have in mind when planning to use Near Share. First of all, don’t forget that Bluetooth is absolutely necessary to enable this feature, and without it, you won’t even see the quick action or the toggle in the Settings app.
Also, when sharing files, the receiver must be in your Bluetooth range, so if the computer isn’t in the same room, there’s a good chance it won’t show up in the sharing popup. This means that you need to move closer to the recipient before you’re allowed to share files.
Everything appears to be smoothly at this point, and hopefully, Near Share could improve even more to enable similar functionality on systems without Bluetooth as well. For instance, computers connected to the same Wi-Fi network should be supported as well, though it remains to be seen if this is a thing that Microsoft will look into for future Windows 10 releases.