How to Use Android's Nearby Share on Mac

Nearby Shareis Google's answer to AirDrop.It allows you to easily transfer files and other content between Android devices.But while AirDrop also works on Macs, that's not the case with Google's product.This makes transferring files from your phone to your Mac even more tedious.

But there is a way to useNearby ShareSharing files from your Android phone to your Mac is done through a file calledNear Dropimplemented by third-party Mac applications.Read on to learn how to set it up and use it.

how to setNear Dropto use Nearby Share on your Mac?

Apple is unlikely to officially support Nearby Share on macOS.Thankfully, third-party tool NearDrop brings the file-sharing protocol to the Mac.There are a few limitations though, the biggest being that you can only send files from Android to Mac, not the other way around.

Still, while there are multiple ways to transfer files from Android to Mac, NearDrop is probably the easiest to use once you've set it up.

Before setting up NearDrop, make sure to enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on your Mac.Without these two connection agreements, the application will not work.

1. Download from the GitHub pageNear Drop.Extract it from the downloaded ZIP folder.

2. Drag and drop the app into the Applications folder on your Mac.

3. When you try to launch NearDrop for the first time, you will get a warning that it cannot be opened because Apple cannot check for malware.This happens because Apple prevents third-party apps from unverified developers from opening on the Mac.

4. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security, click "Turn on anyway" in the "NearDrop is blocked from using" section.You must enter your Mac's passcode or use Touch ID to authenticate.

5. On first launch, you need to give NearDrop permission to scan for devices on your local network and the ability to send you notifications.

Once started, NearDrop will run silently in the background and its icon will appear on your Mac's menu bar.The app doesn't start automatically every time you start up your Mac.To do this, you have to add it to the list of login items.

For NearDrop, you don't have any settings to configure.So your Mac will always be visible to other Nearby Share-enabled Android devices on the same network.

Admittedly, NearDrop has certain limitations that limit its usefulness.But, once set up, it makes sending files from your phone to your Mac as easy as using Nearby Share to share files between Android and Windows.

How to Send Files from Your Android Phone to Mac Using Nearby Share

Before following the steps below, set up Nearby Share on your Android phone.Since macOS doesn't support Wi-Fi Direct, your Mac and Android phone must be on the same Wi-Fi network for NearDrop and Nearby Share to work.

1. Navigate to the file you want to send from your phone to your Mac.

2. Tap the "Share" button, then tap "Share Nearby".If you haven't already, you'll be prompted to set up "Nearby Sharing" first.

3. Your Mac should appear in the "Nearby Sharing" window.Click it to send the file.

4. You will be notified by NearDrop that the file has been sent to your Mac.Click Accept to start the transfer process.

Depending on the size of the file, the transfer time can vary from a few seconds to a few minutes.

NearDrop makes file sharing from Android to Mac easier

Once you've gone through the initial steps of setting up NearDrop, it offers the easiest way to transfer files from your Android to your Mac.You must have a Mac that supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to use the app.

Due to certain platform limitations, NearDrop does not support sending files from Mac to Android.But whenever you want a quick way to upload files from your phone to your Mac, it's the most convenient solution.