Windows 11 Nearby Sharing: Send Files Between PCs Wirelessly

Moving a file from one Windows PC to another in the same room should not need a USB stick or an email to yourself. Windows 11 nearby sharing sends documents, photos and web links directly between PCs over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, a little like AirDrop on Apple devices. This guide explains how to turn it on, which privacy setting to choose, how to send and receive, and what to check when the other PC does not appear.

The steps apply to Windows 11 version 24H2, 25H2 and 26H2.

Turn on Nearby sharing

1. Open Start > Settings > System > Nearby sharing.
2. Choose who can share with you:
   • Off: nothing is sent or received.
   • My devices only: only PCs signed in with the same Microsoft account.
   • Everyone nearby: any nearby Windows PC.

Do this on both PCs. Quick Settings (Windows logo key + A) also has a Nearby sharing button on many PCs for switching it on and off.

Which option to choose

Microsoft’s article points out a privacy trade-off: with Everyone nearby, the Bluetooth MAC address and the name of your PC are made available to other devices around you, and this information could be used to link the PC to you. Practical advice:

• At home, between your own PCs, use My devices only.
• To receive from a colleague or family member with a different account, switch to Everyone nearby for the transfer, then switch back.
• Give your PC a name that does not include your full name; see change user name in Windows 11, which also covers renaming the PC.

Send a file, photo or link

1. Open the item in File Explorer, Microsoft Edge or Photos.
2. Select Share. In File Explorer, select the file and use the Share button on the command bar or right-click > Share.
3. Wait for nearby PCs to appear under Nearby sharing and select the one you want.

On the receiving PC a notification appears. Select Save or Save and open. If you ignore it, the transfer does not happen.

Received files go to the Downloads folder unless you change Save files I receive to on the Nearby sharing settings page.

Bluetooth or Wi-Fi?

Microsoft explains that Nearby sharing uses Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. When both PCs are on the same private Wi-Fi network, the transfer can use Wi-Fi, which is much faster. Otherwise, it falls back to Bluetooth, which is fine for documents and photos but slow for large videos.

Situation	Connection	Good for
Same private Wi-Fi network	Wi-Fi	Large files, folders of photos
Different or public networks	Bluetooth	Small files and links

To check the network profile, open Settings > Network & internet, select your connection and choose Private network for a trusted home network.

The other PC does not appear

Microsoft’s troubleshooting page lists these checks:

1. Both PCs have Nearby sharing on, and the receiving PC’s setting allows the sender (My devices only only works with the same account).
2. Bluetooth is on on both PCs. Check in Quick Settings or Settings > Bluetooth & devices.
3. The PCs are close. For Bluetooth, keep them within about 10 metres (30 feet).
4. The network is Private if you want Wi-Fi transfers.
5. Both PCs are up to date. Install updates in Settings > Windows Update.

If Bluetooth itself is not working, see Windows 11 Bluetooth not working, and check that the adapter supports Bluetooth Low Energy with check Bluetooth version in Windows 11.

Transfers are slow or fail

• Large file over Bluetooth: put both PCs on the same private Wi-Fi network, or use another method.
• Transfer stops when the PC sleeps: keep both awake; see change screen timeout.
• VPN on one PC: some VPNs block local traffic. Pause the VPN for the transfer.

Nearby sharing step by step: an example

To send a folder of photos from a laptop to a desktop in the same house:

1. On both PCs, set Nearby sharing to My devices only (same Microsoft account) or Everyone nearby (different accounts).
2. Make sure both PCs are on the same home Wi-Fi or wired network, set to Private, so the transfer uses the network rather than Bluetooth.
3. Nearby sharing sends files, not whole folders, on many builds. Select the photos inside the folder (Ctrl+A), or zip the folder first; see zip files in Windows 11.
4. Right-click the selection, choose Share and select the desktop.
5. Accept on the desktop with Save. The photos land in Downloads, or the folder you chose.

For hundreds of photos or several gigabytes, a shared network folder or an external drive is more practical than Nearby sharing. Once you are done, switch Nearby sharing back to My devices only or Off if you changed it for the transfer.

Other ways to move files between PCs

Nearby sharing is ideal for a quick file. For more, use something else:

• A whole folder or a new PC: see transfer files to a new PC.
• A permanent shared folder: set up sharing and map a network drive.
• To a phone: Phone Link or a cloud service.
• Bluetooth file transfer without Nearby sharing: Microsoft’s page on sending and receiving files over Bluetooth covers the older Bluetooth file transfer wizard, which also works with some phones.

Our Nearby Share vs AirDrop checklist compares the feature with Apple’s, and the Windows 11 settings guide covers the rest of the System page.