Quick Share

Quick Share is a wireless peer-to-peer data transfer service for Android, ChromeOS and Windows; Originally developed by Samsung Electronics for its own devices, Google subsequently collaborated with Samsung and merged its own Nearby Share into Quick Share in 2024,^[1] distributing Quick Share to non-Galaxy Android devices through Google Play Services. Quick Share utilizes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct to send files to nearby devices or through Samsung Cloud for non-Galaxy devices.

Quick Share
Logo used since January 2024
Quick Share running on Android after sending a file to a PC
Developers	Samsung Electronics Google LLC
Initial release	February 24, 2020; 5 years ago (2020-02-24)
Operating system	Android 6.0 and later Android XR ChromeOS 91 and later Windows 10 (version 2004) and later
Predecessor	Nearby Share
Type	Utility software
License	Proprietary
Website	Google App

History

Quick Share debuted along with the Samsung Galaxy S20 and One UI 2.1, with rollout to other Galaxy smartphones and tablets later.^[1] Samsung claims the service was created to streamline the process of sending content,^[2] superseding a previous service named Link Sharing. Quick Share for Windows-based Samsung Galaxy Book notebooks only was launched in 2021, available from the Microsoft Store.

In 2024 Google's Nearby Share was merged with and renamed Quick Share.^[2]

In November 2025, Google announced that Quick Share was now partially interoperable with AirDrop.^[3][4]

Usage

Users can send files to up to 8 nearby devices at a time, so long as they have the feature enabled^[2] and their screens are on.^[5] Quick Share can be toggled in the quick panel settings and the user can choose to receive content from anyone nearby, contacts only, your devices, or no one. Content transfer is made possible by choosing Quick Share, after which the sender chooses which nearby device(s) to send to.^[2]

Quick Share can upload files to Samsung Cloud and sharing via URL.^[6] The data uploaded to the Samsung Cloud can be downloaded by the user either by clicking the specified link or scanning the provided QR code.^[7]

Uploaded files are limited to 10 gigabytes in size, and can remain in Samsung Cloud^[2] for a maximum of two days.^[6]

The Quick Share app on Windows enables other Quick Share-enabled devices to share files with Windows devices.^[8]

When sharing with an Apple device running iOS, iPadOS, macOS, or visionOS, AirDrop must be set to allow receiving from everyone.^[9]

Availability

Quick Share is available on Android 6 and later,^[10] ChromeOS 91 and later,^[11] and 64-bit versions of Windows 10 and later (either ARM or x86).^[12] The Quick Share function is part of the Android and ChromeOS operating systems. A Windows program can be downloaded and installed, requiring both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support.^[13]

Quick Share for Windows

A Quick Share program has been developed by, and is available from, Google for any non-Samsung computer running Microsoft Windows.^[8]

A Quick Share program developed by Samsung, for Samsung Galaxy Book PCs running Microsoft Windows only, is available from the Microsoft Store.^[14]

Private Share

Private Share icon

Private Share was a derivative data transfer service which used blockchain encryption, designed for important personal or financial information.^[2] Sharing files is possible via the phone number associated with a phone's SIM card, or a user-chosen private number. A private number is exclusive to the Private Share app, and commences with # and includes 10 digits, like #0123456789. The sender is able to set an expiry date for the files, which get automatically deleted from the recipient's devices.^[15] There is a 200 megabyte upload limit for senders. Like Quick Share, Private Share is also preloaded on Samsung Galaxy devices.^[16] Since December 2023, Private Share has been integrated with Quick Share, and is no longer a separate service.^[17]

See also

• AirDrop, a similar feature by Apple with partial Quick Share support