His conclusion is that this is the easiest way to move files between Android and Windows. That's an opinion, not a benchmark, but the case behind it holds up. Below is what Quick Share for Windows does, what it needs, how to set it up, and where it can go wrong.
What Quick Share actually is
Quick Share is the AirDrop-style sharing system for Android. Google's Android Help documentation says it can send and receive images, videos and documents between nearby Android devices and Windows computers. You can share between your own devices or with people near you who also use Quick Share. Google says transfers are encrypted, and recipients normally have to approve an incoming request.
The phone side needs no extra install. Google says Quick Share is built into Android 6.0 and later. Only the PC needs software, a desktop app downloaded from Google. That's the core of Hrnjicevic's argument: one installer on the PC, and nothing new on the phone.
The history explains the confusing branding. Wikipedia's timeline says that in 2021, Quick Share for Windows launched, available for Samsung Galaxy Book PCs only via the Microsoft Store. Then in January 2024, Google and Samsung announce unification of Nearby Share under the Quick Share brand, targeting a single sharing experience across Android, ChromeOS, and Windows. A small correction to the How-To Geek piece: the same timeline puts Quick Share's first launch earlier, in February 2020 alongside the Samsung Galaxy S20 and One UI 2.1. The Windows client came the following year.
In short: Quick Share comes with Android 6.0 and later. Windows only needs Google's desktop app.
Requirements: check these first
According to Google's help page, you need:
- Windows: a 64-bit PC running Windows 10 or later. ARM-based PCs need Windows 11 or later.
- Android: a device running Android 6.0 or later.
- Both devices: Bluetooth on, Wi-Fi or Ethernet on, the same network, and no more than about 5 meters (16 feet) apart.
- Region: Google says the app is available in the US and most countries. Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria are excluded.
Google also warns about older Bluetooth hardware. If your Windows PC doesn't support Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Extended Advertising, other people may not be able to find it on certain networks.
The Samsung PC exception
This one catches people out. Google's help page tells Samsung PC owners to use Samsung's own Quick Share app from the Microsoft Store, not Google's. According to Wikipedia, in May 2025 Google ends Quick Share support on Samsung Galaxy Book PCs; users redirected to install Samsung's dedicated client. The Microsoft Store listing for Samsung's app points the other way too: On a non-Galaxy Book PC, you can find Google Quick Share through Google's support page.
How-To Geek says Samsung's version comes preinstalled on Galaxy Book2 and newer, which matches third-party reporting that the Quick Share for Windows is pre-installed on the Galaxy Book 2 and newer Galaxy Book series. Google's guidance, though, covers all Samsung PCs, not just those models. If you own any Samsung laptop, use Samsung's client.
Samsung's app has requirements of its own. Samsung lists OS: Windows 10 2004 or later, an Intel version 22.50.02 or higher Bluetooth driver, and an Intel Wi-Fi driver at version 22.50.07 or higher. Samsung also says its app requires Samsung Account and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection.
In short: you need a 64-bit Windows 10+ PC (Windows 11 on ARM), Android 6.0+, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on, and the same network. Samsung PCs need Samsung's app.
Setting up Quick Share on Windows
Google's setup steps for its own app:
- Download Quick Share from Google's website and install it.
- Open the app. Don't run it as administrator. Google says to use a standard, guest or child account. This matters later, because running as admin can break drag-and-drop.
- Sign in with your Google Account. Google says you need to sign in to get all the options.
- Under "Visible to others as," choose your device name.
- Under "Receiving," choose who can share with you.
Hrnjicevic adds two practical steps:
- Set your Windows network profile to Private. His path: right-click the network icon in the taskbar → Network & internet settings → Properties → Network profile type → Private network. Google's help page doesn't list this step, but it's a sensible check. Windows treats Public networks more strictly, and that can block local discovery.
- Let the app start with Windows, so your PC is always ready to receive.
Then do a test: send a photo from your phone to the PC. If it arrives, you're done.
Sending and receiving
From Android to Windows, Hrnjicevic's route is to open a file, tap Share, choose Quick Share, and select your PC. You can also use the Quick Share tile in Quick Settings. Menu labels and placement can vary between phone makers and Android versions, so treat this as the general route.
From Windows to a phone, according to Google:
- Open the Quick Share app.
- Drag a file into the window, or use Select files or Select folders.
- Choose the target device. If a PIN appears, make sure it matches the one on the other device.
- Click Share. The transfer starts once the recipient accepts.
There's also a File Explorer shortcut: right-click any file and choose Send with Quick Share.
Receiving on Windows: your PC must be visible to the sender. A notification appears, you check the request, and you click Accept. Files go to Downloads\Quick Share by default. Hrnjicevic notes you can pick a different folder in the app's Settings. Quick Share can also receive while it runs in the background. Clicking the window's close button doesn't fully exit the app. To quit it properly, right-click the tray icon and choose Quit.
Do files arrive without a tap? That depends who sent them. Google says transfers between your own devices signed in to the same Google Account are accepted automatically. Transfers from anyone else need your approval.
Hrnjicevic says you can send almost any file type, including photos, video, audio, documents, archives, installers and folders. He says text and web links work too, which saves messaging yourself on Slack just to move a URL.
Visibility settings and privacy
Google offers four visibility levels:
| Setting | Who can see your PC |
|---|---|
| Everyone | Anyone nearby with Quick Share turned on |
| Contacts | Your nearby contacts |
| Your devices | Devices signed in to the same Google Account |
| No one | Nobody; you can't receive |
Google recommends signing in and choosing Contacts or Your devices for more private sharing. That's the sensible default. "Everyone" is fine for a quick handoff at a meeting, but leaving it on permanently in a café means strangers can find your laptop.
Speed, Bluetooth and offline claims
Hrnjicevic reports speeds of about 30MB/s to more than 100MB/s in his own use, depending on file type and Wi-Fi band. That's his experience, not a Google figure. Your router, Wi-Fi band and adapters will decide your actual speed.
Two of his other claims go beyond what Google promises:
- No Bluetooth on a desktop: he says Quick Share worked on his desktop without Bluetooth, as long as both devices were on the same network. Google still lists Bluetooth as a requirement. It may work for you, but it isn't supported.
- Laptops without internet: he describes a temporary direct peer-to-peer link within 5 meters that doesn't need a shared network. Google's documentation asks for a shared network. Its official answer for difficult networks is a phone hotspot (see below), not a guaranteed direct connection.
Troubleshooting checklist
If devices can't find each other, or transfers stall or crawl, Google suggests:
- Office or managed Wi-Fi: many corporate networks block device-to-device traffic. Turn off Wi-Fi on the phone, turn on its hotspot, and connect the PC to the hotspot.
- Confirm both devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on and are on the same network.
- Check the receiver's visibility setting, and try other settings on your own device.
- Bring the devices within about 30 centimeters (one foot) of each other.
- Close and reopen the app. Toggle Airplane mode on the phone, or restart it.
- Wait until nobody else is sending to the target device.
- Drag-and-drop doesn't work? You may have opened the app as administrator.
- No notifications? Turn off Focus Assist or Do Not Disturb. In Windows notification settings, make sure app notifications are on and Quick Share is allowed.
IT admins should note the corporate Wi-Fi limitation. Client isolation on managed networks will block Quick Share by design. The hotspot workaround gets around that, so whether it's acceptable is a policy question, not just a technical one.
How it compares with the alternatives
Hrnjicevic compares Quick Share with Microsoft's Phone Link, which ships on most Windows 11 PCs and pairs with the Link to Windows app on Android. Phone Link does much more: notifications, calls and texts. He says he never liked how much phone access it asks for. If you just want to move files, Quick Share asks for less.
He also mentions LocalSend, a free, open-source app that works across Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS and Android without internet. That's the obvious choice if your household mixes platforms. KDE Connect is more like an open-source Phone Link, with file transfer, clipboard sharing and more.
Bottom line
On a supported PC, Quick Share is a simple first-party option for moving files between Android and Windows. The phone needs nothing new, and the PC needs one app. You'll get the best results if you sign in, set visibility to Contacts or Your devices, keep the network profile Private, and never run the app as administrator. Before you blame the app, check three things: Samsung PC owners need Samsung's version, managed Wi-Fi may block transfers, and the Bluetooth-free and no-internet setups described above aren't officially supported.