How to send files between Android and Windows

As the most popular desktop and mobile operating systems on the planet, lots of people use both Android and Windows on a regular basis. 

Most apps and websites automatically sync data to all your devices, so it’s easy to use the same services on your phone, tablet, laptop or desktop PC. But what about when it comes to moving specific files between them? 

Apple has the upper hand in this area, with its powerful ecosystem allowing for seamless file sharing across the iPhone, iPad and Mac. Android and Windows can’t quite compete, but there are no shortage of methods available.  

Here are the three key ones you need to know. 

Send files manually

If you’re reading this article, you probably already knew about this one. Sending files manually feels clunky at times, but it gets the job done. 

The most obvious method is connecting the Android and Windows devices physically using a USB cable. Make sure you enable file transfer on the Android device, then head to File Explorer and locate it – it should be listed as the name of the phone or tablet. 

Drag and drop any files onto the Android device or vice versa to move them. Depending on the size of the files, this may take a while. 

Of course, you can also send files wirelessly. Email is one option, but it usually limits you to 20-25Mb. WeTransfer increases that limit to 2GB on the free plan, although Send Anywhere is a great alternative without any restrictions.

Most messaging apps also support file transfer, but images are often compressed and so are delivered at a lower quality. 

Use a cloud storage service

But if you want the work to be done for you, just use a cloud storage service. Every time you upload a file on your Android or Windows device, it’ll automatically be available everywhere. 

Microsoft’s OneDrive (5GB free) and Google Drive (15GB free) are the most obvious options – both can be added directly to File Explorer and have a dedicated Android app. But plenty of great alternatives are more generous in terms of storage. See our best cloud storage services chart for inspiration. 

Use Nearby Share

Nearby Share is Google’s take on Apple’s AirDrop, and it works very well with Windows devices. Here’s how to set it up: 

1. On your Android device, head to Settings and search for ‘Nearby Share’ to make sure it’s available for you – all recent phones and tablets should be compatible 

2. Turn on ‘Use Nearby Share’ and ‘Device visibility’ if they’re not already

3. On your Windows device, head to the Nearby Share website and click ‘Get started with Beta’ to download it. The app works with all 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 computers, but not those on ARM 

4. Once installed, open the app and sign in with the same Google account as your Android device

5. Select a name for your PC and choose who can share files with you. Click ‘Done’ to continue

6. Turn on Bluetooth on both devices if it’s not already. You should see a message saying ‘Ready to receive’

Nearby Share is now set up. To move files from Windows to Android: 

1. In the Nearby Share app, click ‘Select files’ or ‘Select folders’ and choose which you’d like to share. Alternatively drag and drop them directly into the app 

2. After a brief message saying ‘Looking for nearby devices’, your Android device should pop up. Click it and the files will be sent

3. On your Android device, you’ll receive a notification saying the files have been received. They’ll be stored in the Downloads folder of Google’s Files app 

To move files from Android to Windows: 

1. Locate any file, photo or website you’d like to share 

2. Open the ‘Share’ menu, then choose ‘Nearby Share’ (you may have to expand available options) 

3. Select your PC from the list that appears

4. In the Nearby Share Windows app, you’ll see a message saying something has been received. Click ‘Open’ to view it, or ‘Dismiss’ to ignore

However, it’s worth noting that there may still be bugs with Nearby Share. The Windows app is still in beta, and it’s not clear when the final version will be released.

Related articles

• How to use Nearby Share on Android
• How to share large files for free
• How to send large files in Windows 10 and 11