[FIX] Nearby Share Not Working on Android

Google released their Nearby Share Service in the August of 2020 as an Answer to Apple’s AirDrop. Nearby Share was given support for Devices running Android 6 and above which is pretty good from Google’s end considering a lot of Android Devices aren’t supported for a long time. Still despite Google’s efforts to support so many devices some people are encountering issues when using Nearby Share on Android and if you’re one of them then worry not as you have come to the correct place to fix this issue. Below we have a detailed guide on how to fix if Nearby Share is not working on Android devices.

Also Read-  Use Nearby Share On Windows and Android

Fix 1: Restart Your Device to fix Nearby Share not working

As simple as this sounds, restarting is a very old troubleshooting method which actually fixes a lot of issues. To Restart Your Android Device do the following (Do note the procedure for Restarting Your Android Device varies from Brand to Brand and Model to Model)

Hold the Power Button for a couple of seconds > Select Restart and wait for the device to reboot.

Fix 2: Bring the Devices Closer

Nearby Share works on features like Bluetooth which do not have a big range so it might be possible that Nearby Share isn’t working because the distances between the two Devices is a lot for them to communicate wirelessly. After bringing the Devices closer try disabling and enabling Nearby Share on both the Devices. If this method doesn’t work try the other steps below.

Fix 3: Turn Airplane Mode On and Off

Toggling Airplane mode On and Off restarts Network Services like WiFi, Bluetooh, Mobile Network, etc which might fix the issue of Nearby Share not Working on your Android Device. To toggle Airplane mode on your Android Device do the following:

1. Open the “Settings” on your Android device.
2. Look for the “Network & Internet” or “Connections” option and tap on it.
3. Then, look for “Airplane Mode” or “Flight Mode” and toggle the switch next to it to turn it on. The airplane mode icon usually looks like an airplane.
4. Alternatively, you can swipe down from the top of the screen to access the Quick Settings menu and tap the Airplane Mode icon to activate it.

Fix 4: Check if Everything Required is Enabled Properly

Nearby Share requires a lot of parameters to be enabled on your Android Device to work properly like Wi-Fi, Location, Bluetooth and the Nearby Share service itself. First let’s enable the Nearby Share Service on both Android Devices.

1. Open the “Settings” app on your Android device.
2. Find the “Google” option and tap it.
3. Scroll down and tap on “Device Connections or Devices and Sharing”
4. Look for “Nearby Share” and tap on it.
5. Tap the switch next to “Nearby Share” to enable it.
6. Alternatively, you can turn on Nearby Share from the Quick Settings menu by swiping down from the top of the screen, finding the Nearby Share icon and tapping on it if it’s alreay off.

On the Device which is recieving do the following:

1. Open Settings on your smartphone.
2. Go to Device Connections > Nearby Share > Device Visibility.
3. Now select the one you prefer from the options listed. These options include:

• All contacts: the Device will be visible to all contacts in your list when the screen is ON and Unlocked.
• Some contacts: the Device will be visible to select nearby devices when the screen is ON and Unlocked.
• Hidden: the Device will only be visible when Nearby Share is open.

When you enabled Nearby Share on both the devices it’s very likely it gave you a prompt to enable things like Wi-Fi, Bluetooh and Location but just to be sure check it manually as well. To check if these are enabled open the Quick Settings menu by swiping down from the top of the screen and finding the respective toggles and see if they’re highlighted in a colour.

Fix 5: Clear Cache of Google Play Services to fix Nearby Share not working

Google Play Services is the core element which is used for the functioning of many Android Features including Nearby Share and if it’s the cause of this issue then clearing cache of it might fix the issue. Clearing the app cache will not delete any personal data as it only removes temporary files and data that the app has stored in the cache. To try this method do the following:

1. Open Settings > Apps > See all apps > Google Play Services.
2. Now open the Storage & cache option then select Clear Cache.

Fix 6: Update Google Play Services

If clearing the cache of Google Play Services did not fix the Nearby Share not working on your Android Device then try updating the Google Play Services. Generally, Google Play services are updated automatically in the background but sometimes they may not update for some reason. To update them do the following steps:

1. Open the Google Play Store app and tap on your profile picture at the top.
2. Now tap on Manage apps and devices.
3. Now tap on the Updates.
4. Now search for Google Play Services and tap on Update.
5. If you can’t find the app, click this link

Fix 7: Unlock Both Devices to fix Nearby Share not working

By default, Android phones do not stop background processes when you lock the device. However, in some cases, some Android smartphones stop background processes to save battery. If this is the case, it may affect the Nearby Sharing feature when the device is locked. To fix this, simply unlock your device when you use the Nearby Share feature on your Android smartphone.

Fix 8: Check your Android Version

Nearby Share works only on Devices running Android 6.0 and above. To check your Android version do the following:

1. Open Settings on your device.
2. Scroll down and tap “About phone” or “About device.”
3. Search for “Android version” or “Software information.”
4. You should see the version number of your Android operating system.

Fix 9: Reset your Android Device

If none of the fixes you tried above then as a last resort you can try resetting your Android Device. Try this as your last method because resetting your Android Device delete’s everything from the internal storage and you have to set it up again just like you did when you bought it. If you decided to do this method then do the following steps:

(Note: The procedure for resetting your Android Device will vary depending on your device’s manufacturer and model. This reset process is for Samsung Devices.)

1. Open the Settings app
2. Scroll down to General Management.
3. Select Reset to review the different reset options available
4. Tap Factory data reset to open the factory reset page.
5. On the factory reset page, check all accounts and apps to make sure you have synced them recently. It is advisable to back up your data before resetting.
6. Once you have confirmed that your accounts are synced, and your app data is safe, scroll down and tap the Reset button.
7. If you have set up a login passcode or unlock pattern, enter it to continue.
8. On the next factory data reset page, tap the Delete All button to start the reset.
9. When you tap Delete all, your phone will prompt you to enter the credentials for the Samsung account you have associated with the device. Enter your password in the required field, and then tap OK to start the factory reset.

So these are few methods you can use to try and fix Nearby Share not working on your Android Device. If none of these methods worked then its the best that you contact Google Customer Support where they can guide you through their troubleshooting process.