Are you a Windows 11 (or 10) user who’s jealous of Mac owners with iPhones who can use AirDrop to seamlessly transfer files? The slickness of AirDrop is hard to deny, even for the most die-hard Apple dissidents, but Windows users with Android phones should soon get similar smart file-sharing capabilities, with any luck.
The new file sharing system for Microsoft’s operating system was spotted by Windows Centraland it is now in testing phase in the Release Preview Channel (the final testing phase before release, as the name suggests). It works via the Phone Link app (on pc) and the Link to Windows app (on your Android)and Microsoft explains all the details in a support document which has recently been updated.
As mentioned, the feature will work in a similar way to AirDrop within Apple’s ecosystem, and will be hosted within the built-in Share menu of the device you’re sharing from, whether that’s your Android phone or Windows PC. All you need to do is tap or right-click on the file you want to share, then choose ‘Share’, then find the relevant app (Phone Link, if you’re sharing from a PC, or Link to Windows if the file is on your phone).
A long-awaited arrival that could really impress
This feature is available for PCs running Windows 10 and Windows 11. You’ll need Windows 10 May 2019 or later, or any version of Windows 11 — and your mobile device needs to run Android 9.0 or later. Your phone also needs to run the Link to Windows app version 1.24032.518.0 or later, and your PC needs Phone Link version 1.24032.156.0 or later.
It’s important to note that this new feature is not the same as the existing cross-device copy and paste feature in Phone Link. This lets you use a shared clipboard on two devices, where copied items are stored. You can then paste them into a compatible app on either device.
All in all, this will be a very useful addition to Windows 11 (and Windows 10) for those of you with Android smartphones, allowing you to share files more smoothly and potentially speed up your workflow. Let’s hope it makes its way into the release version of Windows 11 (and 10) soon enough.