PairOnce

WINDOWS · NEARBY SHARING · TROUBLESHOOTING

Nearby sharing not working or not showing the other PC on Windows: what to check, and a backup

Check what Microsoft lists: Nearby sharing turned on in Settings › System › Nearby sharing, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on for both PCs, the PCs on the same network set to Private, and Bluetooth 4.0 or higher with Low Energy support.

If the other PC still does not show up, or one of them is a work PC, a Mac or a phone, open paironce.com on both, pair once with a six-digit code and send the file in the browser.

That is a separate route, not a fix for Nearby sharing, and both devices need to be online at the same time.

Step by step

  1. Turn Nearby sharing on, on both PCs. On Windows 11 go to Start › Settings › System › Nearby sharing and choose “Everyone nearby” or “My devices only”. On Windows 10 the setting is under System › Shared experiences. If you pick My devices only, both PCs must be signed in to the same Microsoft account.
  2. Turn Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on, on both PCs. Both radios need to be on. For the faster Wi-Fi route, put both PCs on the same Wi-Fi network.
  3. Set the network profile to Private. Microsoft’s troubleshooting page says Nearby sharing works only if the network is set to Private: open Settings › Network & internet, pick your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection and set the network profile type to Private. On Windows 11 it also lists Network discovery under Advanced network settings › Advanced sharing settings.
  4. Check that Bluetooth supports Low Energy. Both PCs need Bluetooth 4.0 or higher with Low Energy support. An older adapter is a common reason the other PC never appears. Updating the Bluetooth driver in Device Manager can help; removing the paired device and pairing it again is the next thing to try.
  5. Move closer, then restart Bluetooth. Keep the PCs within about 30 feet (10 meters). If the sender is stuck on Waiting to receive, turn Bluetooth off and on on both PCs, then restart both.

When the transfer is slow or stops halfway

Microsoft says Bluetooth transfers are much slower, and that Nearby sharing can fall back to Bluetooth even when both PCs are on Wi-Fi; connecting both to the same Wi-Fi network makes Wi-Fi the route, and updating the Wi-Fi driver can help. If a transfer stops midway, check the power and sleep settings so the PC does not go to sleep. Microsoft also notes that a firewall or antivirus program can block sharing, and suggests turning it off temporarily to test.

No notification on the receiving PC

Try sending again, then open the notification area at the right of the taskbar on the receiving PC. Notifications can land there without showing on screen, for example when Focus assist is on.

When Nearby sharing cannot work at all

Nearby sharing is for two PCs close to each other. It does not help when the PCs are on different networks, when the other device is a Mac or a phone, or when a work or school PC does not let you change these settings. In those cases a different route is quicker than more troubleshooting.

Limits, and when this is not the right tool

  • A file can be up to 2 GB over a direct connection when the receiving browser saves straight to disk (Chrome or Edge on a computer or Android, Firefox on a computer, Safari on iOS 26 or later). Other browsers take up to 50 MB per file and hold 100 MB of received files at a time.
  • Files over 2 GB need PairOnce Pro on one of the two devices. Then a file can be up to 10 GB, received the same way, and the relay carries 5 GB a month.
  • When the two devices cannot reach each other directly, an encrypted relay carries the data. Each device can send and receive 200 MB a month that way, counted together; a direct connection has no monthly limit.
  • Both pages must stay open until everything has arrived: keep the phone’s screen on and the browser in front.
  • PairOnce moves things between two devices that are open at the same time. It is not cloud storage: nothing waits on a server for later.

Other ways to do it

  • A USB drive. Needs no network; copy on one PC and plug it into the other.
  • A shared folder or OneDrive. A shared folder works inside one network; OneDrive works at any distance but needs an account, and the file goes through the cloud first.
  • PairOnce. Open paironce.com on both devices, click Enter a code on one and type the six digits the other shows, then check that both screens show the same safety code and click Approve device. Choose files with Choose files, then on the receiving side click Accept and Save. Free and no account; each file can be up to 2 GB when the receiver uses Chrome or Edge (computer or Android), Firefox on a computer, or Safari on iOS 26 or later, and other receivers take files up to 50 MB.

Common questions

Why is Nearby sharing missing from the Share menu?

Usually it is turned off, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi is off, or the network profile is not set to Private. Microsoft lists all three among the first things to check.

Which Windows versions have Nearby sharing?

Microsoft’s page lists Windows 11, and Windows 10 version 1803; it notes that Windows 10 support ended on 14 October 2025. Both PCs need it, plus Bluetooth 4.0 or higher with Low Energy support.

Does PairOnce need the PCs to be on the same Wi-Fi?

No. On different networks PairOnce can still connect directly; if not, an encrypted relay carries the data, 200 MB a month per device.

Is anything stored in the cloud when I use PairOnce?

No. There is no cloud storage. Files go to the other device, directly or through a relay that only forwards encrypted data, and wait in the page until you save them.