PairOnce

QUICK SHARE · TROUBLESHOOTING

Quick Share not working or not finding devices? What to check

Check what Google lists: Bluetooth on for both devices, the receiver’s screen unlocked and set to be visible, and the two close together; then turn Airplane mode on and off, and restart.

For a Windows PC, also check the Windows app’s requirements: 64-bit Windows 10 or later (Windows 11 on ARM), Bluetooth and Wi-Fi or Ethernet on, and both devices on the same network.

If it still fails, open paironce.com on both devices, pair once and send the file in the browser: it works between phones and computers, on the same Wi-Fi or across networks.

Step by step

  1. Turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on both devices. If the Android device runs Android 12 or earlier, also turn on Location.
  2. Make the receiver visible. On the Android device that receives, unlock the screen, open Settings, search for Quick Share and tap Who can share with you. Choose Everyone for 10 minutes, or open the Quick Share page and stay in Receive mode. On a Windows PC, open the Quick Share app, click Settings, then Device visibility, and choose Everyone.
  3. Move the devices closer. Google’s Windows guide asks for within 16 feet (5 meters) in normal use. While you are fixing a problem, bring them within 1 foot (30 centimeters).
  4. Wait for other transfers to finish. If someone else is sharing with the other device, wait until they are done, then send again.
  5. Reset the connection and try again. Turn Airplane mode on and then off on the phone, close and reopen the Quick Share app on the PC, and restart the device that cannot see the other one.

If Quick Share cannot find your Windows PC

Google’s Windows app needs both devices on the same network. Offices and other networks can block sharing between devices; Google’s fix is to turn off Wi-Fi on the phone, turn on its hotspot and connect the PC to that hotspot.

Bluetooth matters too: a PC without Bluetooth Low Energy Extended Advertising cannot be found on certain networks. Open the app with a normal account, not as administrator. If the app seems stuck, right-click its icon in the tray and click Quit, because the close button leaves it running.

If no notification appears when someone sends you a file, turn off Focus Assist or Do Not Disturb, and allow notifications from Quick Share in Windows settings. Accepted files go to a Quick Share folder under Downloads.

Samsung phones and PCs use a different app

Google says its Windows app is for non-Samsung PCs and is no longer supported on Samsung PCs, which use Quick Share by Samsung from the Microsoft Store.

Samsung’s own page lists Windows 10 version 2004 or later, and for PCs from other brands, Intel Bluetooth and Wi-Fi with up-to-date drivers. It adds that some functions can be limited depending on the maker and model. So on a non-Samsung PC, Google’s app is the one to try.

On a Galaxy phone that has to receive, keep the screen on and set Who can share with you to Contacts only or Anyone nearby. Devices signed in to the same Samsung account can always share with each other. Google also suggests updating Quick Share on Samsung devices so that they can receive from other brands.

If Quick Share does not show an iPhone

Quick Share reaches AirDrop from Pixel 8a or later and certain Samsung, Oppo, OnePlus, Vivo, Xiaomi, Honor, Transsion and Motorola devices. Ask the iPhone or iPad owner to open the AirDrop settings and choose Everyone for 10 minutes, then accept the AirDrop notification.

On other Android devices, tap Use QR code in Quick Share. The files are encrypted end to end and uploaded to Google’s servers, where they stay for 24 hours, and both devices need internet. Google allows up to 10 GB every 24 hours and 1,000 files in a session.

If Quick Share still does not work: send in the browser

PairOnce sends the file in the browser instead, between an Android phone, iPhone, Windows PC, Mac or Chromebook, without Bluetooth. Open paironce.com on both devices, then scan the QR code or type the six-digit code under Enter a code. A page opened from a QR code asks you to tap Connect first. Check that both screens show the same safety code and select Approve device.

Then select Choose files on one device, and Accept and Save on the other. Each file can be up to 2 GB when the receiver uses Chrome or Edge (on a computer or an Android phone), Firefox on a computer, or Safari on iOS 26 or later; other receivers take files up to 50 MB.

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 cable. Fast for whole folders; the phone has to be switched to file transfer mode each time, and you need the right cable.
  • Google Drive. Works at any distance and is fine if you already use it; files go up to the cloud and down again.
  • LocalSend. Free and open source. It works through an app on both devices, over the local network.

Common questions

Why does Quick Share say my device is not supported?

Google’s advice: turn on Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Location on both devices and keep them close. On Windows, use 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 and download the app directly. On a Samsung device, make sure Quick Share is updated.

Why does my phone only show up sometimes?

Visibility changes by itself: Everyone for 10 minutes switches back to your previous setting after 10 minutes, and Contacts needs the screen on and unlocked. Set it again, or stay on the Receive screen, while the other person sends.

Do I need a Google Account for Quick Share?

Google says to use Quick Share for Windows with your Google Account to get all its options, such as visibility for Contacts or Your devices. PairOnce needs no account on either device.

Where do files from Quick Share go?

On Android, open the default Files app and look in Downloads, then the Quick Share folder. On a Windows PC, look in the Quick Share folder under Downloads.

Can I send without being on the same Wi-Fi?

Yes, with PairOnce. It connects directly when it can and otherwise uses an encrypted relay, which carries 200 MB a month per device. See the guide for different networks.