For those who generate audiovisual content that involves work processes with a continuous flow of information between the cell phone and the notebook, the large filessuch as 4K videos, represent a challenge and even a problem.
Connect devices using a USB Cable It represents a valid option, but it is neither the most comfortable nor the fastest in terms of transfer rate. There is also the possibility of sending them via WhatsApp, although it is not a fast method either. Let’s see then more practical and efficient alternatives.
Sending large files from iPhone to Mac
For years, Apple device users have used AirDrop, the file delivery system used by the iPhone, iPad, and Mac computers, both laptops and desktops. Its data transmission speed makes it unnecessary to think about any alternative when it comes to sharing information between computers, whether it is small or large files.
From Android to Windows
In the 2024 edition of Google I/Othe annual meeting for developers of the Californian company that owns Android, the company recalled its efforts to make sharing images, files and text between devices simple, fast and comfortable.
“In 2020, we introduced Nearby Share to facilitate the exchange of files between devices,” Google spokespersons recalled during the meeting. Nearby was later extended to computers running Windows, with which its usefulness grew exponentially.
Samsung had in parallel developed its own transfer capacity called Quick Sharewhich came pre-installed on all the brand’s equipment, both cell phones, tablets and notebooks.
Quick Share is a joint tool from Google and Samsung to transfer files between cell phones and computers.
Both companies associated their work teams and in collaboration united the best of both tools to generate an option for the entire ecosystem. Android under the name Quick Share.
“We’ve integrated experiences and created the best default option for peer-to-peer content sharing across all types of devices in the Android ecosystem, including Chromebook. And to make sharing even more seamless between devices, we are working with leading PC manufacturers to expand Quick Share to Windows PCs as a pre-installed application,” they noted from Google.
This system is now available and can be obtained from the Windows application store. Then with a tap on the Quick Share icon a list of the nearby available devices.
From Google they pointed out that the user always maintains control of their privacy and you can choose in your cell phone settings who can discover your device and send files, whether it’s everyone, just your contacts, or just your own devices.
How to use Quick Share to send large files from an Android cell phone
On Android cell phones that have received the latest system updatesthe option to activate Quik Share is found in the drop-down menu from the top of the screen.
When you leave the functionality active, the first thing that will appear on the device screen are the options to limit who can find this device if you also turn on this same service: everyone, only contacts or own devices. If you are connected to public networks, it is essential to limit the detection of your cell phone by strangers.
In notebooks that are already a few years old and that run Windows, it will also be necessary install the app. Once activated for the first time, the service will be available in the background and can be accessed from the drop-down menu on the far right of the toolbar.
The icon appears there and when you hover the mouse pointer over it the name appears Google Quik Share. Likewise, it requires determining who will be able to send files to that laptop.
One of the important advantages of this platform is its Transmission speed which is based on choosing the wireless system that allows you to send and receive files the fastest. Even if you do not have internet connectivity, it still works via Bluetooth.
One platform for multiple devices and systems
A challenging situation that is frequently repeated between family members and study or work colleagues is that they live together users of different operating systems that exist on the market.
A recommended tool so that everyone can share information and large files regardless of the ecosystem of the sender or receiver is the platform snapdrop. It is a system that works within the browser, regardless of which device it is, and that therefore allows you to send and receive data to and from computers that are connected to the Internet.
It is only necessary that both devices have the site open in their browser. Then the sending user must select the recipient of his shipment and he must accept the transfer. Although the application is available in Google Play, it is more convenient to use it from the browser and thus share files between computers that run Android, iOS, Windows or MacOS in any direction and direction. To maintain the anonymity and privacy of the devices, the system assigns each one a code name, such as Indigo Leopard or Maroon Ostrich.
To use Snapdrop, both devices only need to have the site open in their browser.
An alternative for Android, Windows and Mac
Among the multi-system options is the platform AirDroid. Although, as its name indicates, it is directly related to the Android ecosystem, it has applications available for Windows and Mac.
In our experience, this development was useful both for sharing files between different computers and for other options such as duplicate cell phone screen in that of a laptop. A possibility that is usually highly valued by those who, during a presentation, need to show material or forms of visualization on PC screens and mobile devices.
AirDroid allows us to manage practically everything that matters on our cell phone from the screen of our laptop, which becomes a kind of remote control in which we can also receive valuable notifications that arrive on the mobile. The requirement to use this platform is that the computers that are going to share files or access are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
