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Most Android users will know about QuickShare, the Android equivalent of Apple's AirDrop, but what you might not have known is that there are two ways to send files. The most obvious is to find a nearby device and beam files over via Bluetooth, but you also have the option to connect and send files via QR code instead.
This feature has been part of QuickShare for a while, but it is about to get a much-needed AirDrop-infused boost from Google. The Android-makers just announced that you'll be able to start using those QR codes to share files with iPhones — even if your phone doesn't officially support file-sharing via AirDrop. It's not quite as elegant a solution as traditional QuickShare, but it works, and we can't complain about that.
1. Find your file and Share via QuickShare
First thing you need to do is find the file you want to share, be it a photo or something else entirely, and hit the share button. A pop-up list of options will appear, and you need to tap the blue QuickShare icon.
2. Tap Use QR Code
From there, you tap the Use QR code option and wait for the code to load on your screen. Make sure Bluetooth is switched on, or the option may not appear.
3. Scan the code with another device
Once the QR code has loaded, your next job is to find a different phone, scan the code with the camera app, and tap the link that appears at the bottom of your screen. This will initiate the transfer process.
The iPhone upgrade is still rolling out, which means that your devices may not support it yet. If that's the case, scanning the QR code with your iPhone will flash up an error message as seen on the right. If this happens, you just need to wait for the change to hit your phones — which Google says should happen before the end of the month.
4. Wait for the transfer to complete
Your next step is simply to wait for the transfer to run its course, at which point you'll be given the option to close the screen or open the files in question
There you have it, an easy way to send files using a QR code instead of the usual QuickShare method. Not only does this mean you can share files with iPhones more easily, it also means you have a backup in case there's any issue with the normal QuickShare linking system.
I can't tell you how many times I've tried to send files between devices, only to find my phone isn't registering that there's another suitable device in range. It's especially problematic in busy areas, when there are a lot of potential devices to connect to.
QR Code sharing means you can set up that connection pretty quickly, and without having to make your devices visible to random strangers who may not have the best intentions.
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