Google Adds QR Code Support to Quick Share Feature on Android
The Quick Share feature for Android, previously known as Nearby Share, is a quick way to share files and more between devices, but it’s not always perfect.
In a clear effort to simplify the feature further, Google seems to be adding support for QR codes in Quick Share on Android.
The way Quick Share works today is by using Bluetooth technology to discover nearby “targets.” This can include Android devices, Chromebooks, and other Windows devices equipped with the Quick Share app.
Although this usually works well, sometimes the device you want to send something to may not appear. To fix that, Google seems to be adding QR codes to Quick Share.
People at Android Authority have enabled a new option in the Quick Share experience that allows you to “Share via QR code.”
The new option, not currently available in Quick Share updates, creates a code that can be scanned by another device. This doesn’t remotely share the file with the code, but it seems to be used to connect the two devices.
The code created seems to use the URL address near.by, which currently only redirects to a Google support page when scanned.
It is worth mentioning that Samsung has already supported QR codes in Quick Share for a long time before merging with Nearby Share.
Although this may not ultimately be the primary means of communication for most people, it seems like a good option when conventional means of communication fail. In theory, it may be faster in many cases.
As for when this will be publicly released, it’s unclear at the moment.