Nearby Share alternative for iPhone and Mac

Q: Does Nearby Share work with iPhone?

No. Nearby Share (now Quick Share) only works between Android devices and Chromebooks. It does not support iPhones, iPads, or Macs. chirpfile works between all of them.

Q: Why is Nearby Share not finding devices?

Nearby Share requires both devices to be Android or Chrome OS, with Bluetooth and location services on, and on the same WiFi network. If any condition fails, it won't find the other device. chirpfile doesn't need Bluetooth, location, or the same network.

Q: What happened to Nearby Share?

Google renamed Nearby Share to Quick Share in January 2024. It works the same way but is still limited to Android and Chrome OS devices.

Google's Quick Share (renamed from Nearby Share in early 2024) is Android- and Chrome OS-only - it does not work with iPhone, iPad, or Mac. The best Nearby Share alternative in 2026 for cross-platform transfers is chirpfile: it works between any two devices with a browser, does not require Bluetooth or location services, and works across different WiFi networks (Quick Share needs both devices on the same network).

chirpfile vs Nearby Share

Works on iPhone Yes No

Works on Mac Yes No

Works on Windows Yes Yes (app)

Cross-network (different WiFi) Yes No

No app install Yes Built-in (Android)

No Bluetooth required Yes Required

No location services required Yes Required

End-to-end encrypted AES-128-GCM Yes

File deleted after transfer Yes Saved to device

When Nearby Share fails

Android to iPhone

Quick Share doesn't support Apple devices at all. There's no workaround. chirpfile works between any two browsers.

Devices not finding each other

Quick Share needs Bluetooth, location services, and the same WiFi network. Turn off any one of those and discovery breaks. chirpfile just needs internet on both devices.

Corporate or public WiFi

Networks with device isolation block Quick Share's discovery protocol. chirpfile uses an encrypted relay that works through any network restriction.

"Couldn't share" error

Common when devices lose the peer-to-peer connection mid-transfer. chirpfile uploads the encrypted file first, then the other device downloads it. No fragile direct connection to break.

Try it now

Open chirpfile.com on two devices and send a file.

Open chirpfile

Common questions

Does Nearby Share work with iPhone?

No. Quick Share (formerly Nearby Share) only supports Android and Chrome OS. There is no iPhone version and Google has not announced plans for one.

Why is Nearby Share not finding devices?

It requires Bluetooth on, location services enabled, and both devices on the same WiFi. Some phones also need the screen to be on and unlocked. chirpfile doesn't need any of that.

What happened to Nearby Share?

Google renamed it to Quick Share in early 2024. Same technology, same limitations. Still Android and Chrome OS only.

Is chirpfile free?

Free for files up to 15 MB. Pro ($0.99/day or $4.99/month) supports files up to 1 GB.

Open app → Guide: acoustic data transmission Guide: cross-network file transfer Guide: zero-knowledge file transfer AirDrop alternative LocalSend alternative Snapdrop alternative Share WiFi password Cross-platform transfer Send without WiFi Corporate laptop Compare all Security FAQ ← Home