Google Self Share will make sharing files between devices a breeze

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Google made a huge promise that all of your devices will work better, together, at CES 2022. One upcoming feature that will go a long way towards fulfilling that promise is Google Self Share. When live, it’ll let you seamlessly share files between any of the devices you’re logged into your Google account on.

First noticed by Chrome Story, the feature is in the experimental stages right now. It builds on top of the Nearby Share feature that Google added to Android in 2020. When enabled, it adds a “Send to Your Devices” option in the Nearby Share menu.

While Nearby Share searches for all devices near you, Self Share only shows those devices that your Google account is already logged in on. Your devices will decide on the best transfer method, whether that’s Bluetooth or WiFi or other options available on them.

That means no annoying Bluetooth pairing routines, no weird WiFi setups, or the need to install any other apps. It just works, in the similar functionality of Apple’s AirDrop. It’s a step in the right direction for Google to fulfill its promises of frictionless use, and we can’t wait to play around with it.

That could be a fairly long time from now, however. Google hasn’t added Self Share to the Canary builds of Chrome OS yet. Once they do, it’ll take a while to test it there, then Google will add it to the beta channel and then finally to the public builds.

We’re looking forward to hearing more about this, and the other features Google plans to make Android and Chrome OS play nicer together.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.