How to Share Apps Between Android Devices

Want to share an Android app you have on your phone with another device? In this case, you have several options to perform the app sharing. In some cases, you don’t even need internet access to share your applications. We show you your options.

One way to share your apps is with Android’s Nearby Share feature. This sends your app file to a compatible Android phone and doesn’t require internet. The other option is to go back to using traditional Bluetooth sharing, which doesn’t require internet. The third method is to share your app’s Play Store link. With this method, the recipient needs internet access to download the app.

You don’t need a USB cable to use these methods.

Use Nearby Share to share apps between Android devices (like Apple iPhone’s AirDrop)

A quick and easy way to share your installed apps is to use Android’s official Nearby Share feature. As long as your phones support this feature and your phones are in close proximity to each other, you can use the option to share your apps.

Most Pixel, Samsung, OnePlus and other phones support Nearby Share, so you won’t have any problems.

Step 1: Check your Android phone’s compatibility with Nearby Share

First, check if both your sender and recipient phones support Nearby Share. You must be running Android 6.0 or later to use the feature. To check your Android version:

1. open that settings App on your Android phone.
2. Choose Via phone at the bottom.
3. You will see your current version under the Android execution.

If your phone is running old Android software, you can check for the latest version by going to settings > system > system update on your phone.

Step 2: Enable Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Location and Nearby Sharing on your Android phones

Nearby Share requires you to turn on Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, location, and the feature itself on your phones to transfer data.

You can turn on Bluetooth on both phones by swiping down from the top of your phone’s screen and selecting Bluetooth.

Likewise, you can turn on Wi-Fi by tapping Wireless Internet access icon in the quick settings Menu.

You can turn on location by swiping down from your phone’s screen and tapping location.

Finally, you can enable Nearby Share on both phones as follows:

1. Open settings on your phone.
2. Beat Bluetooth and device connection > Share nearby.
3. Turn on the switch at the top of your screen.

Step 3 Share your installed Android apps with other devices

After enabling Nearby Share, you can use your phone’s Play Store app to send files to other nearby Android devices.

1. Open Load game (Android’s official app store) on your phone, select the profile icon in the top right corner and select Manage apps and devices.
2. Choose Send Next share apps. Then choose Continue.

3. To allow Load game to access your phone’s location by tapping either one While using this app or Only this time.
4. You will see your installed apps. From here, select the app(s) you want to share and tap on the paper airplane icon in the top right corner.

5. Enter on the recipient’s phone Load game > [Profile Icon] > Manage apps and devices and type Receive Next share apps.
6. Select the recipient’s phone on the sender’s phone.
7. Match the pairing code on both phones and tap Receive on the recipient’s phone.

8. Beat To install on the recipient’s phone to install the received app.
9. You can disconnect both phones by tapping Separate in the top right corner on both phones.
10. You can find the newly installed app on your phone’s home screen.

Use Bluetooth to send apps from one Android device to another

If your smartphone doesn’t support Nearby Share, you can use the traditional Bluetooth sharing method to transfer files, including apps. You basically send your apps from one phone to another using Bluetooth technology.

You use the free Files by Google app on your phone to send your apps. The recipient does not need to have this app on their phone.

Step 1 Send an Android app via Bluetooth

1. Enable Bluetooth on both the sender’s and recipient’s phones by swiping down and selecting at the top of the phone’s screen Bluetooth.
2. Install the free Files by Google app on the sender’s phone if you don’t already have it.
3. begin Files from Google and access them applications Section.
4. Select the three dots next to the app you want to share and tap on it Split.

5. Choose Bluetooth in the share menu.
6. Select the recipient’s phone in the Bluetooth device list.
7. Beat Accept on the recipient’s phone to accept your app transfer.

Step 2: Install the received app on an Android phone

Your recipient phone will receive the Android app as an APK file. Since this app is not from the Play Store, you will need to enable sideloading on the recipient’s phone to install the app.

1. Open settings and go to Apps & Notifications > Special app access > Install unknown apps.

2. Select the file manager you use to access your received app.
3. Do that… on Allow from this source option, then exit settings.

4. Open the file manager selected above and tap on your received app file.
5. Your app will be installed and you can then use it on your device.

Share an Android app link through the Google Play Store

The third way to share your Android apps is to share your apps Play Store links with your receiver. Your receiver can then tap these links and manually download your apps from the Google Play Store.

This method takes a longer time to share your apps because the recipient needs to download each app from the Play Store.

1. Open Google play store on your phone.
2. Find and select the app you want to share.
3. Tap the three dots in the top right and select Split.

4. Copy the link to your selected app by tapping Copy. You can now share this link via instant messaging apps, email or however you like.

5. You can share your app’s link directly using the app options displayed on your screen.
6. Your recipient simply needs to tap the link you sent them and the link will take them to the Google Play Store to download your app.

Sharing apps on Android devices is easier than you think

If your friend ever wants an app from your Android phone, now you know how to share your installed applications. Depending on where the recipient is located, you can use one of the methods above so they can use the same apps you use on your phone. Happy sharing!