Long gone are the days when mobile phones were only used to send content-sized files, such as photos, short videos or short voice clips. Nowadays the very large file transfer It is very common among all types of devices, and to do so it is as easy as knowing what kind of services allow us to send and receive files (and how to use it in each case). In this article we will see a few of them and we will stop to explain how to use them, dividing them into two clearly differentiated groups: those that serve to send files between two nearby devices, and those that allow us to do it between distant devices.
How to share files between nearby devices
It may be the case that the two phones between which we want to send files are very close to each other, either in the same room, or in the same space. In this case we have certain tools that can do the job without problems.
Via bluetooth
The good thing about using this method is that you don’t need to be connected to the Internet to use it. Logically, both the sending device and the receiver will have to have Bluetooth enabled.
To use it, it is necessary to go to our file manager, find the file that we want to send, make a long press on it and then on the share button. Among the options that will appear to share, we will choose Bluetooth:
Option to send a file via Bluetooth
When we have done this, the sending phone will search for all Bluetooth devices that can receive it. We select from the list the phone we want to send it to and click on it:
Selecting the Bluetooth device to send the file to
The file will be sent automatically, although the recipient will have to agree that the file is saved on their phone.
SHAREit, WiFi Direct to the rescue
As we have already mentioned in other articles, WiFi Direct is a communication protocol between wireless devices capable of offering higher data transfer speeds than traditional Bluetooth (of which it is an alternative), and all this without spending data from your rate and without sharing more information or user data.
This sounds great, but the truth is that it has a downside: the devices have to be physically close and connected to the same WiFi network. In order to use SHAREit you will have to have it installed on both devices.
Spanish
Android
free
Open the application on both devices and, on the transmitter, click on Send:
SHAREit main view
Find the file you are going to send, moving through the menu tabs:
SHAREit send menu
Select one and then click Send:
Selecting a file to send with SHAREit
The sender will start looking for a receiver and, when found, the receiver will have to accept the file.
How to share files between distant devices
The most common thing is to have to send files between two devices that are not close to each other. Here we have many options, so we will stop to recommend a few whose reliability is more than proven.
Telegram, much more than instant messaging
One of the most helpful options that we can use to send large files is Telegram, as long as these files do not exceed 1.5 GB in size.
Spanish
Android
free
Using this feature in Telegram is very simple. First we open the chat of the person to whom we want to send a file, and click on the clip that allows us to attach files:
Button to attach a file in Telegram
Then, we select the file and click on the send button.
Google Drive, a classic that never fails
Google Drive is the de facto choice for many users when it comes to sending large files. In fact, it is one that we know for sure will work perfectly. As long as we are clear that we cannot upload a file that exceeds the capacity we have contracted, we can send all types of files.
Spanish
Android
free
To use Google Drive we have several assumptions. In the first one, the file is already uploaded to our unit. What we will have to do in this case is go to the file that we want to send and click on the menu button:
Menu button for a Google Drive item
In the options that will appear, we will activate the option to share with a link and, then, click on Copy link:
Options to share using a link activated
You can send that link, for example, in a WhatsApp message to the person you want.
In the second case, we have to upload the file to our unit. To do this, click on the cross button and then on Go up:
Button to upload a file to Google Drive
A file explorer will open. In it we select the one that interests us, it will be automatically uploaded to our unit in the cloud and, afterwards, we can send it following the procedure described a few lines above.
Dropbox, another classic to take into account
Dropbox is another of those cloud services that have a great reputation, and it is also very rare that it gives us problems when sending files.
Spanish
Android
free
Its operation when sending files is very similar to that of Google Drive: if we want to send something that we already have in the unit, click on the menu button that we find next to the file and then on Copy link:
Button to copy a link to share a Dropbox item
Once we have done this, we can send the link to the person who needs it using any message exchange (or email) application.
If we do not have the file in the unit, we will click on the cross button and then on Create or upload file:
Upload a file to Dropbox
A menu will appear, in which we will click on Upload files:
Menu to choose what type of file we are going to upload to Dropbox
A file explorer will open, from where we will have to select what we want to upload and then follow the sharing procedure that we have described a little above.
OneDrive, the Microsoft alternative
OneDrive is Redmond’s answer to Dropbox and Google Drive, and its operation is exactly the same as we have described in the two previous cases.
English
Android
free
We go to the file that we want to share and click on the button with the three dots below it. From the options that appear, click on Share:
Options for sharing a OneDrive file
In the menu that will appear next, click on Copy link to be able to send it to whoever needs that file:
Copy link button to share a OneDrive file
In the event that the file is not in our unit, click on the cross button at the top right of the screen and then on Load:
Upload a file to OneDrive
When we have selected and uploaded the file itself, we can repeat the above process to copy and share a link.
WeTransfer, sending files through the web
WeTransfrer is one of the most popular options when it comes to sending files in the cloud. The difference with the options that we have given you previously is that it is not an application that helps us to manage storage in the cloud, but we can upload a file of up to 2 GB in the free version (and through the web).
To use WeTransfer we open a browser on our phone and enter its website, then click on Send file?:
Button to send a file by WeTransfer
Next, we click on the cross button:
Button to add a file to WeTransfer
A menu will open, where we will be offered different options from which to collect content to send. In our case, we will click on Records and that will open a browser in our terminal. We choose what we want to upload and, when it is finished, we will receive a link that we can copy to send to whoever needs it.
Keep in mind that files uploaded to WeTransfer have an expiration date: they will be deleted when a week has passed since they were uploaded for the first time. If you want to send someone a file using this method, tell them to download what they need as soon as possible.
