Android device not visible on mac after new google file update about neardrop

[Shail-Stark]

I recently found a solution for this. Working Properly but a bit tricky.
As we know now there is no option for forcefully starting the receiving mode in the Android after the new update so we have to turn on 'Receive' forcefully and for that, you need to follow the steps below.

Now you need two Android devices first and make sure you have turned on the sharing to everyone on both devices.

Step 1: Send any small-size file from the other Android device to the main Android device (in which you want to receive the file from Mac) using a nearby share.
Step 2: As the Nearby sharing working fine from Android to Android the main device will automatically appear in the nearby devices list.
Step 3: Accept the file in the main Android device. Now the receive mode is finally forcefully turned on for the main device and you will be able to see the device in the Mac's NearDrop Share.

It's working fine for me but a few extra steps and a New device introduced.

Please try this and let me know. Meanwhile, I am planning something to forcefully turn on the receive mode in the Android.

[BrokeOli]

Hey, same Problem... Is there any way around?

[sherifsarhan]

same problem as well

[zanepriebe]

Ran into this issue but was able to solve it using the non-Google-Files approach in the Readme. Got NearDrop set up and was using the Google Files method but about 10 mins after installing, the Receive button disappeared with the Quick Share update

The workaround: download Shortcut Maker (linked in the Readme) and create a shortcut for com.google.android.gms.nearby.sharing.ReceiveSurfaceActivity (showed up under Google Play services after searching for "nearby")

Tapping the shortcut pops up the Quick Share receive dialogue and the phone is visible from NearDrop on the Mac

[josempaguiar]

download Shortcut Make

@zanepriebe thx it works for me, but somewhy Shortcut Maker wasn't able to find com.google.android.gms.nearby.sharing.ReceiveSurfaceActivity service, so I've used Activity Launcher(also linked in Readme)

That didn't worked for me. It sais I don't have permission to open. Do you need a rooted device?

[Afzal-dev2]

How to do that

Just transfer something from ur second phone (B) to your main phone (A) (in this case the phone which you want to transfer data from your mac). This will temporarily enable Everyone visibility in phone A and thus Neardrop can show the phone A in share menu!

[Delocalized-electron]

download Shortcut Make

@zanepriebe thx it works for me, but somewhy Shortcut Maker wasn't able to find com.google.android.gms.nearby.sharing.ReceiveSurfaceActivity service, so I've used Activity Launcher(also linked in Readme)

This one worked for me, so i would suggest to use this app for creating shortcut. Activity Launcher

[jasonh9]

I haven't tried this yet, but there are instructions in the readme.md to launch an intent using a 3rd party app.

To make it more easily accessible and/or if you don't want to install Google Files, you can use an app like one of these to create a shortcut to launch one of these activity intents:

Option 1:
Action: com.google.android.gms.RECEIVE_NEARBY
Mime type: /
Option 2:
Component name: com.google.android.gms/.nearby.sharing.ReceiveSurfaceActivity

[eriksantana-io]

I tried using an older version of the Google Files app with the receive feature on my S24 Ultra and I got a message indicating that Nearby sharing is not supported on my device. I also tried to call an intent using the apps suggested in the instructions and I got warnings that I could not launch these activities without permission. Maybe someone with an older device can test if an older APK of Google Files allows them to receive files. Nearby share seems to be completely gone from my phone.

[avichou]

that's due to the merging of nearby share with quick share . guess we'll have to see if there's a workaround. in the meantime ill keep using soduto

[Afzal-dev2]

I recently found a solution for this. Working Properly but a bit tricky. As we know now there is no option for forcefully starting the receiving mode in the Android after the new update so we have to turn on 'Receive' forcefully and for that, you need to follow the steps below.

Now you need two Android devices first and make sure you have turned on the sharing to everyone on both devices.

Step 1: Send any small-size file from the other Android device to the main Android device (in which you want to receive the file from Mac) using a nearby share. Step 2: As the Nearby sharing working fine from Android to Android the main device will automatically appear in the nearby devices list. Step 3: Accept the file in the main Android device. Now the receive mode is finally forcefully turned on for the main device and you will be able to see the device in the Mac's NearDrop Share.

It's working fine for me but a few extra steps and a New device introduced.

Please try this and let me know. Meanwhile, I am planning something to forcefully turn on the receive mode in the Android.

Wow that works !!

[fenilsonani]

How to do that

[DTheArtist]

Just tried the 3 step method above and accidentally opened the slide in menu, that open from the right. The one you can also access from clicking the date up top on the menu bar. When I saw that my Phone B's request was waiting there. Before this week's update that notification came up on automatically. Making it seem like the mac was not seeing the android. But I sent a new request from Phone A then clicked the date bar and saw the notification waiting, I clicked Accept and the rest is working as before.

[Fir3Fly1995]

same issue here too, except its both ways. Nearby Share is gone after merging it with Quick Share, which admittedly is easier to manage between devices, but not with anything that is not updated. Nice job Google making this devs life a nightmare. Either way, Great job on this app while it worked and it worked wonderfully. I look forward to an update where this app works again. <3

[krabbi]

download Shortcut Make

@zanepriebe thx it works for me, but somewhy Shortcut Maker wasn't able to find com.google.android.gms.nearby.sharing.ReceiveSurfaceActivity service, so I've used Activity Launcher(also linked in Readme)

[PurpleParrot]

It was an easy fix for me:

Just share with Quick Share, then to the top right there are the three dots >> Settings >> Change Visibility to "Everyone"

I feared that it was broken after the Merge, but apparently everything still works perfectly :D

[Delocalized-electron]

@PurpleParrot I tried your workaround but my mac doesn't identify my android phone (pixel 7 pro), while mac was searching for android device i sent one file to mac, the mac recieved the file but it was still searching for android device in share window