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Google puts an end to app sharing in the Play Store

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By Alan Friedman

Published: Dec 17, 2024, 2:47 PM

The bottom part of a Pixel handset display reveals some Android app icons.

A feature that Google first introduced in 2022 allowing Android users to share apps with other nearby Android users users via the Play Store using Quick Share is coming to an end. Because the feature uses Quick Share, it does not rely on Wi-Fi or an internet connection, and paid apps, books, movies, and age-inappropriate apps are not allowed to be shared. The release notes for Google's December Play Store update, version 44.1, states that "The Share apps feature on Google Play will be retiring."

If you want to continue sharing your apps you can do so in the Files by Google app using Quick Share. To do this, follow these directions:

Open the Files by Google app and under the Categories heading tap on Apps.
When the list of apps appears, select the one you want to share and tap the three-dot icon next to that app's listing. When the pop-up box opens, press on Share.
A share sheet will open. Press on Quick Share and follow the on-screen directions to share your app with a nearby Android device.

Even though Google says in the December Play Store update that it is retiring the Share apps feature, it could end up hanging around the Play Store until Google removes it for good. We should point out that Quick Share used to be called Nearby Share.

Sharing an app with a fellow Android user witht he Files by Google app. | Image credit-PhoneArena

If you don't have the Files by Google app on your Android phone, you can install it from the Play Store by tapping on this link. You might want to share apps with another Android user if you've been recommending a useful app to a co-worker, friend, or family member. Using this feature saves time since the other person doesn't have to look up the app himself. Since Quick Share doesn't rely on Wi-Fi or internet connectivity, you can still share an app with another Android user in areas that are offline or have limited cellular signals.

This feature also comes in handy if you're working on a project for work or school that requires the person you're working with to use the same apps that you use. So if you need to continue sharing your apps via Quick Share, and the feature is gone from the Play Store, you can still use the Files by Google app to share apps from your Android device.

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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.

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