How to Change Downloads Folder for Near Share in Windows 10

When enabled, Near Share allows the user to send and receive content with anyone else who is nearby by using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct. It is possible to specify the folder which will store the received files. Let's see how it can be done.

Near Share is a new feature of Windows 10, available starting with Windows 10 build 17035. It allows the user to send and receive documents, pictures, archives, videos and other files to other devices with Windows 10 using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

Developers describe this feature as follows.

Say you’re in a meeting with your boss and need to quickly send them the report you’re looking at on your screen? Or you and a sibling are hanging out on the couch using your laptops, and you want to send him a screenshot of your latest Minecraft creation? You can now wirelessly share files and URLs to nearby PCs using the new Near Share feature.

The Near Share feature is integrated with the Share pane, so it accessible from installed Store apps, Edge, and File Explorer.

Before proceeding, you need to enable Near Share in Windows 10.

To change the Near Share Downloads folder in Windows 10, do the following.

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Settings - Shared experiences.
3. Under Near Share, click the button Change below the Save files I receive to text. By default, the files will be saved to your Downloads folder.
4. In the folder browser dialog, select a new folder, e.g. C:\Near Share.
5. Click Select to confirm your choice.

The concept behind the Near Share feature is not new to Windows 10. In the past, Microsoft had something similar in Windows Longhorn (Windows Vista). The feature was named "People Nearby" and used Peer to Peer networking technologies. Near Share on the other hand might use Bluetooth or WiFi Direct. Windows 10 will be the first version of the Windows operating system to ship with an easy direct way to share between devices without configuring a network. Initially, Near Share has been planned for Windows 10 Creators Update, but was removed from the final version of Windows 10 version 1703.