10 Ways to Share Files between Two Computers.
It is now common to have more than one computer, such as a personal / work computer and a home computer, that everyone uses in your home. When you have multiple computers, there is often a desire to exchange files or transfer files between the two computers. Fortunately, sharing files between two computers is much easier than you think, and you can do it in a variety of ways.
Related: Sending Files from One Computer to Another Using a LAN Cable
1. Windows HomeGroup
If you have two Windows PCs running Windows 7 and later, then the easiest way to share files and folders between those computers is to use Windows HomeGroup. Creating a homegroup in Windows is as easy as pressing a single button. Keep in mind, however, that the computers you want to access must be on the same network.
To get started, find “Homegroup” in the “Start” menu and open it.
Related: Access Windows Shared Folder with Android via Wi-Fi
Once opened, click the “Create Home Group” button.
The above action will open the Homegroup Wizard. Just follow the instructions on the screen.
At the end of the wizard, you will receive a password. Just copy and save.
This is it. When you want to access files and folders on another computer, launch Explorer and select the “Homegroup” option. You will be prompted for a password the first time. Just enter the password you saved earlier and you’re done.
If you ever want to share a custom file or folder, just right-click it and select the Share HomeGroup option.
2. A USB drive or external hard drive
Sharing files via a USB stick or external hard drive is an old method. However, this method of sharing files and folders is useful if you have a temporary need or if you do not want to create a network sharing, homegroup, etc. Moreover, this method does not require your network connection. To do this even better, we recommend using faster external drives or USB 3.0 drives for faster read and write speeds.
Of course, to get the most out of it, you’ll need to connect these devices to the correct ports. Typically USB 3.0 ports are blue. So, pay attention to the blue USB ports when connecting USB 3.0 or external hard drives.
3. Use a special conversion cable
If you don’t want to have problems connecting a USB drive, copying files, and then connecting the same USB drive to another computer to transfer files, you can use dedicated data cables. These dedicated transfer cables, such as the Belkin Easy Transfer (F5U279), let you connect two computers via USB so you can easily share files and folders much faster. These types of cables are especially useful when you have a laptop and desktop computer.
So this is how it works. Insert both ends of the cable into USB port 2 of your PC (only supported by Windows). Open File Explorer (Win + E) and you will see new software next to your USB or CD drive. Run this software on both computers. And you have to open a new split screen window. The upper half contains the other computer’s file manager window and the lower half contains your computer; just like you have on FTP clients like File Zilla. Now, to transfer files, just copy and paste them into the desired folder.
These cables are quite expensive though. We won’t suggest that you use them unless you really want to, as there is a better option available for free.
4. Sync via cloud services such as Dropbox or Google Drive
You can also use cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, iCould, etc. to sync files and folders between two computers. The advantage of this approach is that you can also use the appropriate cloud apps to access your files even from mobile devices. The only downside to this approach is limited space in the cloud and you need to upload files to the cloud and then upload them to another device. This is not something you might like if you have a slow internet connection.
Of course, the apps for Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive allow you to turn on selective sync so that you can sync only the files you need.
Also, if you are using Dropbox, be sure to enable LAN Sync if you have multiple computers. This feature allows you to sync files and folders between computers on the same network as long as they have the Dropbox client installed on the same account.
5. Share folders and drives locally
Manually sharing necessary drives and folders is the oldest method and can be confusing if you’re not used to network sharing. However, once you’re done setting up network sharing, you can easily share and change folders as needed. Sharing a file or folder on Windows is pretty easy.
First, right-click on the file you want to share and select the “Properties” option.
In the properties window, go to the Share tab and click the Share button.
The above action will open the file sharing window. Here, select the “All†option, click the “Add†button, and then click the “Share†button to share the file or folder.
This is it. When you are on the same network, open File Explorer and then click on the Network option in the left pane. If this is your first time, you may be prompted to turn on network discovery. Just click the message and select the “Turn on network discovery and file sharing” option.
After completing the above action, you will see the shared files and folders.
6. Use AnySend
AnySend is one of my favorite apps that makes it easy to share files and folders between your computers and even between your mobile devices. Just install the app on all your cars and mobile devices. When you are on the same network, open the AnySend app on both machines / devices, copy the item to the clipboard and transfer files and folders just by clicking. Watch the following video on how it works.
AnySend is good because it is one of the few cross-platform applications. that is, you can install Anysend on all devices like Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, etc., and then use it to transfer files between them over Wi-Fi. No internet connection required. Typically the transfer rate is 2 to 10 MB / s depending on your router.
Related: Software to share files between two computers using Wi-Fi
7. Send files via email
This is a pretty old school way. But if you have small files that you want to send to another computer or mobile device, you can use this method. That being said, you don’t need to install additional software or set up file sharing on the network.
To get started, simply zip the files you want to send, create an email, download the zipped files as an attachment, and then email it to yourself or save it as a draft. When you’re done sending the email, open it on another computer and download the attachment.
When using this method, remember that your attachments will be limited in size. For example, Gmail only allows you to attach files up to 25MB in size. Other email providers have their limitations. Generally, you cannot use this method to exchange large files.
8. Airdrop for Mac
Airdrop on Mac is similar to HomeGroup on Windows, but much more advanced and easier to use. Using Airdrop on Mac is a lot like using the SHAREit app.
To get started, open Finder on both Macs and then select the “Airdrop” option in the left pane.
Once you open the Airdrop on both Macs, you will see both of your systems in the main window. Just drag a file or folder to another system in the Airdrop window. That’s it, the file will be automatically transferred to the other system.
9. Share files via FTP
Like the email method, FTP file sharing is pretty old, but works like a charm. Most power users use this method for file sharing and transfer because building your own FTP server is like creating your own private cloud. However, the process can be a little tricky and can also be confusing for beginners.
For Windows, WindowsCentral has a good detailed article on how to enable and configure FTP Server on Windows, and you can find a Mac manual here. The advantage of this approach is that you can access your files from anywhere.
10. Share files via Bluetooth
Most desktops may not have Bluetooth built in, but most laptops and almost all smartphones have Bluetooth functionality. So, if both of your devices have Bluetooth, you can use it to send files and folders between your devices. Depending on which device you are using, the method for turning on and sharing files using Bluetooth may differ.
So, play around with your device’s or Google’s settings to get specific instructions for your device for sharing files over Bluetooth. However, remember that Bluetooth sharing is rather slow and not as reliable in most cases.
Packaging
Hope it helps, and leave a comment below sharing your thoughts and experiences on using the above methods to exchange files and folders between your computers.
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