Now Google, the company that develops Android, is finally taking steps to make sharing easier with a new feature called Nearby Share.

To check, head to your phone's Settings menu, scroll down to About Phone, and you should be able to see Android version.

At the moment, Nearby Share is available for select Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones, but Google says that because the feature is a part of Google Play Services, you do not need to wait for an over-the-air update from your manufacturer or carrier to get it.

The easiest and universal way to find Nearby Share is to head to your phone's Settings menu, scroll down to Google, tap on Device connections, and here you should see Nearby Share.

The other way to find it is through Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > Nearby Share, but this is where the menus might look different based on your phone.

Sticking with the first approach of finding it in the Google section of your Settings menu, tap on Nearby Share.

Choosing the first option means your phone will be visible to your contacts that have Nearby Share turned on, and you'll see devices near you with Nearby Share open.

And Hidden means no one nearby will be able to see your device, but you can still see your contacts' devices if they are trying to share something nearby.

To use it, you'll need to have the email addresses for all your contacts (the one they use for their Google Account) stored in their contact information.

Alternatively, if your contact has verified their Google Account with a phone number, you'll be able to use Nearby Share with them.

Whenever you want to share something with a friend or family member nearby, whether it's an address in Google Maps, a photo, a file, or a web link, simply tap the share button, and from the Share Menu, find and tap on Nearby Share.

Eventually, Google says Nearby Share will work on Chromebooks, allowing you to quickly send stuff from your phone to your ChromeOS-powered laptop with just a few taps.