In early 2021, the Google Play Store rolled out a Nearby Share-powered method for sending apps on your device to others. This feature is soon going away.
Update 3/9/25: Google first said “Share apps” was going away in December, while an in-app message said that it would no longer be available “After Jan 2025.”
With version 45.2.19-31 of the Play Store in recent days, the peer-to-peer (P2P) sharing method has been removed from the “Manage apps & device” page. The list gets shorter, with the old Nearby Share icon no longer appearing.
Original 12/16/24: On the Play Store’s “Manage apps & device” page, “Share apps” lets you Send apps installed on your device and Receive them from others. This is powered by Quick Share, though the old Nearby Share logo still appears on this page.
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The changelog released today for Play Store 44.1 says this “Share apps feature on Google Play will be retiring.”
At the time, Google billed this feature as a way to send and receive Android apps without Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity. Peer-to-peer sharing can also conserve data and is ideal for places with slow networks.
You can still use Files by Google to share Android applications in a similar manner. Under Categories, go to “Apps” and then the overflow menu for what you want to “Share.”
Like with all Google System Release Notes, it takes a long time for features — or removals in this case — to actually roll out even after you get the noted app version on your phone.
More on Google Play:
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