How to transfer apps between android devices using bluetooth?

[bernztein_22]

Recently, a workmate asked me this question and at first I thought I knew it. But when I tried to navigate my android phone, I couldn't find how. We just laughed like idiots because we've been android users since birth. Hahahaha! Maybe because we're now using "ShareIt" so we already forgot how bluetooth works for app, if it ever did or still does. Did we just forget how or has something really changed?

Anyone knows how? Do we need another application/software for it to work?

 

[masquezane01]

I've been using bluetooth to transfer applications when I was in high school, using a low-end smart phone that can't smoothly run numerous softwares like ShareIt. The first thing you have to do is locate the .apk file of the application you want to send or share. If you're not familiar with an .apk file, it looks like this in your File Manager or Storage/File Viewer



A lot of File Manager apps organize your files making it easier to locate. For instance, ASUS' default File Manager has it directly accessible in the home page



If there's not feature organizing your files in your File Manager, you can manually find the file by searching on the search box. Just type ".apk" and click "search". On the results, find the file with the name of the app you're trying to find or anything related to it (because some apps' apk files doesn't have the same file name as the app itself).

When you successfully located the .apk file, just long press and find a "share" or "send" option. After that, click "send to bluetooth" or "bluetooth". From here, it will be easy just like sending any other file. Just pair if you haven't paired with the device you're trying to send or just click its device name and you're good to go.

On the last note though, if you can't find your .apk file, it's possible that you didn't turn on "save apk upon installing" option when you installed the app especially when you got it from Play Store. If this is the case, there's no way you can send the app using bluetooth making your ShareIt as your last resort.

Hope this helps.

 

[bernztein_22]

bernztein_22

Wow! This is so detailed. Thank you so much! Now I know that I actually didn't know this until you posted your comment. Hahaha. Though none of my apps has the apk file in my file manager. Nevertheless, at least now I already know how.

 

[masquezane01]

masquezane01

I'm glad it helped. It's funny when we remember that back in the day, bluetooth was the only mode of transferring files offline. But now, some features of bluetooth are often taken for granted Haha lol. There's no doubt if we rotate the bluetooth icon 90 degrees, it will look like an angry emoji. LOL just kidding.

 

[Joey Mercado]

Recently, a workmate asked me this question and at first I thought I knew it. But when I tried to navigate my android phone, I couldn't find how. We just laughed like idiots because we've been android users since birth. Hahahaha! Maybe because we're now using "ShareIt" so we already forgot how bluetooth works for app, if it ever did or still does. Did we just forget how or has something really changed?

Anyone knows how? Do we need another application/software for it to work?

@bernztein_22 .. I am quite relate on this post of you. Because of share it we tend to forgot that there is this thing called Bluetooth for fire sharing,. MY suggestions only based on my experience as well is make sure that Bluetooth device from the receiver and the sender is Open and in the match list so that it will be easy to transfer and if not try to search the device, And another note was make sure that you are not too far away from each other so that the Bluetooth connection will be faster and to avoid any barrier that may block the connection.. Thank you for your post.

 

[Jaymalie]

Transferring apps between devices doesn't need data connection ,all you needs is to follow few steps and your done ;
1. download the APK extractor ,open the app and scroll through your apps until you seen the one you want to send .
2. long press the app then click one the check boxes and tick all the apps you want to share then click share icon.
3. at this point you would have already switched on both the device 's Bluetooth and they have already searched and matched .
4. once the transfer is done tap on the app and install it .
Here are the diagrams to illustrate the process .

 

[EfficientNinja]

You could also use the application named "ShareIt". We use it to share files of different file types between Android phones. I believe you can also use it to transfer some files to iOS phones.

 

[bernztein_22]

bernztein_22

Yes. I've been using SHAREit for a few years now and it's way faster than bluetooth. I was just curious as to how bluetooth works when sharing apps because I couldn't find how when someone asked me. But now I already know. Thanks for your comments. Very much appreciated.

 

[True North]

True North

Yes, I mainly use ShareIt now for transferring all sorts of files. It's much more convenient than the good old Bluetooth in many ways! I find it much faster and more flexible. You can swap files between your iOS and Android devices smoothly with ShareIt.

BTW, yes, it's still possible to transfer apps using Bluetooth, but the app has to be converted into an APK file first through an APK extractor. And I'm not really a fan of that. LOL

 

[Nemo]

I use ES explorer guys. These are the steps:
1. Open ES explorer and go to App
2. Select the app you wanna share
3. Press the three dots menu and share through bluetooth

 

[bernztein_22]

bernztein_22

To be honest, I haven't heard about it until I read your post. I just searched on Play Store and was pretty amazed that it has over 5 million downloads already. The reviews are great too. I surely am ignorant not knowing about this. LOL. But thanks for the save, I downloaded it already and will gonna try later.

 

[Dracindo]

To me it sounds obvious that you can't just use Bluetooth to send apps from one device to another, but I can understand why people think they can. But apps aren't like photo's, music or text documents that you can simple click and drag, you have to install them. If you have the installer file, then you should be able to send that via Bluetooth and then run it on the other phone.

Above operations are the better way though, since apps usually don't come with an installer file.