A developer created Quick Share from the ground up for phones that Google overlooked, and it functions effectively.
Bada offers a functional file-sharing solution for the millions of Android devices excluded from Google’s Quick Share.
Google’s Quick Share is a feature that often goes unnoticed until the moment it is needed and is unavailable on your device. Users of Huawei devices face this reality constantly, as they lack access to Google Play services, and the same applies to anyone operating on the Chinese version of Android.
However, a developer known as Kyujin-cho has recently released an open-source Android app named Bada on GitHub that appears to address this issue effectively. It achieves this by recreating Google’s Quick Share protocol from the ground up, bypassing the need for Google Play Services.
What is Bada's functionality?
When Bada is installed on a device that does not support Quick Share, it allows seamless compatibility with any nearby Quick Share-enabled Android devices on the same Wi-Fi network. The familiar four-digit PIN confirmation process appears on both the sender's and receiver's devices.
With the app, users can send files from any Android application (using the system share sheet), receive files into a designated folder, and even send entire folders while maintaining their directory structure. Similar to Quick Share, Bada utilizes Wi-Fi LAN for transfers, along with BLE-based identification for devices running stock Android and Samsung's One UI.
Testing has already validated that Bada functions with the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Z Fold 7 via BLE GATT bootstrap. While NearDrop on macOS and Quick Share on Windows are indicated as potential targets, their functionality remains untapped.
Is it advisable to use Bada now?
Based on Android Authority’s hands-on tests, the experience of sharing files from a Quick Share device to a Bada device isn’t entirely smooth. Transfers to Windows devices failed entirely.
Currently, the project has garnered 10 stars and one fork on GitHub, indicating that it is still in the early stages of development. The code is open-source, permitting those with the necessary technical background to verify how the app handles their files.
The app itself reassures users that the transfers continue to utilize Quick Share’s encryption methods. The developer has specifically mentioned plans for future interoperability with NearDrop and Windows Quick Share.
In my view, while Bada may not substitute Quick Share for the majority of users, it serves as the closest alternative for Huawei device owners, those using the Chinese versions of Android whom Google has overlooked, or any Android users whose devices do not come preloaded with Quick Share.
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A developer created Quick Share from the ground up for phones that Google overlooked, and it functions effectively.
A developer has created a functional Quick Share solution for Android devices lacking Google Play Services.
