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How to Use Microsoft Edge Drop to Share Files Between Devices

File sharing across devices on different platforms has always been a hassle. Though there are different options out there, they all have a solution that is restricted to their ecosystems, which can be inconvenient. Well, Microsoft has introduced a new solution for this issue called Edge drop which lets you share files directly from the browser. So, let us learn more about the new Edge Drop feature and discuss how to use it to share files between devices.  

Microsoft-Edge-Drop

What is Microsoft Edge Drop?

Edge Drop is a file-sharing feature available from the sidebar in Microsoft Edge. The feature was recently added to the Edge browser with the version 110 update. It makes it easy and convenient to share all sorts of files and documents right from your web browser. Moreover, you can use it to send notes or screenshots to yourself.

Since the feature is built into the browser, all you need is the browser itself to use the feature. And you can use it on all your devices, as Microsoft Edge is available on all major platforms, including macOS, iOS, and Android.


To some, Edge Drop will remind them of My Flow in Opera browser or Chrome extensions like PushBullet and Clipt.

How Does Microsoft Edge Drop Work?

Edge Drop uses a cloud-based solution, unlike other file-sharing solutions like Nearby Share or AirDrop, which require WiFi or Bluetooth to transfer files. It uploads the shared file to the Onedrive cloud storage linked with your Microsoft account.

So even if you don’t have the Edge browser or have deleted it, you can still access the files from Onedrive directly. But again, this means you can only share a limited number of files on the free 5GB quota and have to delete the previously shared files to make room for more past the ceiling.

How to Enable Edge Drop in Microsoft Edge Browser?

Edge Drop is available for all users running on the stable version of the Edge browser. It is located in the Edge sidebar. If you cannot find it, you might need to update your browser. Here are the steps to update Edge.

Step 1: Open Microsoft Edge and click on the three-dot menu in the top right corner.

Step 2: Go to Settings.

Step 3: Select About Microsoft Edge from the left sidebar menu.

Step 4: Wait for the browser to check for updates.

Check-Update-Microsoft-Edge

Step 5: Click on Restart to apply the update.

After the restart, you should see a sidebar on the right.

Step 6: Click on the Edge Drop icon, as shown in the image below, to access it.

Enable Edge Drop From Settings

For those still unable to see the Drop icon in the Edge sidebar after the update, you might have the option disabled. So you will have to enable it from the sidebar settings.

Step 1: On Microsoft Edge, click the three-dot menu in the top right corner.

Step 2: Open Settings.

Step 3: Select the Sidebar option.

Step 4: Click on Customise Sidebar button next to Add or remove apps from the sidebar.

Step 5: Under Manage, scroll down to Drop and turn on the toggle next to it.

Enable-Edge-Drop

Doing this will add the Edge Drop option in the sidebar menu.

How to Share Files Between Devices with Edge Drop

Now that you have learned how to access the Edge Drop feature in your Microsoft Edge browser let us look at how to use it to share files across devices. We have broken down the steps into two portions, one for desktop and one for mobile.

Send and Recieve Files with Edge Drop on Desktop

Here are the steps to send and receive files using Edge Drop on your desktop PC. Ensure you are logged in with the same Microsoft account in Edge on both devices.

Step 1: Open the Edge browser, and click the Drop icon in the sidebar on the right.

Microsoft-Edge-Drop

Step 2: Here, click on the plus “+” icon to attach a file.

Step 3: Browse the file on your computer and click Open to send it.

Step 4: You can click on the received files to open them.

All the received files are saved automatically to a folder called MicrosoftEdgeDropFiles in the Download folder.

Send and Recieve Files with Edge Drop on Mobile

Here are the steps to send and receive files using the Edge Drop feature on your mobile. As mentioned, you must be signed into the Edge browser app with the same Microsoft account.

Step 1: On your smartphone, open the Microsoft Edge app.

Step 2: Tap on the three-dot menu in the bottom center.

Step 3: Swipe right to access more options.

Step 4: Tap on the Drop option.

Step 5: Here, tap on the plus “+” icon  and choose the file type you want to share.

You will have to allow the required permissions for Edge to access the files.

Step 6: Select the item you want to share and tap on Send.

Step 7: Tap on the shared item to view it. Press the Download option above it to save it to your device.

Photos and documents are automatically saved to your device, but you must press the download button to save audio and video files.

Frequently Asked Question

Q. How Do I Get Microsoft Edge Drop?

Download the latest version of Microsoft Edge by going to Settings > About Microsoft Edge or update the app through Play Store or App Store.

Q. What is the File Size Limit in Microsoft Edge Drop?

Yes. Edge Drop uploads the files shared on it to Onedrive, which gives you only 5GB of free space. Once it is filled, you will need to buy more storage or delete the old data.

Q. Do I Need a Microsoft Account to use Edge Drop?

Yes. You need to create a Microsoft account to use Edge Drop. This account will be used to sync with Onedrive and other devices.

Q. Where are the Files Shared with Edge Drop Stored?

On the desktop, the files received from Edge Drop are automatically downloaded and stored in the Downloads folder under the name MicrosoftEdgeDropFiles. 

Wrapping Up

Coming to the end of this article, Edge Drop is a great option if you use Edge as your primary web browser and are looking for ways to share files between your PCs and mobile phones. The decision to integrate Onedrive makes me feel like it was an attempt to increase the Onedrive user base. Do let us know if you have any queries related to this article, and stay tuned on BrowserToUse for more such articles and How-Tos.

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