Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
TL;DR
- A sharing app called Bada has recently been published on GitHub.
- Bada lets you share files locally with Android devices that have Quick Share.
- This makes it handy if you have a HUAWEI device or the Chinese version of an Android phone.
The vast majority of Android phones have Google Play Services, which come with Quick Share. This feature lets you easily share files with a nearby Android device, Chromebook, iPhone, or PC with the Quick Share app. Android phones without Google services lack this sharing capability, but a new app is plugging the gap.
An open-source Android app called Bada has recently been published on GitHub (h/t: r/Android), and it’s interoperable with Google’s Quick Share service. In other words, the app lets you transfer files between a Quick Share-equipped Android device and a phone without Quick Share. Bada only needs to be installed on the phone without Quick Share.
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Bada supports file transfers between devices over the same Wi-Fi connection, but the GitHub page also notes that you can share files via Wi-Fi Direct for a proper device-to-device connection. However, I wasn’t able to get the latter sharing method working when I tried transferring files between a vivo X300 Ultra and Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Ultra.
I also tried sharing files to a Windows computer equipped with Quick Share. I was able to accept the sharing request on the PC, but the computer noted that the transfer couldn’t be completed. This was despite the phone app saying that the file was successfully sent. The developers also note that AirDrop isn’t supported at the moment.
Bada has a reasonable list of permissions, namely Bluetooth advertising, nearby Bluetooth/Wi-Fi devices, Bluetooth connections, and notifications. You can also grant the app access to specific or all files on your device. Finally, you can select a desired folder for receiving files (defaulting to the downloads directory) and customize your displayed Quick Share name.
Using the app is pretty simple, too, as you choose your visibility settings (visible on scan or Always visible), then send files or a folder via two buttons near the bottom of the page. The recipient simply needs to check that the PINs match before accepting the transfer, and that’s it in theory. I did find that sharing could be temperamental, though, particularly when sharing from a phone with Quick Share to a device with Bada. Additionally, sending files via a QR code worked fine, but Bada doesn’t support receiving files via QR code just yet. So you shouldn’t ditch alternative apps like LocalSend just yet. Nevertheless, I also appreciated the Bada quick settings tile, aping Quick Share’s own tile.
Is it safe to use, though? Well, I’d caution you against using sideloaded sharing apps if you’re worried about security. The presence of a claude.md entry also hints at (but doesn’t guarantee) AI involvement of some kind. However, the open-source nature means users can comb through the code to verify that it’s up to scratch. Furthermore, the team notes that file transfers still use Quick Share encryption.
This is nevertheless an encouraging development if you have the Chinese version of an Android phone, as these regional variants don’t offer Quick Share. It’s also potentially handy if you’ve got a HUAWEI device, as these phones lack Google services and Quick Share in global markets too.
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