Google brings Quick Share app for Windows to ARM

Google has now released its popular file transfer app Quick Share for Windows computers with ARM architecture. Until now, the software could neither run nor be easily installed on platforms such as Snapdragon-based laptops.

According to Google Support, Quick Share is now compatible with “ARM devices running Windows 11 and later.” In general, the app requires at least Windows 10 (64 bit), but with ARM the requirements are higher with Windows 11.

Initial tests from 9to5Google initially confirmed that Quick Share seemed impossible to install on a Surface Laptop with Snapdragon X Elite. A few hours later, however, the all-clear was given: the app is now also available for the ARM platform.

However, it is not yet a native ARM64 version. Instead, an emulation layer is still required, which should have an impact on performance.

In this respect, Microsoft’s in-house solution “Phone Link” on ARM systems is now probably the better choice – especially since it is integrated deeper into the system. However, Quick Share’s trump card could be the support of multiple devices, even if they don’t belong to the user.

It remains to be seen when Google will release a native ARM version of Quick Share. The current version is a step in the right direction, but it is not quite there yet. The Google Drive suite will soon be optimized accordingly.

If we think back: At the beginning of the silicon chips, there was also a transition period with macOS when apps first had to be adapted to the ARM architecture. I quickly fear that this will continue for quite a while with Windows.