Looking for an easy way to send files, such as photos, videos, from Huawei to iPhone or from iPhone to Huawei phone? Forget Bluetooth which is problematic. Don’t bother USB transfer using a desktop computer in the middle. It is too complicate. In fact, both iPhone and Huawei smartphones allow users to quickly share files and documents with people nearby using their built-in file sharing utility. We have the AirDrop on iPhone, and on Huawei, the similar tool is called Huawei Share. Is it possible to make use of AirDrop or Huawei Share to exchange files between an iPhone and Huawei mobile phone?
What is Huawei Share?
Huawei Share is a feature developed by Huawei for their smartphones and other devices. Huawei Share lets you quickly share files, images, videos, and more with nearby Huawei devices without using mobile data. It utilizes a combination of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, and NFC (Near Field Communication) technologies to establish a connection between devices and enable fast file transfers.
With Huawei Share, you can transfer files between two Huawei devices by simply tapping them together or placing them in close proximity. It eliminates the need for cables or complicated setup procedures, making file sharing quick and convenient.
To use Huawei Share, both devices need to support the feature. Thus you can’t use Huawei Share to share files between Huawei mobile and iPhone without third-party apps.
Huawei Share vs Computer Share
Once you have enabled the Huawei Share on the phone, you will have access to a sub-option named Computer Share. You can turn on the Computer Share so you can share files with computers that are connected to the same network.
On the computer, you don’t need to install any third-party apps in order to connect to Huawei mobile and share files between them. On Windows PC, open the Windows Explorer, go to This PC (Computer) > Network, to find and connect your Huawei phone. On Mac, go to Finder > Go > Network to find and connect your Huawei phone.
On an iPhone, we can’t connect Huawei phone via its Computer Share feature without a third-party app. If you like to share files and documents between Huawei phone and iPhone via the Huawei Share or its Computer Share, you can download third-party apps on iPhone to connect Huawei Share.
Method 1. Share files between Huawei and iPhone via Huawei Share
You have to firstly turn on Huawei Share on Huawei phone. Enabling Huawei Share on your phone may vary slightly depending on the specific model and the version of Huawei’s EMUI or HarmonyOS that your device is running. Following are the general steps to enable Huawei Share.
Step 1. Turn on Huawei Share
Unlock your Huawei mobile, open Settings, choose Device connection, Device connectivity or a similar option from the list. Find and tap on Huawei Share. On the Huawei Share screen, you can firstly turn on Huawei Share, then enable Computer Share. You will be prompt to turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth if not yet.
Step 2. Connect to Huawei Share from iPhone
The stock Files app on iPhone can help us connect and share files between iPhone and Windows SMB shares in the local network, it however currently does not work well with Huawei Computer Share.
ES file explorer(free with in-app purchases) is a versatile app designed to serve as a central hub for managing various types of files on iOS devices. It supports remote service access like SMB, FTP, WebDAV. We can make use of this free app to access Huawei Share from our iPhone.
Run ES File Explorer on iPhone. Download it from Apple App Store if not yet. We are using ES file explorer version 2.5.7 which was released on Dec 22, 2023 in this demo. Switch to the Services tab from the bottom. By default, the file manager should detect your Huawei mobile that is connected to the same Wi-Fi network and with the Huawei Share and Computer Share options enabled on it.
Find your Huawei phone in the Available Devices section, tap on its name, then you will be prompted to type in the username and password to access the Huawei phone. These verification information or credentials can be found from Huawei Share > Verification on computers.
Go to find it from your Huawei mobile phone if you can’t remember it. After authentication, you will be able to browse files saved on your Huawei phone from your iPhone.
Step 3. Copy files between Huawei phone and iPhone
It is extremely easy to follow from here. The file manager works like the stock Files app on iPhone. Open folders on your Huawei phone right from your iPhone, browse to Gallery or other folders saved in your Huawei phone’ storage or SD card, select files, then copy them to a location on your iPhone.
The file transfer from iPhone to Huawei phone via Huawei Share involves a similar process. But you have to firstly add the files or folders from iPhone to the ES file explorer app before you can copy them over to Huawei phone. Switch to the My Files tab from the bottom of ES file explorer app. Tap on Add(+) icon, then browse to the Files to add files or folders from iPhone.
Method 2. Transfer files between iPhone and Huawei over Wi-Fi
The ES File Explorer also comes with the built-in web transfer which turns your iPhone into a web server so you can access to it from Huawei or other devices or computers via the web.
In ES File Explorer app, tap on the Transfer from the bottom. Then choose WiFi Transfer, the web transfer address will be presented.
Please make sure that your Huawei phone/computer are connected to the same Wi-Fi as your iPhone. Run a web browser on your Huawei phone or computer to access this transfer address and start sharing files and documents between Huawei phone and iPhone or between your PC or Mac and your iPhone over Wi-Fi.
Similar Tools
Documents by Readdle: another versatile app that not only serves as a file manager but also includes a built-in web browser, media player, WebDAV server, Wi-Fi file transfer and support for various cloud services.