What SHAREit Does and Who It’s For
SHAREit is a file transfer utility that lets you move photos, videos, music, documents, and even installed apps (as APKs) between phones without using mobile data or Bluetooth. It also bundles a phone clone feature for switching devices, a file manager, a media downloader for saving videos and photos from social apps, a built-in music player, and a Safebox for hiding private files. It’s aimed at anyone switching phones, especially people jumping between Android and iPhone who need a no-cable way to bring their data along, plus users who want to share large files or apps locally without eating into their data plan.
Where It Actually Delivers
The core transfer function is genuinely fast, and real users back this up: multiple reviewers mention it outperforming Bluetooth and stock transfer tools by a wide margin, moving pictures, movies, and PDFs in bulk with no noticeable quality loss. One user credits it with rescuing thousands of photos, including a proposal and family trip pictures, when switching from an S7 to an iPhone after other apps failed to do the job. Another highlight is the app-cloning trick: you can grab an installed app as an APK from one device and transfer it directly to another, which reviewers single out as a standout feature not found in simpler share tools.
The Cross-Platform and Phone Clone Experience
Users specifically call out that SHAREit works across Android and Apple devices for moving music, pictures, movies, and notes or PDFs, which is unusual for a file-sharing app and a major reason people choose it over built-in options. The phone clone function is described as a lifesaver during device upgrades. That said, it isn’t flawless: one reviewer reports their new Samsung phone had trouble maintaining a connection to the desktop app, recognizing the link but failing to actually connect, though restarting the app worked around the issue on their previous phone.
Real Complaints Worth Knowing About
The most serious complaint in the review data is a report of files being converted to unusable TMP format during a phone-to-PC transfer, resulting in a claimed loss of 13 GB of personal data because the app appeared to be sending files correctly but wasn’t. That’s a significant reliability concern for anyone planning to use SHAREit for irreplaceable files without a backup. Beyond that, ads are a recurring sore point: one user describes an anti-virus ad that falsely claims viruses were found and can’t be closed even when tapping the X. Another longtime user says the app used to be great but now interrupts with unwanted videos that pop up even after disabling notifications, turning a simple file-sharing tool into something closer to a content platform nobody asked for.
The Pricing Complaint You Should Know About
One detailed review describes purchasing a $4.99 per year Pro upgrade only to see the price later jump to $1.99 per month, which works out to roughly a 400% increase over the original annual rate. That’s a real pattern worth watching if you’re considering paying for the ad-free tier, since pricing apparently shifted after purchase for at least one user.
Final Verdict
SHAREit remains a legitimately fast, cross-platform way to move large amounts of data between phones, and for straightforward jobs like migrating photos and apps to a new device, it clearly works for a lot of people, backed by strong praise for speed and reliability. But the ad experience has gotten more aggressive over time, the paid tier’s pricing has apparently changed after purchase for some users, and there’s at least one alarming report of files being corrupted during a PC transfer. If you’re doing a one-time phone switch and back up your files elsewhere first, it’s worth trying. If you’re ads-averse or transferring files you truly cannot afford to lose without a backup, go in cautiously.
