Windows 10 Kills Charms Bar, Adds New Way to Share Files

The Charms bar in Windows 8, which includes the Share button, is dead in Windows 10. Sharing files in Windows 8 is a convoluted and clunky process. It has been streamlined a bit in the new OS, and it still allows you to share files via online services, email, and other universal apps you have installed.

Windows 8 Share Feature

We showed you how to use the Windows 8 share feature, but the process is anything but intuitive. While Share feature is similar in the way it works, the Share button in Windows 10 has been moved to File Explorer. However, currently there are still remnants of the Windows 8 way of doing things that crop up.

Sharing Files in Windows 10

Instead of dealing with that annoying and annoying charms bar to share items, the feature is now built into File Explorer.

Just select the file(s) you want to share, and then click the Share tab and then the Share icon – which has the same design as the one on the charms bar.

There will be different options depending on the file type you’ve selected. For example, if you select a folder, the Share button will be grayed out, but the Zip button is available. After zipping a file, then you can share it. Also included on the Share tab is the ability to burn, print or fax files, as well as manage network sharing options.

After that the Share sidebar comes up (which is similar to the one in Windows 8.1) it displays a lists of apps that you can share you file with. This also depends on the type of file you want to share. If an app isn’t compatible with sharing the file, it won’t show up.

Once you select the app, it will open in the same sidebar, just a bit larger like in Windows 8. As an example, in the shot below I am sharing a picture in Facebook.

One annoyance in the Windows 10 way, and that exists in Windows 8 too, is once you close the share sidebar, all of your data is lost, and you can’t return to it. So, if you were to write a long post on Facebook, for example, and want to add another image, you have to start over.

You can also share data from Universal apps as well. With a universal app open, below I have the Weather app open, click the hamburger menu on the upper left corner and then Share.

You can change the share options by going to Settings > System > Share and there you can turn the apps you want to share with on or off, and the order of how the apps show up on the list.

Of course, this is how it all looks and works in Windows 10 build 9926 and in my opinion it needs to be improved. The more annoying part is that the share bar that pops up on the right with the list of apps.

I would like to see that designed differently, maybe have a pop up menu of apps when you click the Share button instead. Another problem is you can’t share a web page as you can in Windows 8 by clicking the Share charm. So on one hand, not having the Charms bar is great, but on the other, it’s still a rather clunky way of sharing.

What is your take on how the sharing feature works in Windows 10? If you’re not a fan of how it works, make sure to leave feedback for Microsoft during these technical preview days.