Nearby device scanning is a feature available on Android phones that allows users to set up connections to nearby and available devices with ease. It uses Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) radio to scan for compatible devices nearby, such as TVs, other phones, printers, and other devices. Even when Bluetooth is turned off, nearby device scanning can still be active, which can be a drain on battery life and leave the phone vulnerable to security risks.

Users can turn off nearby device scanning on their phone by going into the phones settings, tapping on Google, scrolling down to Device Connections, and tapping on Nearby Share. From there, they can turn off Device Visibility.

Overall, nearby device scanning is a feature that can be useful for setting up connections to nearby devices, but it is not necessary and can be turned off to save battery life and improve security.