What is it?

 Thunderbolt Share is an Intel-made app for sharing files and remote desktop control based on the Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 5 standards

To use Thunderbolt Share you need a licensed PC or dock, a second PC that's compatible with Thunderbolt Share, and a Thunderbolt 4/5 cable

With Thunderbolt Share, you can share files between two PCs, remotely control one PC from another, sync folders between two PCs, and transfer data from one PC to another.

Intel’s Thunderbolt Share is a seamless file transfer and remote PC control solution, as long as you’ve got two Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 5 devices, one of which has a Thunderbolt Share license. However, things are more complex than they seem on the surface, so let’s clear up the misconceptions.

Thunderbolt Share Is an App, Not Part of the Thunderbolt Spec

If you own a Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 5 device and are getting all giddy at the thought of finally being able to share files between two PCs equipped with this technology, you should know that Thunderbolt Share isn’t part of the official Thunderbolt specification.

Instead, Thunderbolt Share is an app made by Intel that manufacturers can license, allowing their upcoming Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 5 equipped laptops and docks to use the Thunderbolt Share app. 

How Thunderbolt Share Works

For Thunderbolt Share to work, you need one device with a Thunderbolt Share license and another PC that supports it, but doesn’t need to have a license—or two PCs, in case you’re using a dock with a Thunderbolt Share license—and a Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 5 cable.  Suppose you’ve got all that, here’s how a Thunderbolt Share setup would work. You download and install the app on both devices you want to use, connect them via a Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 5 cable, and then you'll be able to:

• Share files between the two devices with a simple drag-and-drop interface.
• Sync folders and files located in the said folders between the two connected PCs.
• Transfer data and files from one PC to the other.
• Remotely control one PC with the other PC’s mouse and keyboard, similar to how Windows Remote Desktop works—this includes sharing the screen, peripherals, and storage.

Bandwidth

As for the max bandwidth when transferringfiles, you’re looking at speeds between 40Gbps and 120Gbps. The maximum speedwill depend on the slowest link in the chain, be it one of the two computers orthe Thunderbolt cable used.

The screen-sharing feature should offer atleast the 1080p and 60 frames per second that most monitors support withoutbreaking a sweat. That’s fine for basic remote desktop cases, but contentconsumption, and especially gaming would need to go above and beyond that.Luckily, the bandwidth available here is more than enough to drive resolutionsup to 8K, and going beyond 60fps is definitely on the cards assuming theresolution is reasonable. The exact performance you'll get will depend on someof the specifics of your hardware setup but suffice it to say that bandwidthisn't in short supply.

Thunderbolt Share on Club 3D docks

Since Thunderbolt Share will also be available on select Thunderbolt docks from Club 3D, you’ll be able to hook multiple PCs to a single Thunderbolt monitor, with one mouse and keyboard combo, as long as all three devices—the two computers and the monitor—are connected to the same dock, and you’ve got multiple Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 5 cables.

Which Devices Will Support Thunderbolt Share?

At the moment, the list of manufacturers that will offer laptops and docks with Thunderbolt Share includes all the major brands “and others,” according to Intel. More manufacturers could join the list in the future if they decide to obtain a Thunderbolt Share license from Intel for their upcoming laptops and docks.

Note that Thunderbolt Share isn’t compatible with Thunderbolt 3 devices, at least officially.

In a nutshell, to use Thunderbolt Share, you’ll need at least one device licensed with Thunderbolt Share, another device with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 5 ports—or two PCs in case you’re using a Thunderbolt Share-compatible dock—and at least one Thunderbolt 4 or 5 cable. Both devices must also run the Windows OS.

It’s complicated, I know, and Intel’s decision not to make Thunderbolt Share part of the official Thunderbolt specification and to exclude Thunderbolt 3 computers and docks only makes things worse.

If you fancy getting a laptop or a Dock with a Thunderbolt Share license, look for the devices bearing the Thunderbolt Share logo, shown below. Right now, this is the only way to recognize laptops and docks that have a Thunderbolt Share license.

Club 3D, 30 August 2025