Using an action registry to edit data across users and devices

A method implemented by a computing device to match applications for editing content that is received from another device for cross-device editing comprises using an action registry to edit data across users and devices. The action registry refers to a repository that maintains lists of applications capable of performing some action or actions on data of a given type (e.g. cropping, filtering, blurring images). In one implementation, a user editing data in an application requests to share the data with another user or another device for further editing. Responsive simply to the request or based on an exchange of content transfer information (e.g. barcode 608), the data is communicated to the selected user or device. Using information maintained by the action registry, a list of applications capable of editing the data is presented to the selected user or via the selected device, and a selected application is launched. Once changes are made to the data, those changes can be saved and the changed data automatic