What Android and iPhone Users Can AirDrop Between Each Other

For years, AirDrop was mainly an Apple-to-Apple feature. iPhone, iPad, and Mac users could send photos, videos, links, and documents to each other quickly, while Android users usually needed a different method.

That is starting to change. Google has added AirDrop compatibility to Quick Share on supported Android phones. This means some Android users can now send files directly to nearby iPhones, iPads, and Macs through the same basic flow: Android uses Quick Share, and the Apple device receives through AirDrop.

It is not universal yet. Compatibility depends on the Android phone model, software version, Quick Share version, Google Play services version, and the Apple device's AirDrop settings.

What can Android and iPhone users send?

Quick Share and AirDrop are meant for file and content sharing between nearby devices.

In normal use, Android and iPhone users can share:

photos
videos
screenshots
PDFs
documents
links
selected files from supported apps
groups of files, depending on the device and sharing method

The exact file types depend on the app you are sharing from. If the app can use the Android share sheet or the iOS share sheet, it will often work with Quick Share or AirDrop.

This is useful for simple situations such as sending vacation photos from a Pixel to an iPhone, sending a PDF from a Galaxy phone to a Mac, or moving a video from an Android phone to an iPad without uploading it to a cloud service first.

On supported Android phones, Quick Share can see nearby Apple devices that have AirDrop opened to receive from everyone for a limited time.

The basic process is:

The iPhone, iPad, or Mac user opens AirDrop settings.
They choose Everyone for 10 Minutes.
The Android user opens the photo, video, document, or link.
The Android user taps Share.
They choose Quick Share.
They select the nearby Apple device.
The Apple user accepts the AirDrop notification.

After that, the file transfers to the Apple device.

Apple's support page says AirDrop receiving can be set to Contacts Only or Everyone for 10 Minutes. For Android sharing, the Apple device normally needs the temporary "Everyone for 10 Minutes" option because the Android user is not an Apple contact in the same AirDrop system.

Compatible Android models

Compatibility is still rolling out. Google's support page currently says AirDrop-compatible Quick Share works on:

Pixel 9 or later, except Pixel 9a
certain Samsung devices
certain Oppo devices
certain OnePlus devices
certain Vivo devices

Samsung has separately said that, as of March 2026, its "Share with Apple devices" feature was supported on the Galaxy S26 Series, with expansion planned for select flagship models.

Current June 2026 reporting also lists additional models receiving or having support, including:

Google Pixel 9 series, except Pixel 9a
Google Pixel 10 series
Samsung Galaxy S26 series
Samsung Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, and S25 Edge
Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 and Z Fold7
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 and Z Fold6
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 Special Edition
Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold
OnePlus 15
Xiaomi 17T Pro
Vivo X300 and X300 Pro
Honor Magic V6

Because this is a software rollout, the safest way to check is on the phone itself. Update Android, Quick Share, Google Play services, and the manufacturer's system apps, then open Quick Share and see whether Apple devices appear when a nearby iPhone has AirDrop set to "Everyone for 10 Minutes."

Compatible Apple devices

On the Apple side, the receiving device needs AirDrop support. That generally includes modern iPhones, iPads, and Macs that support current AirDrop settings.

Apple's iPhone support guide says AirDrop can be turned on from Control Center, with receiving options for Contacts Only and Everyone for 10 Minutes on devices that meet AirDrop's minimum requirements.

For Android-to-Apple sharing, the Apple device should be:

an iPhone, iPad, or Mac with AirDrop support
nearby
awake and unlocked, or otherwise ready to receive
set to Everyone for 10 Minutes
using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

If AirDrop is set to Receiving Off or Contacts Only, the Android phone may not see the Apple device.

Can iPhone users send files back to Android?

Direct iPhone-to-Android sending is more limited than Android-to-iPhone sending.

The current flow is mainly built around Android's Quick Share sending to Apple's AirDrop receiving mode. If an iPhone user wants to send something back to Android, they may not see the Android phone through the regular AirDrop share sheet in the same way they would see another iPhone or Mac.

There are still ways to share from iPhone to Android:

use a QR code sharing method where available
send through Messages, WhatsApp, email, or another app
use a cloud link from iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive
use a cable or computer for larger transfers

Google's support page says Android phones without direct AirDrop-compatible Quick Share can still send to iPhone, iPad, or macOS devices through a QR code method. In that flow, files are encrypted, uploaded temporarily, and available for download for 24 hours.

There are two main ways this can work.

Direct Quick Share to AirDrop: This is the cleaner method. The Android phone finds the Apple device through Quick Share, and the Apple device receives through AirDrop. This requires a compatible Android model and the Apple device set to receive from everyone for 10 minutes.

QR code sharing: This is the fallback method. The Android phone creates a QR code that the Apple device scans. The file is then downloaded through a temporary web link. This can work even when direct AirDrop-compatible sharing is not available, but it uses the internet and may use mobile data if Wi-Fi is not available.

For small files, either method can be fine. For large videos or many files, use Wi-Fi when possible.

What settings need to be on?

For the Android device:

update Android and Google Play services
update Quick Share or Samsung Quick Share
turn on Wi-Fi
turn on Bluetooth
keep the device nearby
open the file and choose Quick Share

For the Apple device:

turn on Wi-Fi
turn on Bluetooth
open AirDrop settings
choose Everyone for 10 Minutes
keep the device nearby
accept the incoming transfer

If the Apple device is not visible, check AirDrop first. In many cases, the receiving device is set to Contacts Only or Receiving Off.

Privacy and security notes

AirDrop and Quick Share both use approval prompts for incoming transfers. The receiving user normally has to accept the file before it is saved.

It is still a good idea to use the more limited visibility settings after the transfer is done. Apple uses "Everyone for 10 Minutes" so broad AirDrop visibility turns off automatically. On Android, Quick Share also includes visibility controls so the phone is not always visible to everyone nearby.

Use these basic habits:

only accept files from people you recognize
turn broad visibility on only when needed
switch back to contacts or your own devices after sharing
avoid accepting unknown files in public places
use Wi-Fi for large files to avoid mobile data use

Common problems

If Android and iPhone sharing does not work, check these items:

The Android model may not support direct AirDrop sharing. If it is not on the supported list, use QR code sharing or another method.
The Android phone may need updates. Update Android, Quick Share, Google Play services, and manufacturer apps.
The Apple device may not be visible. Set AirDrop to Everyone for 10 Minutes.
Bluetooth or Wi-Fi may be off. Turn both on for both devices.
The devices may be too far apart. Keep them close during setup and transfer.
A work or school profile may block sharing. Managed devices can have sharing restrictions.
Large files may be slow. Use Wi-Fi and keep both devices awake.

If direct sharing fails, try the QR code method or use a cloud link.

Quick answer

Supported Android phones can now send files to nearby iPhones, iPads, and Macs using Quick Share with AirDrop compatibility. The Apple device usually needs AirDrop set to Everyone for 10 Minutes.

As of June 2026, official Google support includes Pixel 9 or later except Pixel 9a, plus certain Samsung, Oppo, OnePlus, and Vivo devices. Samsung has confirmed Galaxy S26 Series support, and newer reported rollout lists include several recent Galaxy S, Galaxy Z, Pixel, OnePlus, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Honor models.

For phones that do not support direct AirDrop-compatible Quick Share, QR code sharing is the main fallback.

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