What Google Changed: Quick Share Meets AirDrop
Google is turning Quick Share into a true cross-platform file sharing tool by adding direct AirDrop compatibility on more Android phones. Until now, sending photos or documents between Android and iPhone usually meant awkward workarounds: email attachments, messaging apps, or dedicated third-party tools. With Quick Share’s AirDrop support, Android and iOS devices can now discover each other and exchange files over a fast, local connection—similar to how AirDrop works between two iPhones. This positions Quick Share as a practical AirDrop alternative on Android instead of a separate, siloed system. Where native compatibility isn’t available, Google is also introducing a cloud-based sharing option via QR codes, so users can still move files between platforms without installing extra apps. Together, these upgrades aim to make Android iPhone file transfer feel as simple as sharing within one ecosystem.
Which Android Phones Get Native AirDrop Support
Quick Share’s AirDrop support first arrived on Google’s latest Pixel phones and has slowly expanded to more flagship devices. Currently, compatible models include Pixel 10, Pixel 9, and Pixel 8a lines, along with Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series. Oppo has enabled the feature on its Find X9 series and Find N6, while Vivo supports it on the Vivo X300 Ultra. Google has now confirmed that more partners are on the roadmap: Samsung’s Galaxy S25 and S24 families, foldables like Galaxy Z Flip7, Z Fold7, Z Flip6, Z Fold6, and the Galaxy Z TriFold, plus OPPO’s Find X8 series, OnePlus 15, and Honor Magic V6 and Magic 8 Pro. Selected Xiaomi phones are also planned, though specific models have not yet been named. These additions significantly broaden cross-platform file sharing for high-end Android users.
How Cross-Platform Quick Share Works in Practice
For Android devices with built-in AirDrop compatibility, using Quick Share is straightforward: initiate a share from the standard menu, choose Quick Share, and nearby iPhones or other supported Android phones appear as targets. The transfer occurs directly between devices, preserving the privacy and speed associated with traditional AirDrop and Quick Share workflows. On phones without native support, Google’s new QR-based method offers a fallback. When you share a file via Quick Share, you can generate a QR code that uploads the content to the cloud; your iPhone contact simply scans the code to download the file. This option removes the need for messaging apps or email, though it introduces a cloud intermediary rather than a direct device-to-device path. Over time, Google plans deeper Quick Share integrations in popular apps like WhatsApp, further reducing friction in cross-platform file sharing.
Upgraded iPhone-to-Android Migration Is Now Less Painful
Beyond everyday file sharing, Google is improving the full migration path for users moving from iPhone to Android. The updated transfer process goes well beyond basic contacts and photos: it can now carry over passwords, messages, favourite apps, and even your home screen layout, helping your new Android device feel familiar from the first boot. This expanded Android iPhone file transfer capability aims to reduce the anxiety of switching ecosystems, since you no longer have to rebuild your setup from scratch or juggle multiple tools. Google is also preparing support for eSIM transfer, scheduled to launch later this year on select Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel models, which should simplify moving your mobile line as well. Combined with broader Quick Share AirDrop support, these migration enhancements make leaving iOS for Android far more seamless than before.