Google has updated its Quick Share feature to work with Apple’s AirDrop, starting with the Pixel 10 series. This allows Android and iOS users to share files with each other directly using their built-in tools.
Why it Matters: Many users in mixed-device households often struggle with file sharing between Android and Apple devices. The update aims to make cross-platform transfers easier without using third-party apps or cloud services.
The feature works when an Apple device sets AirDrop visibility to Everyone for 10 minutes. A Pixel 10 device using Quick Share can then detect and send files directly. Transfers happen peer to peer and do not pass through servers. Google says users must still accept files before the transfer begins to maintain control over what is received.
Quick Share was built using a memory-safe programming approach and underwent internal and independent security reviews. Google says this was done to prevent vulnerabilities commonly found in cross-system file sharing. It also notes that consent-based transfers remain a core safeguard in the process.
Currently, the feature is only available on the Pixel 10 series, but Google plans to expand it to more Android devices soon. The update is positioned as the first step toward broader Android and iOS interoperability.
With cross-platform sharing finally becoming easier, will more users depend on built-in tools instead of third-party apps when sending files between devices?
