How to AirDrop on Samsung Galaxy Phones

by · Droid Life

AirDrop on Android is one of the best features we’ve seen delivered to the platform in some time. With so many people in our lives owning iPhones and so many of us using Apple computers or iPads, being able to share quickly and directly with all of those devices is such a convenience.

We first picked up AirDrop on Android support (via Quick Share) with Google’s Pixel 10 series in November 2025 as one of the quietest reveals ever. It certainly felt like it deserved a bigger announcement, but maybe Apple wasn’t down for a big show in order for Google to make this happen.

It only took a few months before we saw an expansion to the Pixel 9 and Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series. Then two weeks ago, Samsung further expanded the number of devices receiving AirDrop on Android support, but they essentially told those device owners that they would have to wait until the big One UI 8.5 update arrived on their phones. The device list included the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S24, Galaxy Z Fold 7, Flip 7, Fold 6, and Flip 6.

Thankfully, almost all of those devices are in the One UI 8.5 beta program and as far as I can tell, we’re starting to see AirDrop support go live. I’ve been checking daily on my Galaxy Z Fold 7 since Samsung announced it as a supported device and I’ve received nothing but errors. However, a fresh One UI 8.5 update rolled out yesterday and I’m now able to share from the Fold 7 to any Apple device.

How to AirDrop on Samsung Galaxy Devices

If you own a supported Samsung Galaxy device, we wanted to walk through how you can AirDrop on your device.

Prepare your Samsung device

1. The first thing you’ll need is to get your device updated to One UI 8.5. Samsung has pushed One UI 8.5 beta builds to all of the devices I mentioned above, so go ahead and update to One UI 8.5 through your Samsung Members app. We have further instructions on how to join a Samsung Beta Program here.

2. Next up, you’ll likely need to make sure all of your Quick Share-related apps are up-to-date. Since Quick Share powers this AirDrop on Android situation, there are some pieces here that need updating in the background. The links below should take you to everything you’ll need.

3. Finally, as far as updates go, you’ll want to update all of your System Services, just in case you have anything pending. This could be a Google Play system update or something else, and you just never know if it might give your device the green light for AirDrop support. We have instructions on how to check for System Services updates here.

Sending files, photos with AirDrop on Android

1. Alright, we’re finally ready to AirDrop on Android! To get started, head into Settings on your Samsung phone, then Connected Devices>Quick Share

2. Now, enable the option for “Share with Apple devices”

3. OK, to be able to send to an Apple device, you need the Apple devices to change a single setting. On an iPhone or iPad, in AirDrop settings, you’ll need to enable “Everyone for 10 minutes.” On a Mac, you’ll simply switch the AirDrop setting to “Everyone”

4. With all settings enabled, you’ll find a file or photo you want to share from your Samsung Galaxy Device to the Apple device. Once you have, hit the share button and choose “Quick Share”

5. That will open Quick Share and you’ll see an overview of the share, with your file at the top, along with devices that you can share to below it. If all settings are enabled, it should look like you are seeing below for an iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Tap on the device you’d like to share to.

5. Once the send is initiated from the Samsung device, the Apple device will ask for you (or the person you know) to Decline or Accept. On an iPhone or iPad, it’s a simple Accept, while the Mac will let you save to a couple of destinations depending on the type of file.

And that’s it! You have now shared a file with an iPhone, iPad, or Mac using AirDrop and Quick Share from a Samsung Galaxy device running Android. It’s a wild world.