Jade Bryan is a Feature Author at Android Police with over a decade of tech reviews and news reporting experience, stretching back to the Symbian era and the early days of Android. He covers the breadth of the mobile industry, specializing in operating system deep-dives, app testing, and hardware analysis.
In his spare time, you can find him tinkering with his Android devices and wearables, seeking ways tech can improve daily life. He also enjoys playing MMORPGs, traveling, or feeding stray cats and dogs.
Quick Share with AirDrop support is perhaps the biggest Android feature that was announced last year.
After shipping with Galaxy S26 devices in March, more Galaxy handsets are getting the feature with the One UI 9 update.
While it initially seemed exclusive to flagship Galaxy models, Samsung has now expanded it to its mid-range Galaxy A lineup.
Galaxy A56 and A57 users who updated to One UI 9 are now seeing the long-anticipated Quick Share support for direct file sharing with Apple devices, as SammyGuru spotted on their Galaxy A56 unit.
This follows One UI 9's release on the Galaxy A57 last week, with owners noting they received the upgraded Quick Share tool.
This brings Quick Share with AirDrop compatibility to a wider range of Samsung and Pixel hardware, after it first rolled out on Pixel 10 devices last year and later on Pixel 11 and additional Pixel models.
For Samsung, the Galaxy S25 FE is among the handsets that recently received it.
We might see the South Korean giant add more mid-range options to the list, such as the Galaxy A37 and Galaxy A27, or even to its Galaxy tablet lineup.
- Samsung Galaxy S26, S26+, S26 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S25 FE
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8, Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, Z Fold 7
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, Z Fold 6
- Samsung Galaxy A56, A57
Similar to flagship Galaxy devices that already have this utility, it comes as a toggle labeled Share with Apple devices.
It’s enabled by default on my Galaxy Z Flip 7, but depending on the model, you might need to enable it before you can initiate file transfers.
Quick Share lets Android users send photos or documents directly to iPhones, iPads, or Macs, using AirDrop protocols.
This breaks the long-standing walled ecosystem between Android and iOS, which previously forced users to rely on alternative peer-to-peer and cloud sharing platforms.
I’ve used Quick Share with AirDrop several times on my Pixel 9 Pro XL to receive files from an iPhone, and I've been consistently amazed by how fluid the process is.
First, make sure the receiving unit is discoverable in both Quick Share settings on Android and AirDrop on Apple devices.
Depending on the feature, the device becomes publicly discoverable for a specific time window.
It works instantly after you confirm the pairing and the transfer prompt.
Not the fastest, but it's practical
While it’s not as fast as I expected, transferring an entire album with over a hundred pictures totaling about a gigabyte, from an iPhone to a Pixel takes roughly three minutes.
Still, that transfer rate might depend on the specific device you're using.
Nonetheless, it’s a breakthrough convenience users have demanded for years, even to the point of assuming it would be impossible to breach Apple's precious walled garden.