Sending a photo from an Android phone to an iPhone has traditionally been more awkward than it should be. AirDrop works well inside Apple’s ecosystem, while Quick Share does the same job across Android devices, but the two systems did not communicate directly.
That is now changing.
Google has expanded Quick Share so supported Android phones can send files directly to iPhones, iPads and Macs through AirDrop. For Android phones that do not yet support direct AirDrop compatibility, Google has also added a QR-code method that works with iOS through a browser.
Here is how both methods work and what you need before trying them.
The easiest method: Quick Share directly to AirDrop
On supported Android phones, Quick Share can now detect nearby Apple devices that have AirDrop enabled.
The process is straightforward:
- On the iPhone, iPad or Mac, open the AirDrop settings.
- Set AirDrop visibility to Everyone for 10 Minutes.
- On the Android phone, open the photo, video, document or other file you want to send.
- Tap Share.
- Choose Quick Share.
- Select the Apple device when it appears.
- The iPhone, iPad or Mac user accepts the incoming AirDrop request.
The file then transfers directly between the devices. Google says this method can work without an internet connection on compatible hardware.
This is much closer to the experience Android and iPhone users have wanted for years: choose the device, accept the file and move on.
Which Android phones support direct AirDrop sharing?
The feature originally launched on the Pixel 10 family in late 2025, but Google has expanded support considerably during 2026.
Google’s current support documentation says direct Quick Share compatibility with AirDrop is available on Pixel 8a or later, along with selected devices from manufacturers including Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus, Vivo, Xiaomi, HONOR, Transsion and Motorola.
Google has also said that support is continuing to expand to more Android manufacturers and models.
Because availability depends on the exact phone and software version, the easiest way to check is simply to open Quick Share while an iPhone nearby has AirDrop set to Everyone for 10 Minutes.
If the iPhone appears as a nearby device, your phone supports direct sharing.
What if your Android phone does not support AirDrop?
You can still send files to an iPhone.
Quick Share now includes a QR-code method that works on Android devices without direct AirDrop support. Instead of establishing a direct nearby transfer, the Android phone generates a secure QR code that the iPhone user scans.
To use it:
- Open the file on your Android phone.
- Tap Share and choose Quick Share.
- Select Use QR code.
- A QR code appears on the Android screen.
- Open the Camera app on the iPhone.
- Scan the QR code.
- Tap the link that appears.
- The file opens through a Google webpage and can then be saved to the iPhone.
Unlike direct Quick Share-to-AirDrop transfers, both devices need an internet connection for the QR method.
Is the QR-code method private?
According to Google, files sent through the QR method are end-to-end encrypted.
The files are temporarily uploaded to Google’s servers and remain available for download for up to 24 hours. They do not use space in your personal Google Drive account.
Google currently limits QR-based sharing to:
- up to 10 GB per 24 hours
- up to 1,000 files in one sharing session
- up to 20 iPhone, iPad or Mac recipients at once
For normal photo, video and document sharing, those limits are unlikely to be a problem.
Can an iPhone send files back to Android?
Yes, but direct two-way sharing depends on the Android device.
Google says compatible Android devices can both send files to and receive files from Apple devices through Quick Share and AirDrop interoperability.
For receiving from an iPhone, supported Android devices need to be discoverable through Quick Share. Google recommends using Everyone for 10 minutes or opening Quick Share in Receive mode where supported.
If direct AirDrop compatibility is not supported on the Android phone, the QR method is primarily designed around the Android device generating the link for the Apple device to download.
Why you may need to change AirDrop to “Everyone for 10 Minutes”
Apple limits AirDrop discoverability by default for privacy reasons.
For an Android device to find an iPhone through Quick Share, the iPhone needs to temporarily allow discovery from everyone nearby.
That is why Google’s instructions specifically require:
Settings or Control Center → AirDrop → Everyone for 10 Minutes
After the temporary period expires, the iPhone automatically returns to its previous visibility setting.
This means you do not need to leave your iPhone permanently visible to strangers simply to receive files from Android.
What can you send?
Quick Share supports the types of files most people would expect, including:
- photos
- videos
- documents
- webpages and links
- other supported files stored on the Android device
Google specifically highlights photos, videos and documents as common examples for Android-to-iPhone sharing.
Large videos are where the change is particularly useful.
Messaging apps often compress video files, while sending them through email can run into attachment limits. A nearby Quick Share transfer lets you move the original file without first uploading it to a messaging service.
Quick Share versus messaging apps
You could always send an Android photo to an iPhone through WhatsApp, Messenger, Telegram or another messaging service.
That is not quite the same thing.
Quick Share is designed for moving the file itself between nearby devices. You do not need to start a conversation, exchange phone numbers or send the file through a social platform.
For a group of people sitting in the same room, that is much more convenient.
It is particularly useful when:
- somebody wants the original version of a photo
- you are sharing a large video
- you are transferring work documents
- several people at an event use different phone brands
- you simply do not want to use a messaging app for the transfer
What about Samsung phones?
Samsung already uses the Quick Share name for its file-sharing system, and Google and Samsung previously combined their nearby-sharing technologies under the same Quick Share branding.
Cross-platform AirDrop compatibility is now reaching selected Samsung devices as part of Google’s broader rollout. Google has named both current Galaxy models and additional Samsung devices that are receiving support during 2026.
The exact menus can look slightly different on Samsung phones compared with Pixel devices, so do not worry if your Quick Share screen does not match screenshots from a Pixel.
The important part is whether the nearby iPhone becomes visible when AirDrop is temporarily opened to everyone.
Do you need Android 17?
Not necessarily.
This feature is part of Google’s broader Android and Quick Share rollout rather than something limited exclusively to Android 17.
Google’s Quick Share documentation says the service itself works on Android 6 and later, although individual features and direct AirDrop compatibility depend on the phone model and software version.
So if your phone has not received Android 17, it is still worth checking whether the newest Quick Share features are available.
Is Android-to-iPhone sharing finally fixed?
Mostly, yes.
The ideal experience is direct Quick Share-to-AirDrop transfer, and that is now available on a growing number of Android phones. Google says it is expanding support across Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus, Vivo, Xiaomi, HONOR and other manufacturers.
For everyone else, QR sharing fills the gap.
The QR method is not quite as seamless because it needs an internet connection and briefly stores the encrypted file on Google’s servers. But it still removes the need to install another app simply to send an iPhone user a file.
For years, sharing files between Android and iPhone was one of those small annoyances users simply accepted. Quick Share and AirDrop finally working together makes switching between the two ecosystems considerably less painful.
