Sharing files between a Samsung phone and an iPhone has always been more complicated than it should be. That is finally changing. Samsung is now rolling out AirDrop support via Quick Share to a growing list of Galaxy devices — and if you own a recent flagship, you may already be eligible.
Here is everything you need to know.
What Is Happening
Samsung is expanding its Quick Share–AirDrop interoperability to older Galaxy phones through the One UI 8.5 beta. Until now, the feature was only available on the Galaxy S26 series.
As of this week, the following devices are gaining access via the One UI 8.5 beta:
- Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra (Beta 9 build)
- Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra
- Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, S23 FE (beta newly opened)
- Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 (beta registration now live in South Korea and US)
Samsung has confirmed that availability and timing may vary by region, so not everyone will see the update at the same time.
How Does It Work?
Quick Share’s AirDrop support lets Galaxy phones share files directly with iPhones, iPads, and Macs — without needing any third-party app. No WhatsApp, no Google Photos, no email. Just a direct, wireless transfer.
To use it, you need to enable a setting in Quick Share called “Share with Apple devices.” Apple devices also need to have AirDrop set to “Everyone” for the initial discovery to work.
Once enabled, the process mirrors how AirDrop works between Apple devices — fast, simple, and wireless.
A Bit of History
Google was the first to pull this off, launching Quick Share–AirDrop interoperability on the Pixel 10 series in November 2025. Samsung then brought it to the Galaxy S26 series in late March 2026.
Google has since confirmed it plans to expand the feature to even more Android devices throughout 2026, working with hardware partners beyond Pixel. Samsung’s beta rollout is part of that broader push.
It is also worth noting that this is not a gimmick. Google reverse-engineered AirDrop’s protocols and worked with independent security auditors to build a version of the feature that is secure and stable. The architecture runs through a Play Store APK rather than being baked into the OS — which means updates can roll out faster.
This is related to a larger change happening across the Samsung software stack. If you have not seen it yet, we covered Samsung ending its Messages app in the US, which is another sign that Samsung is leaning harder into Google’s ecosystem. We also have a piece on Google Gemini Nano 4 coming to Android, which will affect how AI works across all Galaxy phones going forward.
Should You Install the One UI 8.5 Beta?
Beta software always comes with some risk. You may encounter bugs, and not all apps behave perfectly on a beta build.
That said, the One UI 8.5 beta has been running since December 2025 for the S25 series, so it is relatively mature at this point. If you are comfortable installing beta software and want access to AirDrop support today, it is a reasonable choice.
If you would rather wait, the stable One UI 8.5 release is expected to arrive in the coming weeks for supported devices.
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