Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google has started rolling out a new Quick Share feature that lets Android users share files with iPhones using QR codes.
- iPhone users can scan the QR code through the Camera app, after which the file is securely uploaded to the cloud for transfer.
- The feature is rolling out to all Android phones now and will become fully available over the next month.
True to its word, Google is expanding Quick Share-AirDrop compatibility across Android this week. After announcing that the experience would soon expand to third-party apps like WhatsApp and more Android phones, Google has now started rolling out its new QR code-based sharing feature that lets Android users quickly transfer files to iPhones.
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QR code sharing with iPhones was also announced during The Android Show: I/O Edition earlier this week, and Google said the rollout would begin immediately. We’ve now tested it ourselves, and it works exactly as advertised.
Using Quick Share, Android users can generate a QR code that an iPhone user can scan directly through the Camera app. Once scanned, the file is uploaded to the cloud and transferred to the recipient without requiring any additional app on the iPhone.
During the process, the Android phone displays a prompt stating that the files are end-to-end encrypted and remain available for sharing for up to 24 hours.
The new feature is designed for Android phones that don’t yet have native Quick Share-AirDrop compatibility built in. Instead of relying on direct device-to-device sharing, it uses QR codes and cloud transfers as a bridge between Android and iOS devices.
Google said the QR code sharing option would roll out to all Android phones starting May 12, so it’s no surprise the feature is working now. That said, the company also stated QR code sharing with iPhones should become fully available within the next month, so don’t panic if you don’t see the feature on your Android devices just yet.
Meanwhile, Google also confirmed that native Quick Share-AirDrop compatibility will soon expand to more flagship Android phones, including:
- Samsung Galaxy S25 series
- Samsung Galaxy S24 series
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
- Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold
- OPPO Find X8 series
- OnePlus 15
- HONOR Magic V6
- HONOR Magic8 Pro
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