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 now rolling out to all Android phones and will be 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 rolled out its new QR code-based sharing feature that lets Android users instantly transfer files to an iPhone.
Don’t want to miss the best of Android Authority?
Sharing QR codes 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 the need for any additional apps 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 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 will be available on all Android phones starting May 12, so it’s no surprise that the feature is in the works now. That said, the company has also said that sharing QR codes with iPhones should become fully available within the next month, so don’t panic if you don’t see the feature on your Android device yet.
Meanwhile, Google also confirmed that native Quick Share-AirDrop compatibility will soon expand to more major 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
Thank you for being a part of our community. Please read our comment policy before posting.
