Google is finally bridging one of the most frustrating gaps between Android and iPhone. The company has announced that Quick Share — Android’s built-in file-sharing tool — now works seamlessly with Apple’s AirDrop.
The feature debuts on the Pixel 10 series, allowing users to send photos, videos, and files across platforms without requiring any extra apps or complicated steps and without worrying about the kind of phone they use.
“Technology should bring people closer together, not create walls. Being able to communicate and connect with friends and family should be easy regardless of the phone they use,” Dave Kleidermacher, VP, Platforms Security & Privacy at Google, announced in a blog post last Thursday.
“As part of our efforts to continue to make cross-platform communication more seamless for users, we’ve made Quick Share interoperable with AirDrop, allowing for two-way file sharing between Android and iOS devices.”
Built With ‘Secure by Design’ Principles
Google says the interoperability feature was developed under the same rigorous security standards used across all its products. That includes early-stage threat modeling, internal security design and privacy reviews, and extensive penetration testing by Google’s own security teams.
The company is also using a multi-layered security approach, ensuring the entire sharing process is protected from end to end. Google says the new interoperability is built with Rust, a memory-safe programming language widely considered the industry gold standard for preventing vulnerabilities such as buffer overflows and other common vulnerabilities.
According to the search giant, this dramatically reduces the risk of an attacker using malicious data packets to exploit memory errors — one of the most common weaknesses in cross-device communication systems.
Security Strengthened By Both Android And iOS
Since the feature depends on systems from both platforms, Google is highlighting the combined protections of Android and iOS:
- Secure channel built using Rust
- Android’s built-in protections, including Rust-hardened OS layers and Google Play Protect
- iOS’s own security architecture, designed to spot malicious files and prevent exploitation attempts
Additionally, users still need to approve incoming files manually, ensuring nothing arrives on their device without consent.
How The New Sharing Flow Works
To send files across ecosystems, iPhone, iPad, and Mac users must switch their AirDrop setting to “Everyone for 10 Minutes.” The connection is direct and peer-to-peer, which means files never pass through a server, and Google says no logs or additional data are shared.
This setup ensures that Android and iPhone users can confirm each other’s device names in person before sending anything, making the process both simple and secure.
Google calls this “just the first step” and says it hopes to work with Apple to enable “Contacts Only” mode in the future.
Tested By Independent Security Experts
After its own battery of internal tests, Google brought in NetSPI, a leading third-party penetration testing firm, to conduct an independent security assessment. The testers concluded that the Quick Share – AirDrop interoperability feature is secure and “notably stronger” than other industry implementations and does not leak any information.
Availability
For now, the feature is limited to the Pixel 10 series, with full compatibility across iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices. Google says support for more Android phones is on the way, but there’s no confirmed schedule yet.
The addition of AirDrop support marks a major milestone in Android and iOS interoperability. In Google’s view, the future of communication should be open, secure, and multi-platform — and this is just the beginning.
