Waiting for AirDrop on your Samsung phone? We may have good news for Galaxy A series users
Source: Android Authority
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Samsung rolled out AirDrop support via Quick Share for the Galaxy S26 series last week, and it may be coming to more devices.
- Sideloading the required app updates and extensions reveals a “Share with Apple devices” menu on certain Galaxy phones, previewing upcoming support.
- Officially, Samsung has only committed to expanding AirDrop support “at a later date.” It’s unclear when, or if, these Galaxy phones will see official support.
Background
Google broke through the walled garden and added AirDrop compatibility to Quick Share on the latest Google Pixel 10 series last year. The move signaled that AirDrop support would eventually expand to other Android phones. True to that promise, the Galaxy S26 series became the first non‑Google phones to receive the Quick Share upgrade last week.
The timeline for other Samsung phones receiving the Quick Share upgrade and AirDrop compatibility remains unclear. A discovery by GalaxyClub provides clues about which models may be next.
Required components for AirDrop compatibility
Multiple app updates and extensions must be installed on an Android device to gain AirDrop compatibility:
| Component | Minimum version |
|---|---|
| Quick Share extension | 1.0.874307641 (or newer) |
| Quick Share app | 13.8.51.58 |
| Quick Share Agent | 3.5.22.24 |
| Quick Share Connectivity | 1.5.13.15 (or newer) |
The Quick Share extension was created by Google from scratch to enable AirDrop file sharing (details here).
Findings from sideloading
GalaxyClub revealed that sideloading the prerequisite applications on unsupported Galaxy phones unlocks a “Share with Apple devices” menu—the same screen that enables AirDrop on the Galaxy S26 series. This suggests that any phone displaying that menu after sideloading is likely to receive official AirDrop support in the future.
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority
Current status
Even after sideloading the required Quick Share apps and extensions, AirDrop compatibility does not work on Samsung phones outside of the Galaxy S26 series. Samsung has officially pledged to bring AirDrop to other Galaxy models “at a later date,” but no further details have been provided.