Google is bringing AirDrop support to more Android phones

Android to iPhone AirDrop. — (Image credit: Tom's Guide / John Velasco)

Google is in the process of delivering several new Android features right now, including expanding AirDrop support through Android's Quick Share feature. The advantage of this is obvious — it makes sharing files between friends or family split between iOS and Android much easier.

At present, only a few handsets can actually implement this, but Google has announced a list of devices that will soon be supported.

What if my phone isn't on the list?

Google Pixel 8 Pro hands-on. — (Image credit: Future)

There's a fairly big omission on the list above — the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. It's a strange move from Google, since the Pixel 9 series, and even the Pixel 8a, already support AirDrop and the underlying hardware is similar. So perhaps there's some other reason why Google isn't supporting these phones just yet.

Regardless, if your phone isn't on the list above, Google is rolling out an alternative (and slightly less elegant) means of using Quick Share to share your file via the cloud.

"If you don’t have a compatible device, you can use Quick Share on any Android phone to generate a QR code, which will let you instantly share with iOS devices via the cloud," Google states.

"This feature starts rolling out to all Android phones today and will be fully available within the next month."

If you've not used Android's Quick Share feature yourself yet, here's our step-by-step guide on how to get started. And stay tuned to our Google I/O hub for all the latest news about Android's next iteration.

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Jeff is UK Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide looking after the day-to-day output of the site’s British contingent.

A tech journalist for over a decade, he’s travelled the world testing any gadget he can get his hands on. Jeff has a keen interest in fitness and wearables as well as the latest tablets and laptops.

A lapsed gamer, he fondly remembers the days when technical problems were solved by taking out the cartridge and blowing out the dust.