Samsung’s AirDrop support reaches older Galaxy phones, but not everyone can use it
Samsung appears to be widening support for cross-platform file sharing between its phones and Apple devices, but the rollout is off to an uneven start. After introducing AirDrop compatibility through Quick Share on the latest Galaxy S26 series, the company is now extending the feature to older models, though not everyone can use it just yet.
Samsung-Apple AirDrop connection going live in phases
According to user reports and tipster Tarun Vats, updates to Samsung’s Quick Share and its supporting modules are now reaching devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S22, Samsung Galaxy S23, Samsung Galaxy S24, Samsung Galaxy S25, and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 which are running the One UI 8.5 beta. These updates introduce a new option that allows users to share files with Apple devices via AirDrop, marking a notable shift in how Samsung is approaching ecosystem boundaries.
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On paper, that sounds like a big step forward for Samsung users who regularly move between Android and Apple devices. In practice, the rollout looks incomplete. Some users can see a new ‘Share with Apple devices’ option, while others cannot. Even on devices where the option is visible, the feature does not always work properly yet. Nearby Apple devices do not show up, and Samsung phones do not appear in the AirDrop menu either.
The main catch is that this doesn’t yet feel like a full launch. Some users reportedly had to update their device firmware, plus Google Play System and Google Play Services, before the option even appeared. That suggests Samsung may be enabling the feature in stages, possibly with a server-side switch, rather than through one clean, finished software update. That matters because the usefulness of AirDrop support depends entirely on reliability. A feature like this is meant to remove friction. If users have to chase multiple updates and still cannot actually transfer files, the benefit is limited for now.
Google Pixel devices already have AirDrop compatibility
Google was the first to bring AirDrop compatibility to Android through the Pixel 9 and 10 series last year, and Samsung’s move is its answer to that cross-platform convenience gap. For people who split their time between Samsung and Apple products, this is a more meaningful quality-of-life feature than many spec-sheet upgrades, because it saves time and avoids workarounds.
Apple still keeps its own ecosystem tightly integrated, so this doesn’t change the fact that iPhone, iPad and Mac users will generally have the smoothest experience with one another. But Samsung is making it easier for Galaxy owners to live in mixed-device households, which could matter more than raw hardware in everyday use.
If you already own a Galaxy S22, S23, S24, S25 or Z Fold 7, it’s worth installing the latest Quick Share and system updates, then checking whether the Apple-sharing option appears. But if you depend on cross-platform file sharing for work or travel, it may be wise to wait until Samsung confirms the feature is fully functional across older models.
