Samsung Galaxy S26 series gets AirDrop support for seamless file sharing with Apple devices

Samsung’s rollout plan for AirDrop support

Samsung is enabling AirDrop support inside Quick Share, so Galaxy users can send photos, videos, and files wirelessly to iPhones, iPads, and Macs, and receive content back the same way. The rollout begins on March 23rd for the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra via a software update that will first land in South Korea. The feature will then expand to Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Latin America, North America, Southeast Asia, and Taiwan.

For now, Samsung has only named the S26 series, but it has confirmed that additional Galaxy devices will follow later. This could likely come with the One UI 8.5 update that’s expected to roll out for multiple Galaxy S, Z, A, and M series phones, and even tablets, from April onwards. There is no official list or timeline yet, so existing Galaxy users will have to wait for Samsung’s detailed rollout plan.

This is not the first time Android devices have supported AirDrop, though. Google moved first here, adding AirDrop compatibility to Quick Share on the Pixel 10 series in November 2025 and then extending it to the Pixel 9 lineup. This made Pixel the first to enable simpler Android–iOS file sharing, cutting out the need for third-party apps or cloud links. Samsung becomes the second Android brand to offer native AirDrop support. Given Samsung’s scale across premium S and Z flagships as well as mid‑range Galaxy A and M series, this move could quickly make cross‑platform sharing feel like a norm rather than a Pixel‑only perk.

For mixed‑ecosystem households, this update removes one of Apple’s strongest ecosystem lock‑ins: easy, offline sharing between friends and family. If you’re choosing between a Galaxy S26, a Pixel 10, or sticking with an iPhone, seamless AirDrop compatibility is no longer an Apple‑only advantage. Pixel still has the ‘first’ badge and a slightly cleaner Google‑first implementation, but Samsung offers broader hardware choices and deeper Android customisation on top of the same cross‑platform sharing basics.

If you’ve been eyeing the Galaxy S26 series, this is a strong bonus, especially if friends or coworkers use iPhones or Macs. Those with older Galaxy flagships or mid‑rangers could wait and see how Samsung ties AirDrop support into the One UI 8.5 rollout. But if you’re already in Apple’s ecosystem, this update makes using an Android phone alongside your iPhone smoother, and could make a Galaxy or Pixel feel like a more practical secondary device.