The topic These Samsung Galaxy phones are set to add AirDrop – you probably can’t sideload it… is currently the subject of lively discussion — readers and analysts are keeping a close eye on developments.
This is taking place in a dynamic environment: companies’ decisions and competitors’ reactions can quickly change the picture.
Following Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series, more Galaxy phones are set to add cross-compatibility with Apple’s AirDrop and new findings not only reveal a list of devices, but also a way to enable it early – maybe.
Google figured out a way to make Quick Share compatible with Apple’s AirDrop and launched that functionality first on the Pixel 10 series. It later rolled out to Pixel 9 and, last week, debuted on the Galaxy S26 series. Samsung has been clear from the beginning that it intends to roll this out more widely, as has Google in terms of the broader Android ecosystem.
The folks over at GalaxyClub noticed that, if you sideload the needed app updates, AirDrop functionality appears on some older Samsung Galaxy devices. The needed versions are Quick Share v13.8.51.58, Quick Share Agent v3.5.22.24, and Quick Share Connectivity v1.5.13.15. And, sure enough, running the latest updates via the Galaxy Store on a Galaxy S25 Ultra on the One UI 8.5 beta does indeed leave the device with an added “Sharing with Apple devices” menu, just like the Galaxy S26 series.
We were also able to get this working on a Galaxy Z Fold 7 by sideloading the Quick Share extension v1.0.874307641 – you should only sideload at your own risk and from trusted sources, of course.
according to the data GalaxyClub, Samsung’s “Sharing with Apple devices” menu item appears on:
Other older Galaxy A-series devices were not showing the menu when updated, but there’s nothing ruling out support being added in future. It’s very clear that Samsung plans to, eventually, roll this functionality out quite broadly.
That said, AirDrop isn’t actually working just yet, at least as far as we can tell.
On the two devices we got this “Sharing with Apple devices” menu to appear in Quick Share, AirDrop doesn’t actually work between the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 7 we tested. Neither device was visible to an iPhone 15 Pro or a MacBook Air, nor were those Apple devices showing up for our Galaxy devices. Meanwhile, a Pixel 10 and a Galaxy S26 Ultra nearby were both able to show up to the Apple devices.
We can’t rule out that it might work for some users, but it’s not working for us just yet.
Leaker Tarun Vats claims that some have managed to get AirDrop working on the One UI 8.5 beta, but we’ve not been able to find any public reports supporting that. Dozens of replies to Vats show that, yes, the new menu appears, but that AirDrop doesn’t actually work yet.