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Google Reportedly Working on AirDrop Like Tap to Share Feature Discovered in One UI 9, Android 17 Builds

Google Reportedly Working on AirDrop-Like Tap to Share Feature Discovered in One UI 9, Android 17 Builds

Samsung and Google may be working on this feature together, which could lead to a more seamless file-sharing experience across Android devices.

Written by Sucharita Ganguly, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 30 March 2026 15:51 IST

Google Reportedly Working on AirDrop-Like Tap to Share Feature Discovered in One UI 9, Android 17 Builds

Photo Credit: Google

Android 17 beta and Canary builds reportedly reveal a system-level service called “TapToShare”

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Highlights

Quick Share may use NFC to trigger file transfers seamlessly
Tap to share feature has appeared in multiple Android leaks
The feature may evolve from a NameDrop like contact system

Android smartphones may support a tap-based file-sharing feature later this year, similar to Apple's AirDrop, that makes file transfers faster and more seamless across devices. The feature is expected to build on Google's Quick Share tool, and could allow users to initiate transfers by simply bringing two phones close together, reducing the need for manual steps or pairing. It may also use NFC as a trigger while handling the transfer in the background, and is likely being developed as a broader upgrade for the Android ecosystem.

According to a report by Android Authority, the AirDrop-like feature has been spotted across multiple teardowns over the past few months, suggesting it is part of a broader upgrade to Quick Share rather than a one-off experiment.

Early versions of the feature are said to have appeared in Samsung's One UI 8.5 as an experimental option. More recent One UI 9 builds reportedly show a clearer version called “Tap to share,” pointing to ongoing development.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Finally Supports AirDrop Transfers to iPhone

The report adds that the feature likely evolved from a contact-sharing system similar to Apple's NameDrop. Google Play Services included references to an internal feature called “Gesture Exchange,” which started with contact sharing and now appears to support file transfers.

Android 17 beta and Canary builds also reportedly reveal a system-level service called “TapToShare.” This suggests the feature could be available across multiple Android brands, not just Samsung devices.

The report adds that Samsung and Google may be working together on this, which could lead to a more seamless file-sharing experience across Android devices.

Oppo Find X9 Series to Enable AirDrop File Transfers via Quick Share

Samsung recently started rolling out an AirDrop-like file-sharing feature (minus the tap gesture) on Galaxy devices, beginning with the Galaxy S26 series in South Korea. The feature is built into Quick Share and will expand to more regions and devices over time, aiming to improve file transfers across different ecosystems.

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Further reading: Android 17, Tap To Share, Android, Google, Samsung, One UI 9

Sucharita Ganguly

Email Sucharita Ganguly

Sucharita is a writer with Gadgets 360 and is mostly found playing with her cat in her free time. She has previously worked at breaking news desks across organizations. Powered by coffee, The Beatles, Bowie, and her newfound love for BTS, she aims to work towards contributing to a better media environment for women and queer folk. More