Android’s Tap to Share UI Spotted in New Leak That Reveals How NFC-Based File Sharing Will Work

Google is said to be working on a new sharing feature that will let users securely share contacts and files by tapping two phones together. This AirDrop-like 'Tap to Share' functionality is expected to arrive on Android smartphones soon. Ahead of the official rollout, the feature's interface has leaked online, showcasing the revamped sharing menu. It suggests that once available, the feature will help users to transfer files and contacts by physically overlapping two Android phones. The Tap to share on Android looks a bit different from Apple's AirDrop. Google is likely to release the Tap to Share feature with Android 17.

Here Is the First Look at Android's Tap to Share Feature

After enabling the Tap to Share UI on an Android smartphone, which will enable instant transfer of data, Android Authority revealed how the feature currently appears. As per the screenshot, users can instantly transfer contact info, photos, videos, links, location, and “more.” The details were spotted by the publication on Google Play Services version 26.15.31.

Photo Credit: Android Authority

Similar to iOS, both Android handsets have to be unlocked before initiating a transfer. Android requires the top portions of both phones to overlap to enable the transfer. Google states that users should be able to see both screens during the process and have to keep the handsets together until a 'glow animation confirms the connection. If the connection is not happening, the company suggests trying again by placing the phones back-to-back.

In the iOS ecosystem, users are required to place the top of one iPhone near the top of the other until the devices vibrate or glow to enable transfer. Android brands have placed NFC antennas in different positions across in their smartphones. Some feature the chip below the camera module, whereas select models have the NFC hardware near the top panel.

The publication suggests that this could be the reason for Google's “overlapping” instruction, as it increases the chances of aligning both NFC sensors closely to establish the pairing. Android's Tap to Share is speculated to arrive alongside the stable release of Android 17.  It recently appeared in Samsung's One UI 8.5 as an experimental option.

Google previously stated it would bring transfers to AirDrop devices via Quick Share to more Android phones this year. The feature is currently available on the Pixel 10 and Pixel 9 series, as well as Samsung devices running on One UI 8.5. Oppo has also announced it will offer similar functionality on the Oppo Find X9 series, and the same feature could come to other models in the future.