Android may soon enable file sharing by simply tapping two devices together, resembling Apple’s AirDrop feature. Multiple sources suggest an expected rollout across various Android devices beyond just Samsung models.
Evidence of this feature has emerged from Samsung’s One UI 9, Google Play Services, and Android 17 system-level code. This broader compatibility indicates a significant shift in file-sharing capabilities for Android users.
Initial indications of NFC-based file sharing appeared in September 2025 with One UI 8.5, where an experimental feature suggested proximity-based file transfers. Although initially limited to Samsung devices, recent developments imply a wider implementation.
Leaked builds of One UI 9 feature a more defined “Tap to share” option, allowing users to share files by simply holding their phones close to one another. Strings found in the code, including messages such as “Requesting to” and “Sent to,” reinforce that Samsung is advancing this NFC-based system.
A separate functionality titled “Gesture Exchange” was discovered in Google Play Services in November 2025. This feature enables the sharing of contact information through proximity, akin to Apple’s NameDrop. As of now, Quick Share in One UI 9 references Gesture Exchange, indicating its potential expansion into file transfer capabilities.
This system could utilize NFC as a trigger while Quick Share manages the file exchange. Furthermore, recent references to a service named “TapToShare” in Android 17’s beta and Canary builds suggest a comprehensive integration at the Android OS level.
Collaboration between Samsung and Google appears to be driving the development of this cross-brand tap-based sharing experience. If successful, Quick Share could facilitate an AirDrop-like tool operational across multiple Android devices.
Google is expected to unveil this feature alongside the stable release of Android 17, potentially offering Samsung devices as the initial beneficiaries of this update.
Android is a mobile operating system developed by Google, primarily for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Samsung Electronics is one of the leading manufacturers of Android devices.
