AirDrop from Android to Mac: which phones can do it, and how

Yes, an Android phone can now send files to a Mac over AirDrop, but only if the phone is on Google's supported list. Google made Quick Share work with AirDrop on 20 November 2025, starting with the Pixel 10 family, and has since extended it to more Pixel models and to recent phones from Samsung and several other makers. Google's help page says it works with an iPhone, iPad, or macOS device, and the Mac must have AirDrop set to receive from everyone. If your phone is not on the list, there is no AirDrop for you yet, and the free alternatives are below.

Does AirDrop work with Android?

It works through Quick Share, the sharing feature built into Android. There is no AirDrop app on Android. On a supported phone, Macs and iPhones nearby appear in the Quick Share list next to Android devices, and the person on the Apple side gets an ordinary AirDrop prompt.

The timeline, from Google's own posts:

• 20 November 2025. Google announced "a way for Quick Share to work with AirDrop", rolling out that day to the Pixel 10 family. The post talks about sharing between iPhones and Android devices.
• 12 May 2026. Google said it was expanding to more partners "including Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus, Vivo, Xiaomi and HONOR this year", and that any Android phone could use a Quick Share QR code to share with Apple devices through the cloud.
• Today. Google's Quick Share help page has a section titled "Send content to an iPhone, iPad, or macOS device". That is the confirmation that a Mac counts.

Google's security write-up says the connection is direct and peer-to-peer, that data is not routed through a server, and that it currently works with AirDrop's "Everyone for 10 minutes" mode only. Contacts Only is not supported.

Which Android phones can AirDrop to a Mac?

This is the list on Google's Quick Share with iPhone page, copied as it stood on 1 October 2026. That page frames the list as phones that can share with iPhones. Google's help page is the one that adds iPad and macOS as receivers, and it names the phones more loosely as "Pixel 8a or later" and "certain Samsung, Oppo, OnePlus, Vivo, Xiaomi, Honor, Transsion, and Motorola devices".

Listed as coming soon: Motorola razr fold 2026, OPPO Find X8 series, HONOR Magic8 Pro, vivo X300 and X300 Pro.

The list changes. Google's page also warns that availability varies by region, carrier, and device. If your phone is on the list and you do not see Apple devices in Quick Share, update the phone first, then check Google's page again.

How do I AirDrop from Android to a Mac?

These are Google's steps from its help page, with the Mac side filled in from Apple's AirDrop guide for Mac.

1. On both devices, turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Apple says AirDrop devices need to be within 30 feet (10 meters) of each other.
2. On the Mac, click Control Center in the menu bar, then click AirDrop so that it is on. Then click the control next to AirDrop and choose Everyone. Google's instructions call this setting "Everyone for 10 minutes", which is the name it has on an iPhone. Apple's Mac guide lists the Mac's choices as Contacts Only and Everyone.
3. On the phone, open the photo or file you want to send.
4. Tap Share, then Quick Share.
5. Choose the Mac from the list of nearby devices.
6. On the Mac, click Accept on the AirDrop notification. Apple says that on a Mac some items are saved to the Downloads folder automatically, and that you may be offered a choice of where to save.

On a Samsung phone there is one extra switch. Google's page says Samsung users need to turn on Share with Apple devices in their Quick Share settings.

One thing to watch for. Apple's guide says that with macOS 26.2 or later, someone who is not in your contacts must use an AirDrop code that appears on your Mac. Google's help page does not mention codes, so we cannot tell you how Quick Share handles that step. If your Mac shows a code prompt, follow what is on screen.

Can I AirDrop from a Mac to an Android phone?

On fewer phones. Google's help page says that to receive from an iPhone, iPad, or macOS device you need a Pixel 9 or later, excluding the Pixel 9a, or one of the supported phones from the other makers.

1. On the phone, open Settings and search for Quick Share.
2. Either set "Who can share with you" to Everyone for 10 minutes, or open the Quick Share page and leave it in Receive mode. On Samsung, also turn on Share with Apple devices.
3. On the Mac, open the file, click the Share button, and choose AirDrop. Pick the phone.
4. Tap Accept on the phone.

Received files go to Downloads, in a Quick Share folder, according to Google.

What if my phone is not on the list?

You have four options that do not involve buying a new phone.

The Quick Share QR code. Google's help page describes this for phones without AirDrop support: open Quick Share, tap Use QR code, and the other device scans it to open a download page in its browser. It is a cloud transfer, not a local one. Google says the files are end-to-end encrypted, uploaded to Google's servers, and available for 24 hours, that both devices need internet access, and that the limit is 10 GB every 24 hours. Scanning a code is natural on an iPhone and awkward on a Mac, which makes this a better answer for sending to a friend's iPhone than to your own laptop.

NearDrop. A free Mac app that makes the Mac appear as a Quick Share target on the same Wi-Fi network. It works with any Android phone that has Quick Share. See Quick Share on a Mac.

LocalSend. A free, open-source app you install on both devices. It sends over the local network. See NearDrop or LocalSend.

A continuity app. The Relay does not speak AirDrop and does not make your phone appear in the Mac's AirDrop list. What it does is put a window on the Mac that browses the phone's storage, so you drag files in either direction over your local network. It also syncs the clipboard, which covers the case where the thing you wanted to AirDrop was a link or a screenshot. It costs $19.99, paid once, and needs Android 8.0 or later and macOS 13 Ventura or later.

If your phone is on Google's list and all you want is to send the odd file, you do not need The Relay for that. Use Quick Share. It is free and already on your phone.

Why is the Mac not showing up in Quick Share?

Go through these in order. Each comes from Google's or Apple's troubleshooting steps.

Questions people ask

Does the Pixel 10 have AirDrop?

The Pixel 10 family was the first to get Quick Share working with AirDrop, on 20 November 2025. It is not an AirDrop app. You use Quick Share, and nearby Apple devices that are set to receive from everyone appear in the list.

Is Quick Share compatible with AirDrop on every Android phone?

No. As of 1 October 2026 it is limited to the models on Google's list: Pixel 8a and later, recent Samsung Galaxy S and Z phones, and a few models from OnePlus, OPPO, Xiaomi, HONOR, and vivo. Every Android phone can use the Quick Share QR code, which goes through Google's servers.

Do I need to install anything on the Mac?

No. On a supported phone the Mac receives the file as a normal AirDrop transfer. You only need to turn AirDrop on and set it to Everyone.

Is it safe to set AirDrop to Everyone?

It means any nearby device can offer you a file, and you still have to accept each one. Apple says transfers are encrypted and that the recipient can accept or decline each transfer. Google's security post suggests confirming the device name on screen with the other person. Switch AirDrop back to Contacts Only when you are done.

Does this work with a Samsung Galaxy phone and a MacBook?

If the Galaxy model is on the list, yes, once Share with Apple devices is turned on in Quick Share settings. The list includes the Galaxy S24, S25, and S26 lines and recent Z Fold and Z Flip models. Older and cheaper Galaxy models are not listed.