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3w ago

Google Adds Tap to Share to Quick Share for Pixel Phones

An NFC-triggered connection that hands off transfers to faster radios makes swapping contact cards and media between close Android phones much simpler.

Tap to Share makes Quick Share faster and simpler.
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Overview

  • Google began rolling out the Tap to Share update for Quick Share to Pixel 6 and newer phones this week, enabling instant two-way contact swaps from the home screen and media transfers via the system Share Sheet.
  • The feature uses NFC and proximity to pair devices and then typically moves the actual file transfer to faster links such as Wi‑Fi Direct so photos and videos send quickly.
  • Google confirmed support will arrive soon on Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Fold8, and Flip8, and said it will expand Tap to Share to more Android 17 or newer devices by the end of 2026.
  • On the Pixel 11 Google repositioned the NFC antenna to the top of the phone to make the tap gesture more natural, and users can choose which contact fields to share or turn Tap to Share off in settings.
  • Tap to Share revives the spirit of Android Beam and brings Android closer to Apple’s AirDrop/NameDrop approach, which could make nearby device sharing faster and more frictionless for everyday users.