Google Could Soon Expand Android's AirDrop Support to Pixel 9

After adding AirDrop support to the Pixel 10 series, Google appears to be working on expanding the functionality to older smartphones. After making AirDrop and Quick Share compatible on Pixel 10 last November 2025, new reports suggest the Pixel 9 series could be next in line to gain the support.

Pixel 9 AirDrop Support Coming Soon

The code strings spotted in the latest Pixel 9 Android Canary build by folks over at Android Authority contain system files necessary for Quick Share interoperability with Apple devices.

Just like the Pixel 10, which can now share files with Apple devices as long as AirDrop is set to "everyone", Google could soon allow Pixel 9 users to transfer files between the ecosystem with ease.

While the Pixel 9 series seems to be in active testing, the same system files were reportedly missing from the Pixel 9a and Pixel 8 series builds. This indicates that while Google initially promised wider support over time, testing for older models may not have started yet.

There is no official release date for the feature on Pixel 9, but rumours point to a rollout possibly in the next few months, with the rollout of Android 16 QPR3 update or another feature stable release. While this is great news for Pixel fans, we are not sure when Google will make this generally available on all Android smartphones.

When AirDrop support dropped for Pixel 10, we touched upon the technicalities of how the feature might be able to function between these completely different ecosystems. To reiterate, the integration uses AirDrop's updated Wi-Fi Aware feature, letting Quick Share talk to devices with AirDrop. 

The upcoming addition of support for AirDrop could deliver Google's promise to bring better cross-platform sharing to more Android users, breaking down barriers between Android and iOS ecosystems. Stay tuned as we will cover the feature's rollout to more smartphones.