This is the update you’ll need for AirDrop on Galaxy S26, Samsung says

Ben Schoon | Mar 23 2026 - 10:30 am PT

Samsung announced last night that AirDrop support, via Quick Share, is now rolling out to the Galaxy S26 series, and you’ll apparently need this update to get it.

Quick Share first added support for AirDrop cross-compatibility on the Pixel 10 series last year, as Google found a way to make it happen without Apple’s involvement. It works rather well, and expanded to the Pixel 9 series in recent weeks.

But the big reveal this week was that Google’s method is now coming to Samsung Galaxy devices, starting with the Galaxy S26 series.

Samsung rolling out AirDrop over Quick Share on Galaxy S26, more devices coming

The rollout starts today and, apparently, requires a specific Google Play Services update.

Advertisement - scroll for more content

In a post on Samsung’s forums in Korea, a moderator and “Quick Share representative” says that “your Google Play Services version must be 26.11.XX or higher” for AirDrop support to work. Currently, the widely rolled out Play Services update is 26.10.XX, but this can vary based on your device, region, and other factors. Play Services 26.11.XX is available in the stable track, though, so it should land on your device within the next couple of weeks or so.

You can “force” a Play Services update by opening the Google Play Services listing in the Play Store, which will show any available updates. We wouldn’t directly advise it, but technically, you can sideload the update too – just be careful where you obtain it, and ensure you’re using the correct variant too.

That said, this Play Services update isn’t the only thing need to get AirDrop on a Galaxy S26 series device.

We updated our Galaxy S26 Ultra to Play Services 26.11.33 and, sure enough, AirDrop doesn’t work to both an iPhone and a MacBook which a Pixel 10 nearby could see easily. Of course, we’re in the US where Samsung says AirDrop support won’t start rolling out in until later this week. But it’s still clear that this isn’t a simple app update. There’s likely a server-side component or other factors in the way.

Checking for Play Services updates will probably be a good place to start, but stay tuned as we watch for the update to expand into more regions.