Android is gearing up to launch a new ‘Tap to Share’ feature, and 9to5Google was able to learn more about how it functions.
In the most recent Google update, 9to5 discovered a new pop-up that showcases “how tap to share works.” The pop-up details the feature:
“Instantly share contact info, photos, videos, links, location, and more
- Unlock your phone.
- Overlap the top of both phones with their screens facing up. You should be able to see both screens
- Keep phones together until they glow.
Not working? Try holding both phones back to back.”
When tapping the phones together, there will be a brief “glow” that shows that the devices are interacting with each other. The feature seems to work similarly to Apple’s NameDrop, which lets you share content by tapping two iPhones together.
9to5 indicates that Samsung users will also get access to this feature and will be able to share contact cards with other users. In fact, Samsung phones might be the first to get the feature as the publication found that it’s design with Samsung devices in mind.
While iPhones have their NFC chips at the top of the device, Android handsets have them in different locations. The S26 series has it in the same location as iPhones, but other Android devices have the chip at the back. So it makes sense that the pop-up includes the “Not working? Try holding both phones back to back.”
It’s unclear when or if this roll out, but we’ll probably learn more next month at Google I/O 2026 from May 19 to 20.
Funny enough, Google actually introduced a Tap to Share-like feature back in 2011, called Android Beam. Android Beam would let users share links, contacts and files by tapping the phones together. Recently, Google brought AirDrop to Pixel devices.
Image Credit: 9to5Google
Source: 9to5Google
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