Google recently announced plans to make sending files between phones much easier. At its 2026 developer summit, the search company revealed a new Quick Share software kit for both Android and iOS platforms. This upcoming toolkit will let developers build the popular wireless sharing feature straight into their own applications. For users, this means skipping the usual system menus for a faster way to send photos, videos, and documents to nearby devices.
New developer kit bypasses the main phone system sharing menus
Set to launch in the first half of 2027, the new SDK gives app creators a new way to handle file transfers. Right now, sharing something through Google requires a user to open the main system share sheet and find the right option. The upcoming update changes this flow completely.
Instead of leaving an app to use the full screen transfer interface, a compact sharing panel will slide up from the bottom of the screen. This panel lets people preview the files they want to send before starting the transfer. Because the transfer happens natively, you will not have to bounce between different screens just to send a quick video to a friend.
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The update will also bridge the gap with Apple devices. Developers making apps for iPhones and iPads can build the same direct sharing capabilities into their software. This will make sending files from an iPhone to a Pixel phone just as easy as sending it to another iPhone.
The upcoming update brings fast offline transfers with full security
The upcoming integration includes several key features designed to speed up file delivery while keeping user data private. These additions focus on making local connections stronger.
- End to end privacy: Transfers stay fully encrypted as they move between nearby devices on the same local network.
- Fast direct speeds: The software automatically handles hotspot creation and uses Wi-Fi Direct to move heavy files quickly.
- Zero quality loss: Photos and videos keep their original quality without any unwanted compression.
- Total offline support: The feature works without any cellular connection, making it easy to share files even in areas with bad reception.
- Less backend work: Developers do not need to build or pay for their own cloud server setups to handle these file transfers.
We also expect this capability to eventually improve sharing flows on desktop computers running Windows software, though the initial rollout focuses heavily on mobile platforms.
If you want to read more about how this new code kit works for app creators, the technical details are already out. You can also explore the timeline for this major mobile update as we get closer to the 2027 release window.
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