Android's Quick Share could soon add a new security check to stop file theft

The easiest way to share files between Android devices is through Quick Share, Google’s peer-to-peer file sharing service often called the “AirDrop of Android.” Using it is simple: select your files, tap the share button, choose Quick Share, and then pick a nearby device. It’s so easy, in fact, that someone could grab your unattended phone and send files to themselves in seconds. If that possibility worries you, then we have good news: Quick Share may soon require confirmation before transferring files if you’ve enabled Android’s Advanced Protection mode.

To prevent abuse, Quick Share already requires the recipient to accept a transfer, unless they’re using a device signed into your own Google Account. The sending device, however, doesn’t require any confirmation before initiating a transfer. This design assumes the sender is the phone’s owner or an authorized user, which isn’t always the case. Recognizing this, Google recently introduced a variety of Theft Protection features on Android to guard your data against bad actors who might get past your screen lock by, for example, asking to quickly “borrow” your phone to look something up.

While not explicitly part of Android’s Theft Protection suite, the Advanced Protection mode plays a similar role. It’s a tool that lets you enable a host of security features at the system and app level with a single toggle. The latest Android 16 release introduces a way for apps to check if you have Advanced Protection turned on so they can enable their own security measures. For example, with Advanced Protection enabled, the Google Phone app automatically turns on caller ID and Call Screen, while Google Chrome enforces HTTPS connections and disables its JavaScript optimizer.

Quick Share does not currently offer additional security features when Advanced Protection is turned on, but that could change. A few weeks ago, Google updated Nearby — the underlying communications library that powers Quick Share — with new checks for Advanced Protection. Specifically, Google added a flag called “advanced_protection_enabled” to the library. When this flag is active, it will require the sender to confirm the transfer.

Because the Nearby library is separate from the Quick Share app and this integration isn’t live yet, we don’t know what kind of confirmation will be required. It could be a simple prompt, which wouldn’t add much protection, or it could require biometric authentication, which would ensure only authorized users can send files.

Our Authority Insights team will keep an eye out for future updates to the Google Play Services app to see if we can learn more about how Quick Share will integrate with Advanced Protection, so be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and podcast to stay up to date.