Introduction
Share contact iOS 17 comes with an exciting new feature called NameDrop that allows you to easily share your contacts with others nearby. NameDrop uses Bluetooth to detect nearby devices and AirDrop to securely transfer selected contact details.
With NameDrop, you don’t need to manually type in phone numbers or email addresses anymore. You can quickly share just the relevant contact details that the other person needs.
In this article, we’ll go through everything you need to know about sharing contacts using NameDrop on iOS 17.
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Overview of NameDrop
NameDrop allows quick and easy sharing of contacts between iOS devices. Here’s a quick rundown of how it works:
- It uses Bluetooth to detect nearby iOS devices that also have NameDrop enabled. The devices need to be within 30 feet of each other.
- You select which contact details to share – this could be the phone number, email address, home address etc.
- The selected details are securely transferred between devices using AirDrop. No data goes to Apple’s servers.
- The receiver gets a notification that someone wants to share a contact. Once they accept, the details are saved on their device.
- There’s an option to receive contacts as well. This allows you to get someone else’s details in your address book.
- NameDrop only works between Apple devices running iOS 17 or later. Both devices need to have Bluetooth and NameDrop enabled.
Sharing Contacts Using NameDrop
Here are the step-by-step instructions to share contacts using NameDrop on iOS 17:
1. Enable NameDrop
First, you need to enable NameDrop on your iPhone or iPad running iOS 17.
Go to Settings > General > AirDrop and turn on NameDrop. This enables both sharing AND receiving name cards using NameDrop.
2. Open Contacts and Select a Contact
Launch the Contacts app and select the contact you want to share. Tap on the contact to open their details page.
3. Tap Share Contact
At the top right, tap on the share icon. This opens up the share sheet with different options.
4. Select NameDrop
In the share sheet, you’ll see the NameDrop option. Tap on it to share with nearby iOS devices.
5. Select Details to Share
A preview will show the contact details. Tap the Edit icon at the top right.
This allows you to select exactly which details to share – phone, email, address etc. Deselect anything you don’t want to share.
6. Share Contact
Once you’ve selected the fields, tap Done at the top right. This will share the contact details with nearby devices using NameDrop.
On the receiver’s end, they’ll get a Share Contact request notification. Upon accepting, the details will be saved to their Contacts app.
And that’s it! The selected contact details will be securely shared via NameDrop to the recipient’s device.
Receiving Contacts via NameDrop
NameDrop also allows you to receive and save someone else’s contact details easily. Here’s how receiving works:
- First, make sure NameDrop is enabled in Settings on your device.
- When someone uses NameDrop to share a contact with you, you’ll get a notification for “Share Contact Request”.
- Tap on Accept. This will open the preview of details being shared.
- Tap Save to add the contact info to your Contacts app. The details will be saved as a new contact.
And that’s it! The shared contact details are securely transferred and saved on your device.
NameDrop Security and Privacy
NameDrop uses end-to-end encryption for sharing contacts. Here are some key security aspects:
- The contact details are encrypted before being shared via AirDrop.
- The encryption keys are generated on each device and never leave the device.
- Apple cannot decrypt the shared data as the keys stay on each user’s device only.
- Bluetooth is only used for device discovery. The actual data transfer happens via AirDrop.
- No contacts data is sent to Apple’s servers – the transfer happens directly between devices.
So you can rest assured that NameDrop is a secure and private way to share contacts. The data stays between the sender’s and receiver’s devices only.
Useful NameDrop Tips
Here are some tips to use NameDrop effectively:
- Both devices need to have Bluetooth and WiFi enabled to detect each other and share contacts.
- Keep the devices within 30 feet of one another for NameDrop to work.
- Share only the required contact details instead of the entire vCard.
- Turn on Show When Sharing toggle in Settings to identify contacts shared using NameDrop.
- If needed, you can turn off receiving NameDrop requests in Settings.
- NameDrop works great at events, meetings, and conferences to share details with new connections.
- Use the Receive Only mode to get someone’s details without sharing your contact.
- NameDrop can occasionally fail or take time to connect properly. Be patient and try again.
NameDrop Limitations
While NameDrop is very handy, it does come with a few limitations at launch:
- It only works between Apple devices running iOS 17 or iPadOS 17. Android and other platforms are not supported yet.
- Both devices need to have Bluetooth, WiFi and NameDrop enabled with permissions granted.
- Devices need to be within 30 feet of each other as it relies on Bluetooth discovery.
- The initial connection can sometimes fail or be slow to establish.
- Group contacts cannot be shared via NameDrop yet. Only individual 1:1 sharing is supported now.
- There is no UI to see connections history or manage previously shared contacts.
Hopefully Apple will expand NameDrop capabilities in future iOS updates. But even now, NameDrop delivers a frictionless way to share contacts that we’ve always wanted on iPhone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about sharing contacts using NameDrop on iOS 17:
Q: Does NameDrop work on older iOS versions?
A: No, NameDrop is available only on iOS and iPadOS 17. Older iOS versions do not support it.
Q: Can I stop random people from sending me NameDrop requests?
A: Yes, you can disable receiving NameDrop requests in Settings > General > AirDrop. Turn off Incoming NameDrop Requests.
Q: Do both devices need internet connectivity?
A: No, internet access is not needed for NameDrop. It uses Bluetooth for discovery and WiFi for sharing. Cellular or internet connectivity is not required.
Q: Is there a limit on how many fields I can share?
A: There seems to be no limit. You can share up to 15 different fields from a contact card via NameDrop.
Q: Can I share contacts from my email or social media accounts?
A: Unfortunately no. NameDrop only works with native contacts stored locally on your device. Online contact sources are not supported yet.
Q: Does the other person need to accept the NameDrop request?
A: Yes, sharing a contact via NameDrop requires explicit opt-in consent from the receiver before transferring data.
Q: Is there any way to see previously shared contacts?
A: There is no sharing history log currently. You need to rely on contact memories to see previously shared NameDrop contacts.
Q: Can I share a contact with multiple people at once?
A: No, group sharing is not possible. NameDrop can only share contacts in a 1:1 fashion between two iOS devices.
Conclusion
NameDrop provides an exciting new way to quickly share contacts using just your iPhone. With end-to-end encryption and no data going to Apple’s servers, NameDrop offers a private and secure way to exchange contact information.
While it has some limitations at launch, Apple will likely build upon NameDrop in the future. For now, it eliminates the need to manually type in phone numbers and email addresses.
Next time you want to share contact info with someone nearby, just use NameDrop on iOS 17! It makes sharing contacts seamless without compromising privacy.
Table summarizing the key points:
| Feature | Description |
| Enabled in | Settings > General > AirDrop |
| Detection range | 30 feet using Bluetooth |
| Transfer method | AirDrop WiFi |
| Data encrypted | End-to-end encryption |
| Fields selectable | Phone, email, address and more |
| Platforms supported | iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 |
| Internet required? | No, uses Bluetooth and WiFi |
| Group sharing | Not yet supported |
| Sharing history | None available |
