How to share contact info on iPhone and Android
On iPhone, the fastest way to share contact info is NameDrop: on iOS 17 or later, hold the top of your unlocked iPhone against the top of the other person's iPhone and tap Share. On Android, open the contact in the Contacts app, tap Share, and send it by Quick Share or any messaging app. Between an iPhone and an Android phone — or with anyone who is not standing next to you — send the contact as a .vcf file or use a contact QR code, both of which every modern phone reads natively.
How to share contact info on iPhone
iPhone gives you four ways to share a contact, and which one to use depends on who is receiving it. The first two only work iPhone-to-iPhone; the last two work with anyone.
1. NameDrop (iPhone to iPhone, iOS 17 and later)
Apple-only. Both phones need iOS 17+, unlocked, with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on.
- Hold the top of your iPhone a centimeter or two from the top of the other person’s iPhone.
- Keep them close until both screens glow and your contact poster slides up.
- Tap Share to exchange details both ways, or Receive Only to just take theirs.
- Before sending, tap the phone number or email shown to choose exactly which details go out.
If nothing happens, check Settings › General › AirDrop › "Bringing Devices Together" is on — and remember NameDrop cannot share to an Android phone.
2. AirDrop a contact (iPhone, iPad, or Mac)
Apple-only. The recipient needs AirDrop receiving switched on.
- Open the Contacts app (or the Contacts tab in the Phone app).
- Tap the contact you want to send — tap My Card at the top for your own details.
- Tap Share Contact, then choose AirDrop and tap the person’s device.
- They tap Accept and the contact opens ready to save.
3. Share Contact from the Contacts app (works with anyone)
- Open Contacts and tap the contact (or My Card for yourself).
- Tap Share Contact.
- On iOS 16 and later, tap the field list first to untick anything you want to keep private — like a personal number.
- Choose Messages, Mail, WhatsApp, or any other app. The contact is sent as a .vcf file that iPhone and Android both open natively.
4. Share via Messages
- In a conversation, tap the + (or the apps row), then choose Contacts.
- Pick the contact card to attach and send it.
- The recipient taps the card and chooses Create New Contact — this works whether they are on iPhone or Android.
Tip: your own card lives at the top of the Contacts app as "My Card". If it is empty, set it up under Settings › Contacts › My Info first — every sharing method above uses it.
How to share contact info on Android
Android phones vary a little by manufacturer, but Google Contacts — installed on nearly every Android phone — covers all three routes. Samsung's Contacts app follows the same pattern.
1. Quick Share (Android to Android, nearby)
Formerly called Nearby Share. Works between Android phones (and Windows PCs), not iPhones.
- Open the Contacts app and tap the contact.
- Tap Share (on some phones it is under the three-dot menu).
- Choose Quick Share and tap the nearby device that appears.
- The other person taps Accept and saves the contact.
2. Share from Google Contacts (works with anyone)
- Open Google Contacts (the app, or contacts.google.com in a browser).
- Tap the contact, then tap the three-dot menu › Share.
- Pick any app — Gmail, WhatsApp, Messages. The contact is sent as a .vcf file.
- iPhone recipients tap the attachment and choose Create New Contact; it opens natively.
3. Send a .vcf file directly
- In Google Contacts, you can select several contacts at once and share them together — they export as a single .vcf.
- Attach the .vcf to an email or message like any other file.
- Any modern phone or email client opens a .vcf as a contact card, which makes this the most portable option of all.
iPhone to Android (where people actually get stuck)
The proximity features do not cross the platform line: NameDrop and AirDrop are Apple-only, and Quick Share is Android-only. There is no tap-phones-together option between an iPhone and an Android phone. What does cross the line is the humble vCard — so between platforms you have two reliable options:
- Send a .vcf file. Share Contact on iPhone, or Share on Android, then send it through Messages, WhatsApp, or email. Both operating systems open the attachment straight into their contacts app.
- Show a contact QR code. A vCard QR code is scanned by the built-in camera on both platforms — no file, no typing, no shared app. Make one once, save it to your photos or lock screen, and it works with every phone you will ever meet.
You can create one in about a minute with our free vCard QR code generator — no account, nothing uploaded.
When a QR code or digital card beats all of these
Every method above assumes the other person is either next to you or already in a conversation with you. A QR code or a digital business card covers the situations they cannot:
- People who are not near you — a QR code in an email signature, slide deck, or website shares your details with anyone who sees it, any time.
- Events and conferences — one code on a badge or phone lock screen replaces fumbling through share menus with every new person, on whichever platform they use.
- Printed materials — business cards, flyers, and posters cannot AirDrop; a printed QR code is the only way paper can put a contact into a phone.
- Details that change — a static QR or .vcf is frozen the moment you share it. A digital business card puts a link behind the code instead, so you can change jobs or numbers and every code already out there stays correct.
Frequently asked questions
How do I share my contact info on iPhone?
The fastest way between two iPhones running iOS 17 or later is NameDrop: unlock both phones and hold the top of your iPhone a couple of centimeters from the top of theirs, then tap Share when your contact poster appears. For anything else, open the Contacts app, tap the contact (or My Card for your own details), tap Share Contact, and send it by AirDrop, Messages, or Mail. Both routes send a standard vCard that any phone can save.
What is NameDrop and what do I need for it to work?
NameDrop is the iPhone-to-iPhone contact exchange Apple added in iOS 17. Both phones need iOS 17 or later, need to be unlocked, and need Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on; you then hold the tops of the two phones nearly touching until a glow appears and your contact card slides up. It only works between Apple devices — there is no NameDrop to an Android phone — and it can be switched off under Settings, General, AirDrop, "Bringing Devices Together".
How do I share a contact on Android?
Open the Google Contacts app (or your phone maker’s Contacts app), tap the contact, tap the three-dot menu or Share button, and choose Share. Android packages the contact as a .vcf file that you can send through Quick Share to a nearby Android phone, or through any messaging app or email to anyone at all — including iPhone users, who can open the .vcf and save it directly.
How do I send my contact info from an iPhone to an Android phone?
NameDrop and AirDrop will not work — both are Apple-only — so send the contact card as a file instead. On iPhone, open Contacts, tap My Card (or any contact), tap Share Contact, and send it via Messages, WhatsApp, or email; it arrives as a .vcf attachment that Android opens straight into the contacts app. A vCard QR code does the same job in person: the Android camera scans it and offers to save the contact, with no file sent at all.
What is a .vcf file?
A .vcf file (a vCard) is the standard file format for a contact card: one small file holding a name, phone numbers, emails, company, and more. Every major contacts app — iPhone Contacts, Google Contacts, Outlook — can both export and open .vcf files, which is what makes it the reliable way to move a contact between an iPhone and an Android phone. When you "share a contact" on either platform, a .vcf is usually what actually gets sent.
Can I choose which details get shared?
Yes, on both platforms. On iPhone, when you tap Share Contact (iOS 16 and later), you can tap the field list and untick anything you do not want to send — useful for keeping a personal number private while sharing a work email. NameDrop similarly lets you choose which phone number or email goes out before you tap Share. On Android, the share sends the fields saved on that contact, so the practical approach is to keep a "work card" contact for yourself containing only what you want to hand out.
Why is NameDrop not working?
The usual causes: one of the phones is on iOS 16 or earlier, one phone is locked, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi is off, or the feature is disabled under Settings, General, AirDrop, "Bringing Devices Together". The phones also need to be held top-to-top and almost touching — a few centimeters apart is already too far. And if the other phone is an Android device, NameDrop cannot work at all; send a .vcf or use a QR code instead.
How do I share contact info with someone who is not next to me?
Proximity features — NameDrop, AirDrop, Quick Share — all need the other person physically nearby, so for anyone remote you have two options. Send your contact card as a .vcf attachment through email or any messaging app, which works across every platform. Or put a contact QR code (or a link to a digital business card) in your email signature, slide decks, or website, so anyone who sees it can save your details whenever they reach it.