With the first beta of iOS 26.2 now available, MacWorld discovered that Apple is working on a new privacy feature for AirDrop. According to the publication, the company might soon require a PIN code for the first time users connect their devices for sharing data.
If Apple ends up adding this feature, this would mark the biggest update to AirDrop since iOS 18’s NameDrop and iOS 16.2’s “Everyone” 10-minute limit restriction. What’s most interesting about the 10-minute limitation is that Apple first added it in China as protesters at the time were using Apple’s tool to spread posters opposing Xi Jinping and the Chinese government.
This time, Apple’s decision to upgrade AirDrop’s privacy could be related to the European Union’s DMA legislation, as the company will have to offer AirDrop-like functionality to third-party developers. The latest DMA requirements say Apple needs to improve interoperability between its software and third-party devices, so it will have to support alternative solutions to AirDrop and AirPlay services, among other changes.
How the new AirDrop PIN functionality might work
According to MacWorld, iOS 26.2 beta code shows that users will have to set a PIN code for AirDrop that others will have to input before initiating an AirDrop transfer. References to “AirDropPINPairing” make even more sense, as the publication also discovered with iOS 26.1 another feature called “AirDropPrivacyImprovements.”
9to5Mac also shared some details about this feature, and it says the new PIN functionality will keep AirDrop pairing active “when nearby” for up to 30 days. Currently, Apple offers three visibility settings for AirDrop: Receiving Off, Contacts Only, and Everyone for 10 minutes.
As Apple just started the beta cycle of iOS 26.2, we still have at least a month before we get a better look at this potential feature. In addition to that, Apple is working on several other new features, such as expanding Live Translation to Europe and making more tweaks to Liquid Glass. We will let you know once we learn more about the changes in iOS 26.2.
