No, NameDrop in iOS 17 Isn’t a Privacy Concern. Here’s How to Use It

ByEmily Dolloff

One of the prominent new features in iOS 17.1 and watchOS 10.1 is NameDrop, which makes it easy to exchange contact information with someone merely by putting your iPhone or Apple Watch next to theirs. When you do that, you can share your contact card and receive theirs, or just receive theirs—nothing happens unless you initiate an action.

Unfortunately, some police departments have posted warnings about NameDrop on Facebook, insinuating that it’s a privacy concern. Nothing could be further from the truth. First, NameDrop requires the devices to be almost touching, so it’s implausible that it could be triggered inadvertently, and second, you must unlock your iPhone and tap a button to share your contact information with the other person. If you lock your iPhone or move it out of range, Apple says the transfer will be canceled.

There’s no harm in turning NameDrop off by default other than losing access to the feature, but it’s a sufficient win that we encourage you to leave it enabled.

Imagine you meet someone new at a conference and want to share contact information. Previously, you would have had to find your contact card at the top of the Contacts app or Phone app, tap Share Contact, choose which fields to share, tap Done, and then share it via AirDrop (which may require them to enable their receive settings in Settings > General > AirDrop > Everyone for 10 Minutes), Messages (after entering their phone number), Mail (after typing their email address), or another method. It’s a pain.

Here’s how sharing contact information with someone new works in NameDrop. (It only supports sending new contact information, not updating an existing contact.) Both of you must have an iPhone running iOS 17.1 or an Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch Series 7 or later, or second-generation Apple Watch SE running watchOS 10.1. To get started, either:

  • Share from an iPhone to another iPhone or an Apple Watch: Hold your unlocked iPhone close (almost touching) to the top of the other person’s iPhone or Apple Watch.
  • Share from an Apple Watch to another Apple Watch: Open the Contacts app on your Apple Watch, tap your picture in the upper-right corner, tap Share, and then put your watch close to the other person’s Apple Watch (Apple’s animation shows them being positioned face to face).

Keep the devices close together until NameDrop appears on both screens. On the iPhone, tap Share to exchange contact information or Receive Only to get theirs without sending yours. On the Apple Watch, you have only a Share button.

Next time you meet someone new and want to exchange contact information, give NameDrop a try. Alas, if they’re an Android user, you’ll have to fall back on the old, clumsy methods.

(Featured image based on an original by iStock.com/Caiaimage/Martin Barraud)

Social Media: Is iOS 17’s new NameDrop feature a privacy concern or a quick way to share contact info with a new friend? We think the privacy concerns are entirely overblown and explain how easy it is to use NameDrop.

Similar Posts

  • Airmail for iPhone

    As you may know, I have been using the Airmail mail client for some time and am a big fan of this alternative…

  • _Dear Friends,_

    I had a great trip up to Jasper, GA to pick up the 2003 Victory motorcycle. I took almost all two-lane roads and the weather cooperated although it was a bit chilly in the mornings. It got busier as I headed south in Florida but all in all it was a great way to spend the weekend.

    Small Dog Electronics is finishing up our 20th year in business and we are going to be changing out the 20-year anniversary banners and signs. Now that we are going to be 21 we are renewing our commitment to walking the walk as a socially responsible business. We feel that how we treat people, customers, employees, vendors or strangers is an equal measure of our success as to how we treat the planet and the profit we hope to make. Did you know that 100% of the electrical power for our S. Burlington store and about 85% of the power for our Waitsfield headquarters is generated from solar energy?

    When you form a “corporation”, if you tear down the word to its Latin base, it means to “form a body”. My high school latin teacher would be proud. As a body in society, a business has a bigger footprint than any individual. We have buildings, we consume resources, we generate waste and we have a huge impact on peoples lives. With that larger footprint comes a larger responsibility and that is the basis for our commitment to always measure our success by the triple bottom line of People, Planet and Profit.

    This week’s Kibbles & Bytes exclusive features the iPad mini 4. This model in Space Gray includes 64GB of storage and cellular capability. With the Retina display and Touch ID this incredibly thin and light iPad could be a complete solution. Because this model has cellular capability (cell contract required) you can use it anywhere where there is Wi-Fi or Cellular coverage. The iPad Mini 4 is my iPad of choice. I like the way it fits in one hand and is perfect for reading. It feels like you are holding a paperback book. This week, exclusively for Kibbles & Bytes readers we are offering the “iPad Mini 4 in Space Gray with AppleCare Plus”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900002167 for a special price. AppleCare Plus for the iPad extends the 1-year warranty to 2-years and also provides for coverage for accidental damage (i.e. broken screen, etc.) for up to two incidents for a $49 deductible. It also extends the 90-days of free Apple technical support to 2-years. Normally, this bundle is $729.98 but we are giving Kibbles & Bytes readers the opportunity to save $40 on this bundle. You get the iPad mini 4 64GB Cellular model with AppleCare Plus for only “**$689.98!**”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900002167