iOS 26.2 beta 3 arrived today, and while it’s relatively light on new features, the update has revealed a new AirDrop upgrade that had previously only been hinted at.
AirDrop one-time code feature coming in iOS 26.2
Earlier this month when iOS 26.2 beta 1 shipped, it included hints of a new AirDrop feature in the works.
Here’s what my colleague Marcus reported at the time:
Based on code reviewed by 9to5Mac, Apple seems to be working on a new option that will let users sync their devices for AirDrop through a PIN, in which case they “will be able to find each other in AirDrop when nearby for the next 30 days.”
Now today, iOS 26.2 beta 3 has revealed the first user-facing evidence of the new feature. It’s available in iPadOS 26.2 and macOS 26.2 beta 3 as well.
Inside the Settings app, the AirDrop menu now includes a new ‘Manage Known AirDrop Contacts’ section with the following description:
“You will automatically appear for 30 days to people you have shared a one-time code with.”
This matches what we were expecting based on the prior code leaks, indicating users will soon be able to authorize AirDrop for 30-day periods without adding each other as contacts.
At this time, beta 3 doesn’t seem to offer a way to actually generate a one-time code to share with another user.
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