According to 9to5Mac, Apple is testing a significant AirDrop upgrade in iOS 26.2 developer beta 1 that would let users keep devices paired for file sharing for up to 30 days. The new system would work through PIN-based pairing, allowing two devices to remain visible to each other in AirDrop for an entire month without needing to repeatedly enable the “Everyone for 10 minutes” option. This would mark the first time Apple has offered persistent pairing between specific devices regardless of contact status. Users would be able to manage these permissions through Settings, though the feature isn’t currently active in the beta and could still change before public release. The discovery comes from code analysis of today’s iOS 26.2 beta 1 release.
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The privacy balancing act
Here’s the thing about AirDrop: Apple has been walking a tightrope between convenience and privacy for years. Remember when people could spam strangers in crowded places? That’s why we got the “Everyone for 10 minutes” limit in the first place. But that created its own problems – what if you’re collaborating with someone regularly who isn’t in your contacts? Having to toggle that setting every single time gets old fast.
This 30-day pairing option feels like Apple finally acknowledging that real-world use cases exist between “contacts only” and “complete strangers.” Think about coworkers who aren’t necessarily personal contacts, or family members with multiple devices. The PIN requirement adds that crucial verification step while giving people the persistence they actually need. It’s a smart compromise that maintains security while solving a genuine pain point.
Why now?
So why introduce this feature in iOS 26.2 rather than waiting for a major iOS 27 release? I suspect Apple is treating this as a refinement rather than a headline feature. They’ve been gradually improving AirDrop’s privacy controls over multiple updates, and this feels like the next logical step. Plus, with more people working hybrid schedules and collaborating across different devices, the limitations of the current system have become more apparent.
Basically, Apple seems to be recognizing that our digital relationships are more nuanced than just “contacts” and “non-contacts.” There’s a whole middle ground of people we interact with regularly but might not want in our permanent contacts list. This 30-day window gives users control without commitment – which honestly sounds pretty modern when you think about it.
The feature’s discovery through 9to5Mac’s Twitter and their YouTube channel shows how much digging happens in these beta releases. It’s not flashy, but it’s exactly the kind of quality-of-life improvement that makes a difference in daily use. Now we just have to wait and see if it survives the beta process.
