With iOS 17, Apple introduced new features such as the contact card and an AirDrop feature that allows sharing contacts or media by bringing two iPhones close together. While convenient, many users are looking to turn off NameDrop on iPhone for reasons like privacy concerns.
Due to widespread concerns voiced on platforms like Facebook and other social media, there's been a growing apprehension about the safety of Apple's NameDrop feature in iOS 17. Many fear that this feature might allow strangers to sneakily obtain your contact information by simply bringing their phones close to yours.
This guide will delve into the reality of these safety concerns, examining whether NameDrop is indeed a security risk. Additionally, for those who prefer to err on the side of caution, we will provide step-by-step instructions to disable the NameDrop feature.
How to turn off NameDrop on iPhone
If you are concerned about the potential misuse of this feature in crowded places or in situations where someone could bring their phone close to yours without your consent, you always have the option to turn this feature off.
To turn off NameDrop on iPhone and disable contact sharing:
- Open Settings on your iPhone
- Go to General > AirDrop
- Toggle off the "Bring Devices Together" option
It's important to know that with AirDrop set to "Contacts Only," NameDrop is quite secure, so there's little need to worry about keeping it on. We'll discuss this further in the next section, so keep reading for more insights.
Is NameDrop on iOS 17 safe?
Contrary to rumours, the NameDrop feature in iOS 17 is actually safe, offering a secure and easy way to share contact information.
By default, AirDrop is set to "Contacts Only," which means that only people in your contacts list can send you data. To AirDrop your contacts (NameDrop) to someone not in your contacts, both parties would need to change their settings to "Everyone for 10 minutes."
Furthermore, even with the "Everyone" setting enabled, both parties need to actively approve the contact information exchange for it to be successful. This requirement for mutual consent adds an additional layer of security and privacy, ensuring that contact details are not shared without the explicit permission of both parties involved.