At a Glance
With the release of iOS 17.1 and watchOS 10.1, Apple introduced NameDrop, which is a feature that allows iPhone and Apple Watch users to share contact information with other owners of the devices. While this makes sharing contact information much easier, several police departments issued warnings that the feature was a privacy threat, especially where children are concerned.
In this article, we’ll take a look at these concerns and determine whether or not Apple’s NameDrop feature actually is a privacy threat.
What Is Apple NameDrop? How Does It Work?
NameDrop allows iPhone and Apple Watch users to conveniently share contact information by simply holding the two phones or watches (or a combination of the two) to each other. The feature is enabled on devices by default on devices running iOS 17.1 or watchOS 10.1 or later.
The feature uses near field communication (NFC) to communicate, so the two devices must be held within 20 cm of each other.
To share or receive contact information via NameDrop, do the following:
- To share from iPhone to iPhone or to Apple Watch: Hold the display of your iPhone a few centimeters from the top of the other person’s iPhone or Apple Watch.
- To share from Apple Watch to another Apple Watch: Open the Contacts app on your Apple Watch, tap your picture in the top-right corner, tap “Share,” and then bring your watch close to the other person’s Apple Watch.
You’ll see a glow from the screens of both devices and your Apple Watch will vibrate to indicate a connection is being made. Continue holding your devices near each other until NameDrop appears on both devices’ screens.
Choose to share your contact card or share your card and receive the other person’s, or you can designate to only receive the other person’s card.
If you’re sharing your contact card, tap “>” and select the fields you want to share, then tap “Save.” Those fields will be selected by default when you use NameDrop in the future.
To cancel the contact card transfer, simply move the two devices away from each other or lock your iPhone before the transfer completes.
So, Why Should I Be Concerned?
Several concerned parties, including some law enforcement agencies, believe that a stranger could place their phone next to your iPhone or Apple Watch and steal your contact information. Or (DUM! DUM! DUM!) steal your child’s contact info.
In the US, Florida’s Longwood Police Department, Ohio’s Middletown Division of Police, Wisconsin’s Village of Mount Pleasant Department, and several other police departments issued warnings via Facebook, urging citizens to disable the feature to “keep their loved ones safe”.
These warnings were (of course) picked up by mainstream news outlets (who also did not appear to understand how NameDrop works), who also urged iPhone users to hastily disable NameDrop (not clickbaity at all. Yes, “clickbaity” is a real word, you will not be able to change my mind on this).
Why NameDrop Is NOT Really a Threat To You or Your Children
In reality, NameDrop is not a threat to you or your childrens’ privacy, especially if you take a few steps to secure your iPhone, steps that you should have already taken.
First of all, both iPhones need to be unlocked for NameDrop to work. As long as your iPhone is locked, it is all but impossible for a third-party to steal information from your unattended phone. You should already have your iPhone protected with a passcode, Face ID, or Touch ID. It only takes a few seconds to unlock your device, and that’s if you’re unlocking it with a passcode.
If you’re using your iPhone, and another person’s iPhone comes near enough to enable NameDrop, it will appear on their screen. You can then swipe from the bottom of the display, lock your device, or move your device away from the other device. If you do decide to share information with the other iPhone, you can share your contact card and receive the other person’s, or only receive the other person’s by manually selecting “Share” or “Receive Only.”
In none of the above cases does NameDrop pose much of a security or privacy threat.
When Should I Disable NameDrop?
While NameDrop does have several safeguards baked in, always leaving it enabled might not be right for every user. It might be right to disable NameDrop if it’s your child’s iPhone or if you’re a female iPhone user in certain situations.
If your child has an iPhone, I strongly recommend that you disable NameDrop. While there is little to no chance of a predator or other unsafe adult being able to obtain your child’s contact info (or even worse, that the creep can casually drop their contact info on the child’s iPhone), it’s a good idea to disable NameDrop.
While (hopefully) parents are still teaching their offspring to be wary of strangers, some children just don’t seem to fear strangers. A child may happily share their contact information if the person is friendly. Disabling NameDrop means the child cannot, by mistake or on purpose, share contact information with strangers.
As pointed out by Charlotte Hooper, Helpline Manager for The Cyber Helpline, NameDrop makes it tougher for a woman to give out a fake number when being pressured to give out her number to a stranger in a social setting, like in a bar or at a party. If both parties have an iPhone and the stranger knows how NameDrop works, there may also be pressure to use the feature to share “digits.”
How to Disable Apple NameDrop
If you decide you don’t want to take any chances with NameDrop it takes only a few steps to disable the feature:
- Open your iPhone’s Settings app.
- Tap “General”.
- Tap “AirDrop”.
- Toggle off “Bringing Devices Together”.
You can also tap “Receiving Off” to shut down any AirDrop-related functionality, including NameDrop.
In Closing
As we’ve seen, Apple’s NameDrop is a convenient and generally safe way to trade contact information with other iPhone users. However, you do need to take certain safety measures to ensure that your device is secured and prevents anyone from accessing your device without your knowledge.
Apple NameDrop FAQs
What Devices Can I Use NameDrop With?
NameDrop is available for iPhone models running iOS 17.1 or later, and for select Apple Watches running watchOS 10.1 (Apple Watch Ultra 1 and later, Apple Watch Series 7 and later, and Apple Watch SE 2nd generation).
Should I Avoid Updating My iPhone to iOS 17.1 or Later to Avoid Installing NameDrop?
It is never a good idea to not update your iPhone. In addition to new features, iOS updates almost always include patches for security issues. If you don’t keep your iPhone (or any device for that matter) updated, your device is at risk of hackers successfully attacking your device. If you’re not comfortable, keep your iPhone updated and then disable NameDrop, using the instructions I supplied earlier in this article.
Could I Share a Fake Phone Number And Email Address in NameDrop?
Yes, you could enter a fake phone number and fake email address in your contact information and choose to only share that info via NameDrop. Of course, you’ll need to make sure to change that to correct information if you’re in a situation where you need to share genuine contact info, like at a trade show or a business meeting (although there are plenty of jerks around in both of those situations also).
