Have you seen this post going around social media?
It claims that Apple’s NameDrop feature is somehow dangerous because it allows you share contact information by bringing phones together. The way it’s worded it sounds like if you get your phone close enough to someone, they can get all your contact information. The post implies it’s important for you children’s safety to disable it. Many law enforcement agencies also shared this tip. So what’s the truth?
NameDrop is a feature that lets you share contact information with a nearby iPhone or Apple Watch by tapping the devices together. However, it’s totally up to you to do the sharing, you must confirm what you want to share. No one can steal your information.
Here’s how to use it:
- Do one of the following:
- Share from iPhone to iPhone or Apple Watch: Hold the display of your iPhone a few centimeters from the top of the other person’s iPhone or Apple Watch.
- 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, then bring your watch close to the other person’s Apple Watch.A glow emerges from both devices and Apple Watch vibrates to indicate a connection is being made.
- Continue holding your devices near each other until NameDrop appears on both screens.
- Choose to share your contact card and receive the other person’s, or to only receive the other person’s.To cancel, move the two devices away from each other or lock your iPhone before the NameDrop transfer completes.
Now, you can certainly choose to shut it off if you want to, but not because a passerby is going to steal your contact information.
To turn off NameDrop open Settings, choose General, select AirDrop, and switch Bringing Devices Together off.