Microsoft Edge Drop was a built-in way to send files, photos, and notes between your own signed-in devices. Microsoft began retiring it in 2026, so the priority now is saving anything still in Drop and switching to a replacement that will remain available.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Microsoft Edge on Windows, Mac, and mobile if you used Drop or see a retirement notice. Microsoft says files sent through Drop are preserved in OneDrive, while text notes need to be exported with the Download text option before Drop disappears.
Rescue your files and notes before Drop disappears
Check this now if you have anything in Drop you care about.
- Open Edge and open the Drop panel while it is still available. Depending on your version, it may be in the sidebar or under the menu on mobile.
- Check your OneDrive Drop folder from onedrive.com or the OneDrive app to confirm that photos and files are present.
- For text notes, use the Download text button in the Drop panel. Notes are not automatically moved to OneDrive the same way files are.
- After confirming files are in OneDrive and notes are exported, stop relying on Drop for new transfers.
Use these alternatives for device-to-device sharing
These cover the main jobs Drop used to handle.
- OneDrive: Save a file to OneDrive on one device and open it from another. This is the most direct replacement because Drop already stored files there.
- Phone Link on Windows: Connect an Android phone or iPhone to a PC for moving photos, files, messages, and related content. Start in Windows Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mobile devices.
- Email or message yourself: Simple, universal, and reliable when the file is small enough.
- Nearby Sharing or AirDrop: Use Nearby Sharing for nearby Windows devices or AirDrop for Apple devices when both devices are in the same room and you want a direct transfer.
More control
Why Drop is going away
Drop depended on Edge’s Sidebar, and Microsoft has been reshaping that space around Copilot. Sidebar changes, Collections removal, and Drop retirement are part of that broader cleanup of lower-use Edge features.
Files and notes are handled differently
Drop files were backed by OneDrive, so they should remain available there. Text notes need manual export, which is why Microsoft added the Download text button during the retirement period.
Older Drop tutorials may be outdated
Guides that explain how to open Drop from the sidebar may no longer match current Edge versions. Treat them as historical if your browser already shows retirement messaging or no longer has the sidebar.
Drop was never for sending to other people
Drop moved items between your own signed-in devices. To send something to another person, use email, a messaging app, a shared OneDrive link, or another sharing service.
Sources
- Microsoft Support – Share files and messages between devices with Drop in Microsoft Edge (2025)
- Microsoft Edge Blog – Introducing Drop, a new way to share content across devices (2023)
- Microsoft Edge – Feature retirement notices (2026)