Recently, the Middleton Police Division in Ohio issued a warning to parents about a new iPhone feature that is turned on by default after the update to iOS 17.1 earlier this year. The feature, called “NameDrop,” allows two iPhones to exchange contact information and pictures by holding the display of their iPhone close to the top of the other person’s iPhone and tapping on the screen. Parents are urged to turn off this feature on their children’s iPhones to prevent them from sharing personal information with strangers.

To disable “NameDrop,” go to Settings > General > AirDrop > Bringing Devices Together and turn off the toggle switch. Several police divisions across the country, including the Watertown, Connecticut police, have issued warnings about this feature.

While some iPhone users have pointed out that the feature requires input from the users and does not automatically exchange personal contact information, it is still recommended to disable it on children’s iPhones.

Here are the steps to share contact information using “NameDrop”:
1. Hold the display of your iPhone close to the other person’s iPhone or Apple Watch.
2. Continue holding the devices near each other until NameDrop appears on both screens.
3. Choose to share your contact card and receive the other person’s, or to only receive the other person’s.

It’s important to cancel the transfer by moving the devices away from each other or locking your iPhone before the NameDrop transfer completes.