Guide #

Installation #

Add share_receiver as a dependency in your pubspec.yaml file:

flutter pub add share_receiver

Configuration #

Android

1. Edit your Android Manifest file, located in android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml and add/uncomment the intent filters and meta data that you want to support:

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <application
        android:label="share_receiver_example"
        android:name="${applicationName}"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher">
        <activity
            android:name=".MainActivity"
            android:exported="true"
            android:launchMode="singleTop"
            android:taskAffinity=""
            android:theme="@style/LaunchTheme"
            android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden|keyboard|screenSize|smallestScreenSize|locale|layoutDirection|fontScale|screenLayout|density|uiMode"
            android:hardwareAccelerated="true"
            android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize">
            <!-- ... -->

            <!-- Intent filters for share functionality -->
            <!--TODO: Add this filter if you want to handle shared text-->
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <data android:mimeType="text/*" />
            </intent-filter>

            <!--TODO: Add this filter if you want to handle shared images-->
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <data android:mimeType="image/*" />
            </intent-filter>

            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND_MULTIPLE" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <data android:mimeType="image/*" />
            </intent-filter>

            <!--TODO: Add this filter if you want to handle shared videos-->
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <data android:mimeType="video/*" />
            </intent-filter>
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND_MULTIPLE" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <data android:mimeType="video/*" />
            </intent-filter>

            <!--TODO: Add this filter if you want to handle any type of file-->
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <data android:mimeType="*/*" />
            </intent-filter>
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND_MULTIPLE" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <data android:mimeType="*/*" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
        <!-- ... -->
    </application>
    <!-- ... -->
</manifest>

iOS

1. Edit your iOS Info.plist file, located in ios/Runner/Info.plist. It registers your app to open via a deep link that will be launched from the Share Extension.

<!-- Uncomment below lines if you want to use a custom group id rather than the default. Set it in Build Settings → User-Defined -->
<!-- <key>AppGroupId</key>
<string>$(CUSTOM_GROUP_ID)</string> -->
<key>CFBundleURLTypes</key>
<array>
    <dict>
        <key>CFBundleTypeRole</key>
        <string>Editor</string>
        <key>CFBundleURLSchemes</key>
        <array>
            <string>ShareMedia-$(PRODUCT_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER)</string>
        </array>
    </dict>
</array>

2. Create Share Extension

   • In Xcode, go to the menu and select File → New → Target → choose Share Extension
   • Give it the name ShareExtension and save

3. Go to Build Phases of your Runner target and move Embed Foundation Extension to the top of Thin Binary.

4. Make the following edits to ios/ShareExtension/Info.plist

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <!-- Uncomment below lines if you want to use a custom group id rather than the default. Set it in Build Settings → User-Defined -->
    <!-- <key>AppGroupId</key>
    <string>$(CUSTOM_GROUP_ID)</string> -->
    <key>NSExtension</key>
    <dict>
        <key>NSExtensionAttributes</key>
        <dict>
            <key>NSExtensionActivationRule</key>
            <!-- The TRUEPREDICATE NSExtensionActivationRule that only works in development mode -->
            <!-- <string>TRUEPREDICATE</string> -->
            <!-- Add a new rule below will allow sharing one or more file of any type, url, or text content. -->
            <!-- You can modify these rules to your liking for which types of share content your app can handle. -->
            <string>SUBQUERY (
                extensionItems,
                $extensionItem,
                SUBQUERY (
                    $extensionItem.attachments,
                    $attachment,
                    (
                        ANY $attachment.registeredTypeIdentifiers UTI-CONFORMS-TO "public.file-url"
                        || ANY $attachment.registeredTypeIdentifiers UTI-CONFORMS-TO "public.image"
                        || ANY $attachment.registeredTypeIdentifiers UTI-CONFORMS-TO "public.text"
                        || ANY $attachment.registeredTypeIdentifiers UTI-CONFORMS-TO "public.movie"
                        || ANY $attachment.registeredTypeIdentifiers UTI-CONFORMS-TO "public.url"
                    )
                ).@count > 0
            ).@count > 0
            </string>
            <key>PHSupportedMediaTypes</key>
            <array>
                <string>Video</string>
                <string>Image</string>
            </array>
        </dict>
        <key>NSExtensionMainStoryboard</key>
        <string>MainInterface</string>
        <key>NSExtensionPointIdentifier</key>
        <string>com.apple.share-services</string>
    </dict>
</dict>
</plist>

5. Add a group identifier to both the Runner and ShareExtension targets

   • In Xcode, select Runner → Targets → Runner → Signing & Capabilities
   • Click + and select App Groups
   • Add a new group (default: your bundle identifier prefixed with group., e.g. group.com.company.app)
   • Repeat those steps inside the ShareExtension target using the same group id

6. (Optional) If you used a custom group identifier that isn't your bundle identifier prefixed by group., add a custom build setting in both targets:

   • Go to Targets → ShareExtension → Build Settings
   • Click + → Add User-Defined Setting
   • Key: CUSTOM_GROUP_ID, Value: your app group identifier
   • Repeat for the Runner target

7. Wire up the Share Extension view controller

   The Share Extension serializes the shared content and saves it to the shared container, then opens a deep link back into the main app. The extension itself is lightweight — it does not embed Flutter.

   Important

   The Share Extension must not link FlutterGeneratedPluginSwiftPackage. That package pulls in the Flutter framework, which is too large for an extension. Use share-receiver-models (SPM) or share_receiver_models (CocoaPods) instead — both are Flutter-free.

   ---

   Swift Package Manager

   The share_receiver package exposes a lightweight share-receiver-models product that contains only the extension-safe code (no Flutter dependency).

   Step 1 — Add share-receiver-models to your Share Extension target in Xcode:

   • Select your ShareExtension target → General → Frameworks and Libraries
   • Click +, search for share-receiver-models and add it

   If share-receiver-models does not appear in the list:

   • Go to File → Add Package Dependencies → Add Local
   • Navigate to ios/Flutter/ephemeral/Packages/.packages/share_receiver/
   • When prompted to choose products, add only share-receiver-models to the ShareExtension target (do not add share-receiver or add anything to the Runner target)

   Step 2 — Verify the Share Extension does not link FlutterGeneratedPluginSwiftPackage:

   • Select your ShareExtension target → General → Frameworks and Libraries
   • If FlutterGeneratedPluginSwiftPackage is listed, remove it

   Step 3 — Replace ShareExtension/ShareViewController.swift:

   import share_receiver_models
   
   class ShareViewController: ShareReceiverServiceViewController {}
   

   ---

   CocoaPods

   Option 1 — Lightweight (recommended): share_receiver_models pod (no Flutter dependency)

   Add the following inside ios/Podfile within the target 'Runner' do block, then run pod install inside the ios directory.

   target 'Runner' do
     use_frameworks!
     use_modular_headers!
   
     flutter_install_all_ios_pods File.dirname(File.realpath(__FILE__))
   
     # share_receiver start
     target 'ShareExtension' do
       inherit! :search_paths
       pod 'share_receiver_models', :path => '.symlinks/plugins/share_receiver/ios/share_receiver'
     end
     # share_receiver end
   end
   

   Replace ShareExtension/ShareViewController.swift with:

   import share_receiver_models
   
   class ShareViewController: ShareReceiverServiceViewController {}
   

   Option 2 — Full pod (share_receiver) with Flutter dependency

   Note

   This option links the Flutter framework into the Share Extension, which increases the extension binary size significantly. Prefer Option 1 unless you have a specific reason to use this approach.

   target 'Runner' do
     use_frameworks!
     use_modular_headers!
   
     flutter_install_all_ios_pods File.dirname(File.realpath(__FILE__))
   
     # share_receiver start
     target 'ShareExtension' do
       inherit! :search_paths
     end
     # share_receiver end
   end
   

   Replace ShareExtension/ShareViewController.swift with:

   import share_receiver
   
   class ShareViewController: ShareReceiverServiceViewController {}
   

   Make sure the Xcode scheme has a Pre-Action Script so Flutter is available before the build:

   • Xcode → Product → Scheme → Edit Scheme → Build → Pre-action → Add Run Script

   /bin/sh "$FLUTTER_ROOT/packages/flutter_tools/bin/xcode_backend.sh" prepare
   

Example #

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:share_receiver/share_receiver.dart';

void main() {
  runApp(const MyApp());
}

class MyApp extends StatefulWidget {
  const MyApp({super.key});

  @override
  State<MyApp> createState() => _MyAppState();
}

class _MyAppState extends State<MyApp> {
  SharedData? _sharedData;

  @override
  void initState() {
    super.initState();
    _initShareReceiver();
  }

  @override
  void dispose() {
    ShareReceiver.instance.dispose();
    super.dispose();
  }

  Future<void> _initShareReceiver() async {
    // Get initial sharing data (if app was opened via share)
    final initial = await ShareReceiver.instance.getInitialSharing();
    if (initial != null) {
      print('Received initial share data: $initial');
      setState(() => _sharedData = initial);
      // Clear the initial data
      ShareReceiver.instance.clear();
    }

    // Listen for shares while app is running
    ShareReceiver.instance.getMediaStream().listen((data) {
      print('Received share data: $data');
      setState(() => _sharedData = data);
      // Clear the received data
      ShareReceiver.instance.clear();
    });
  }

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return MaterialApp(
      home: Scaffold(
        appBar: AppBar(title: const Text('Share Receiver Example')),
        body: Padding(
          padding: const EdgeInsets.all(16.0),
          child: Center(
            child: Column(
              mainAxisSize: .min,
              spacing: 8.0,
              children: [
                Text('Shared data: ${_sharedData?.toString() ?? 'No data'}'),
              ],
            ),
          ),
        ),
      ),
    );
  }
}

See the example here for runnable project of various usages.

Bugs or Requests #

If you encounter any problems feel free to open an issue. If you feel the library is missing a feature, please raise a ticket on GitHub and I'll look into it. Pull request are also welcome.

See Contributing.md.

Support #

Don't forget to give it a like 👍 or a star ⭐

Activities #