If you’re facing the frustrating issue of Airdrop not working, you’re not alone. Many Apple users experience Airdrop problems when trying to send files between iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Airdrop is one of Apple’s most convenient features, allowing quick file transfers without using cables or external storage. However, when it stops working, it can be a major inconvenience. When a shared Wi-Fi network isn’t available, AirDrop relies exclusively on Bluetooth to find devices and transfer files. AirDrop in iOS 17, has become even more convenient thanks to adding more features like NameDrop.
If none of the above steps have solved your AirDrop issue, it could be down to a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi hardware issue. If why do network engineers need to learn linux in doubt, the best course of action is to contact Apple Support or check in to a Genius Bar at your nearest Apple store and they can run a diagnostic check on your device. If you’re trying to AirDrop files to a Mac but it doesn’t show as an option on the sending device, try limiting the strictness of your Mac’s firewall.
However, not all of them talk to one another as well as you would like. To make sure AirDrop works, you must make sure the Mac you are transferring to or from at least has mac OS X Yosemite. If AirDrop is still not working on your iPhone, go ahead and reset your device.
If you are transferring or receiving from an iPhone, make sure the other device is running at least iOS 7. Anything older than that will not be able to make AirDrop transfers work. AirDrop has long been one of the most celebrated features of the Apple ecosystem. Every Apple device in the market supports AirDrop and it is almost impossible to imagine life without this lightning-quick file exchange service. As you would expect, iOS 15 also carries this “life-altering” service.
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- If in doubt, the best course of action is to contact Apple Support or check in to a Genius Bar at your nearest Apple store and they can run a diagnostic check on your iPhone.
- When you want to make your iPhone last a little bit longer, you might be tempted to turn on the Low Power Mode.
- Next, tap on ‘Software Update’ at the top of your screen.
- Enter your device passcode for verification and follow the on-screen prompts to finish resetting the network settings.
- Bluetooth has a range of about 33 feet (10 meters) on modern iPhones, so make sure both devices you want to use AirDrop between are within this range, otherwise it might not work.
- If the file being shared is bigger than the permitted space, the file transfer will not succeed.
- Airdrop is one of Apple’s most convenient features, allowing quick file transfers without using cables or external storage.
This will open up all the available connections, one of which will be AirDrop. If the person you are sharing with is not in your Contacts list, AirDrop’s default settings will not allow you to exchange files. Thankfully, all you have to do is turn off the filter and you should be good to go. Before we get into the solutions, we must figure out whether the devices that we are trying to connect are capable of running AirDrop. Compatibility is key when it comes to such deeply-integrated features, and not all Apple devices are blessed to run AirDrop. If none of the above steps have solved your iOS 18 AirDrop problems, it could be down to a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi hardware issue.
Update iOS or iPadOS
Once this is complete, you’ll have to reconnect to every Wi-Fi and Bluetooth device you own or use. If not, there’s one more step you can try to hopefully put your AirDrop teething issues behind you. You won’t need the best iPhone to get AirDrop to work, as it has been around for a long time. However, if you’re on older tech, it’s possible you may not have the feature.
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However, some are not having an easy time getting it to work. If none of the above have solved AirDrop issues on an iOS 18 device, try doing a hard reset. A hard reset of your iPhone will not delete any data from it. In order to make the devices discoverable, you need to unlock the devices and keep the screens awake for the duration of the file transfer. You can put your AirDrop receiving setting to Contacts Only or Receiving Off at any time to control who can see your device and send you content in AirDrop.
Toggle Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Finally, enter your passcode and your iPhone’s network settings will be reset. If simply turning Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off does not do the trick, the next course of action is to restart your iPhone. You must also press and hold the Volume Down button simultaneously while pressing down. Now, when you get the power off slider, slide it towards your right until the screen goes dark. AirDrop depends on Bluetooth to connect to your nearby device.
AirDrop uses Bluetooth to discover the nearby devices and Wi-Fi to wirelessly share and receive the content. I use AirDrop frequently to share things quickly and it is a great feature when it works. If you still can’t send or receive files via AirDrop, it’s likely that the network configurations on your iPhone are to blame. In that case, your best option is to reset all the network settings and start over. Since AirDrop can be used between Macs, iPhones, and iPads, the first thing to check if you’re having a problem with AirDrop is to make sure your devices support it.
How to adjust AirDrop settings on Mac
- To make sure AirDrop works, you must make sure the Mac you are transferring to or from at least has mac OS X Yosemite.
- Restart your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and then try to use AirDrop again.
- Before we get into the solutions, we must figure out whether the devices that we are trying to connect are capable of running AirDrop.
- However, if you’re on older tech, it’s possible you may not have the feature.
- AirDrop has long been one of the most celebrated features of the Apple ecosystem.
If you’re experiencing issues with iPhone Mirroring, follow these steps to get it working again. Within months, this turned into a fully-fledged career as a freelance journalist. Before joining iMore, he was a staff writer at Gfinity and saw himself published at sites like TechRadar, NME, and Eurogamer. James is a staff writer and general Jack of all trades at iMore. With news, features, reviews, and guides under his belt, he has always liked Apple for its unique branding and distinctive the new gold or a mirage a tour de force or a huge bubble the best quotes about bitcoin style. Originally buying a Macbook for music and video production, he has since gone on to join the Apple ecosystem with as many devices as he can fit on his person.
From a Mac, click the Control Center icon in far right of the menu bar, and then make sure the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi switches are turned on. AppleGazette.com is home to a dedicated team of journalists, tech enthusiasts, and storytellers, all united by a passion for Apple products and news. We’re not just reporters; we’re devoted users and fans of the content we create, ensuring that we always stay connected to the pulse of our audience and the wider Apple community. Airdrop works best when devices are within 30 feet (9 meters) of each other. Now, let’s go through the solutions to fix Airdrop not working on your Apple devices. Image Playground is Apple’s dedicated image creation app that can build cartoon-like pictures based on text descriptions.
How to solve AirDrop not working issue on iPhone in 11 ways
You can select the Everyone option while using AirDrop and disable it when not in use. Use AirDrop to share and receive photos, documents, and more with other Apple devices that are nearby. If none of the above have solved AirDrop issues on an iOS device, try doing a hard reset. John-Anthony has years of experience working at Apple’s Genius Bar and has seen many AirDrop issues over the years. Luckily, AirDrop is quite easy to fix and the steps in this guide are likely to get everything working again in no time at all.
When someone shares something with you using AirDrop, you see an alert. If the person you’re sharing content with is in your Contacts, you’ll see an image with their name. If they’re not in your Contacts, you’ll see just their name without an image. On Mac, AirDrop settings can also be found in the Control Center, accessed in the far right of the menu bar. Just like for iPhone and iPad, sometimes updating your Mac can help resolve issues with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi which will in turn fix AirDrop. If toggling AirDrop itself doesn’t get things going, you can escalate the issue to the radios.
The Airdrop not working issue can be frustrating, but with the right troubleshooting steps, you can fix it quickly. Start with basic fixes like enabling Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, adjusting Airdrop settings, and restarting your devices. If the problem persists, advanced solutions like resetting network settings or updating your operating system may help. With AirDrop, you can quickly share stacks of photos, long videos, and even large files from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to nearby Apple devices. You can use AirDrop to send files in the manner of a saga to your own devices or to share files with others.
Here’s how to turn on the feature and customize AirDrop settings to change who’s allowed to AirDrop to you on iOS®, iPadOS®, and macOS®. Depending on settings for the other place you are trying to airdrop to, you would need to wait for them to accept the airdrop and if they don’t, it would eventually close out. So, to make sure you are having the best iOS 15 experience, you must make software updates a habit.