AirDrop is a fast and easy way to share photos, files and links between your iPhone, iPad and Mac. AirDrop is one of my favorite features within the Apple ecosystem. . The only problem is that it doesn’t always work. If that sounds like your current experience with AirDrop, this article offers some troubleshooting steps that may help.
When AirDrop is working, you can share photos, documents, videos, audio recordings, contact cards, web links and notes (among other things) quickly and painlessly between Apple devices. 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.
Check Your Device Supports AirDrop
iPhone and iPad: To use AirDrop on iOS or iPadOS, you’ll need an iPhone 5 or newer, iPad 4 or newer, iPad mini, or fifth-generation iPod touch. iPhones need to be running iOS 7 or newer, and iPads must be running iPadOS 13 or newer. Note that continuing AirDrop transfers over the internet/cellular requires iOS 17.1 or iPadOS 17.1 or newer.
Mac: All Mac models released in 2012 and later and running OS X Yosemite or newer support AirDrop. You can quickly confirm that your Mac is compatible with AirDrop by clicking the Finder icon in the Dock and selecting Go in the menu bar. If AirDrop is not listed as an option, then your Mac is not compatible with the feature.
Make sure Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are turned on
To use AirDrop, you and the person you’re sending files to needs to have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on
From an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Wi-Fi. Make sure the switch next to Wi-Fi is turned on. Then tap the back button to go back to the main Settings page and tap Bluetooth. Make sure the Bluetooth button is on as well.
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.
Check AirDrop Settings
There is one inactive setting and two active settings for AirDrop: Receiving Off prevents anyone from sharing anything with you over AirDrop, Contacts Only limits shares to people whose email address or mobile number appears in your contacts, and Everyone for 10 Minutes temporarily accepts shares from any sender (Note: On earlier versions of iOS and iPadOS, the latter option is called Everyone. The 10-minute limit was introduced to help prevent users from becoming the victim of an unsolicited AirDrop share.)
If you’re having trouble getting AirDrop to work, try switching to Everyone for 10 Minutes (or Everyone) if it’s not already selected.
On iPhone or iPad: Open the Control Center panel, then push and hold the wireless connection icon until it expands into a rectangle. Last, tap AirDrop and choose either Contacts Only or Everyone for 10 Minutes.
On a Mac: Click the desktop to switch to the Finder, then choose Go > AirDrop (from the Go menu at the top of the screen). An AirDrop window opens. Anyone nearby with AirDrop enabled will appear in this window. At the bottom of the window, choose either Contacts Only or Everyone.
Make sure your devices are close together
When a shared Wi-Fi network isn’t available, AirDrop relies exclusively on Bluetooth to find devices and transfer files.
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.
Make Sure Your iPhone or iPad is Unlocked
A locked iPhone or iPad will not be visible to others, and if you receive the request while your device is locked, you won’t see the notification pop-up.
Ensure that both devices are powered on and unlocked when attempting to AirDrop a photo or video to a friend or receiving an AirDrop request.
Turn off Personal Hotspot
If either of you has a Personal Hotspot enabled, turn it off, otherwise AirDrop won’t work.
- On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Personal Hotspot, or Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot.
- Turn off Allow Others to Join.
Turn off your VPN
If either of you is using a VPN, turn it off, otherwise AirDrop won’t work. It’s not clear why this is, but it might have something to do with the way a VPN encrypts your internet connection.
On an iPhone or iPad:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap VPN & Device Management.
- Tap VPN.
- Toggle Status to Not Connected.
On a Mac:
- Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click VPN in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
- Turn off the VPN you are connected to.
Try restarting your device
Restarting your device can fix AirDrop issues. Restart your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and then try to use AirDrop again.
Check your device’s battery power
AirDrop uses a combination of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to work, both of which use a lot of energy. So if your device’s battery is too low, it can cause AirDrop issues.
If your battery is at less than 20%, try charging it and then try your AirDrop transfer again. If you can’t access a power source, check your device’s battery settings to see if Low Power Mode is on. If it is, temporarily turn off the feature and attempt the transfer again.
Make sure you have enough storage space
If your storage capacity is at its limit, you may not be able to use the feature effectively, both for sending AirDrop files and receiving AirDrop file transfers. Check out our guide on how to free up storage on your iPhone.
What to do if AirDrop is still Not Working
If none of the above steps have solved your AirDrop issue, it could be down to a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi hardware issue. 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 device.