AirDrop is not working? Simple tips to quickly fix the problem
Air drop
What is AirDrop not working? Infact as any self-respecting Apple supporter knows, iPhones are packed with nifty features designed to make your life better (see you, Face ID). AirDrop lets you transfer anything (photos, documents, playlists, websites, location pins, etc. Of course, you can text or email someone just as quickly, but AirDrop is often much faster (especially if the files are shared, and you don’t need any contact information for this to work. The only catch is that both parties need a compatible device i.e., “Apple”.
Table of Contents
Which Apple devices are AirDrop compatible?
Since AirDrop sharing can be between Macs, iPhones, iPads, iPod touch, and other newer Apple devices, the first thing you need to check to see if there is an issue with AirDrop that isn’t working by making sure each model is compatible. AirDrop compatible devices contain:
In between Mac and IOS devices
- Contributing Macs must be running OS X Yosemite or higher and must not have been created before 2012 (except Mac Pro Mid 2012).
- Affected iOS devices must be using iOS 7 or higher
Between Mac
- MacBook Pro at least late 2008 (except 17-inch model late 2008)
- Mac Air since at least late 2010
- MacBook from at least the end of 2008 (except the white model at the end of 2008)
- iMac since at least early 2009
- Mac mini since at least mid-2010
- Mac Pro in early 2009 (specifically the model with the AirPort Extreme card) or mid-2010
- All iMac Pro models
How does AirDrop work?
With the help of Bluetooth, AirDrop creates a secure peer-to-peer WiFi network between the devices involved. Although a WiFi network is created between devices, you do not need to connect to the Internet or a router for AirDrop to work. You need to be close enough – within 30 feet – to make the connection. In short, you can easily share a file with someone in the next room as long as you have WiFi and Bluetooth turned on, and you are using compatible devices.
While you can fall victim to memes blasts and easy trolling if you open your settings to everyone, the connection is more secure than email, thanks to a protective firewall over the network. And encrypted files. Talk about accessibility!
Is AirDrop not working on iPhone, iPad or Mac? Could you fix it?
While sharing a correspondence, you asked yourself: “Why is my AirDrop not working?” Read our seven easy AirDrop troubleshooting steps.
Can others see your device?
It will probably sound a bit obvious, but the very first thing we recommend is your settings. AirDrop has three parameters:
1.Reception of / person: other AirDrop compatible devices cannot see your device.
2.Contacts only: Your device is visible only to people in your contacts list. Each device must be signed in to iCloud and contain each person’s Apple ID phone number and email address in the Contacts app.
3.Everyone: Your device is visible to all nearby devices using AirDrop.
If you want peace of mind and not to be fooled by memes, you may have turned off AirDrop reception. Therefore, make sure that all affected devices are in the correct setting. The Contacts Only setting can sometimes cause problems because the network needs to check if all participants are contacts. In this case, temporarily changing to Everyone may resolve the issue.
AirDrop not working – AirDrop iPhone Settings
To review or adjust AirDrop detection settings on an iOS device:
1.Settings> General> AirDrop> Select the desired setting option (or)
2.Open the Control Center (swipe up from the top right corner if you have an iPhone X or higher, an iPad with iOS 12 or higher, or iPadOS; swipe up from the bottom if you have an iPhone 8 or earlier How to use)> Open on the Network Settings card in the top left corner> AirDrop> click on the desired setting option
AirDrop reception blocked
AirDrop reception blocked
If the AirDrop Receiving Offsetting doesn’t work, navigate to:
Settings> Screen time> Content and privacy restrictions> Allowed apps> Make sure AirDrop is turned on or not
AirDrop Settings – Mac
AirDrop Settings – Mac
To check or adjust AirDrop detection settings on a Mac:
Start Finder> AirDrop> Click on Detect by:> Select the desired setting option
AirDrop not working on Mac? Check the firewall settings.
AirDrop not working on Mac? Check the firewall settings.
If you’re using a macOS firewall, you might not be able to see it. Repair:
On Mac Click the Apple menu> Next, System Preferences> Security & Privacy> Firewall tab> If the firewall is enabled, click the lock in the lower-left corner> Enter your administrator password> Firewall options> Disable all incoming connections to block
Are WiFi and Bluetooth enabled?
If AirDrop fails after reviewing the settings, continue with AirDrop troubleshooting by making sure both WiFi and Bluetooth are turned on. Bluetooth must be turned on for sharing, and compatible devices must be discovered within 30 feet, and WiFi must be turned on for transfer to take place. Although both are already activated, simply toggling them on and off will fix the problem.
AirDrop not working on iPhone
AirDrop not working on iPhone and iPad? Activate WiFi and Bluetooth.
To change WiFi and Bluetooth settings on an iOS device:
1.Settings> Wi-Fi / Bluetooth> Activate and deactivate Wi-Fi / Bluetooth> Repeat for each radio.
2.As a shortcut, you can also use airplane mode to switch between WiFi and Bluetooth simultaneously. It will completely reset both radio links. To do this, follow the below steps:
First Open Control Center> turn on airplane mode> wait 10 seconds> then turn off airplane mode
AirDrop not working on Mac – Toggle WiFi and Bluetooth
AirDrop not working on Mac? Activate WiFi and Bluetooth.
To change WiFi / Bluetooth settings on a Mac:
1.Click on the WiFi / Bluetooth symbol in the menu bar at the top left.> Deactivate WiFi / Bluetooth.> Click again on the WiFi / Bluetooth symbol.> Activate Wi-Fi / Bluetooth at. > Repeat for each radio
Before proceeding to the next step, there are a few more things you need to check about WiFi. Although you don’t necessarily need to be connected to a WiFi network or use the same network to use it. ‘it is connected to a WiFi network. AirDrop works; sometimes, it can help both devices connect to the same WiFi network. Although, the shared network cannot be a mobile hotspot connection. AirDrop does not work at all if you are using Personal Hotspot.
AirDrop not working? Deactivate the personal hotspot.
To deactivate the own hotspot:
1.Open Control Center> Open network settings card in the upper left corner> Disable personal hotspot Is each device awake?
While this suggestion seems reasonable, it’s one of the most common causes of AirDrop issues.
- For iOS devices: The screen must be active (but the lock screen is correct – you only need to accept AirDrop notifications when they appear) for AirDrop to work. Just press the sleep/wake button to wake up your device.
- For Macs: The screen may be grayed out. However, he must be awake. Just move the mouse, press a key, press the trackpad, or quickly press the power button.
Are Airplane and Do Not Disturb modes turned off?
Again, this trick might seem pretty obvious, but these are other common problems that AirDrop won’t work correctly. As mentioned earlier, turning on Airplane Mode turns off both WiFi and Bluetooth (which is ideal if you want to reset your radios, but not so much if you’re having trouble transferring data). AirDrop will not work when this feature is enabled. Open the Control Center or Settings to disable it.
Even if you don’t bother making sure you can get a night’s sleep or focus on work, it causes significant problems with AirDrop, at least when you’re trying to get the data. Not only does this prevent AirDrop notifications or requests from being delivered, but it also makes your device invisible. However, you can still share AirDrop information with other people if your device is set to Do Not Disturb.
To turn off Do Not Disturb:
1.For iOS devices: Open Control Panel> Turn off Do Not Disturb by touching the moon symbol
2.For Mac: in the menu bar, click the Notifications icon> Scroll up> Disable Do not disturb if necessary
If AirDrop isn’t working on your iPad (minus the 2018 iPad Pro) or an older iPhone (models six and up), perform a hard reset:
- Press and hold the power button (right for iPhone 6 / 6s, top for all other iOS devices).
- Press and hold the Power button, and then press and hold the Home button.
- Keep pressing both buttons while the screen turns off and then back on again until you see the Apple logo.
When was the last time you update your device?
While software updates can occasionally cause problems, updating to the latest version of iOS or macOS, in general, can be the final piece of the puzzle when it comes to solving AirDrop issues.
For iOS devices, go to:
- Settings> General> Software Update> And then Download and Install (if applicable)
AirDrop not working on Mac? Could you update it?
For Macs, go to:
1.System Settings> Software Update> Update Now (if applicable)
If all else fails, try resetting your networks
This final fix for iOS devices can be problematic. So we only recommend it if nothing else seems to work. Unfortunately, you’ll need to reconnect any Bluetooth and WiFi-enabled devices that you end up using. However, on the plus side, it may just be the ticket to get AirDrop to work again.
AirDrop not working on iPhone? Reset the networks.
To do this, go to:
1.Settings> General> Scroll down and tap Reset> Reset network settings> If prompted, enter your passcode> Tap Reset network settings again to confirm
Also Read: How To Create Home Server for Web Hosting
