Easy ways to enable AirDrop on any version of iOS. Why Airdrop doesn't work and what to do about it: the most common problems and their solutions

Airdrop is a feature for sharing files between different Apple devices running iOS 7 and higher. At first it was implemented only on iMac computers, but now you can connect everything with each other - both desktop and mobile.

Any problem can be solved technically

Despite all the convenience of this technology, users quite often complain about its unstable operation: even if everything works well now, there is no guarantee that tomorrow you will be able to send files again without problems. And even more so, difficulties may arise if you purchased a new smartphone or tablet and are trying to exchange files with existing ones. Why is this happening?

This problem can manifest itself in different ways. For example, the next time you try to transfer photos or other materials, you will find that Airdrop does not work: the computer and tablet cannot see each other. Or the icon for this program may not be found at all in the iOS control center. Let's take a closer look at these situations and ways to get out of them.

General condition for everyone: the software on all Apple devices must be updated to the latest. If we are talking about MacBook or iMac computers, then it makes sense to set up Airdrop only if their year of manufacture is no earlier than 2008 for MacBooks and 2009 for iPads.

The program icon has disappeared from the Control Center

This often happens when trying to set up the sharing function on a new device: you want to launch and configure Airdrop, but not only does it not work - you don’t even find the corresponding icon in the menu. This problem can be solved quite simply: in the General Settings of your iPad or iPhone, find the “Restrictions” item and turn on the toggle switch next to Airdrop.

After exiting Settings, you will see this program among the Control Center icons. If this does not happen, reboot your device.

What to do if devices do not find each other

The first thing you should do is carry out a standard check: restart your computer and iPad, turn Airdrop on and off on both devices, check (“only for contacts” or “for everyone”). Continuity and Handoff features must also be enabled.

If all of the above is done, but Airdrop still does not work normally, there is one more point - implicit, but very often causing problems with communication between devices for file sharing. This is the absence of a Bluetooth pair that connects, for example, iPad and MacBook.

When you purchase a new iPad and set it up, the Bluetooth communication settings should turn on automatically. In practice, the following happens: the Bluetooth pair is not saved, and therefore communication cannot be established.

In this case, you need to create the pair again:

Make sure Bluetooth is turned on on both your computer and tablet.
On your computer, go to System Preferences and find Bluetooth.
Start searching for devices, find your new iPad and create a pair.
Enter the suggested code on both devices.

After this, the MacBook and iPad will appear in each other’s list of available recipients, and the issue will be resolved. Now you can try sending files from your tablet to your computer and vice versa. To see if this works, try deleting the pair and creating it again and you will see a pattern.

Conclusion

Got a new iPad but can't set up the Airdrop file transfer service? The instructions for such equipment usually have checklists that you can go through in search if something doesn’t work. We have analyzed the most common causes of this service malfunction and offer you several ways to eliminate them. Have you encountered a similar problem? Have you found a solution? Share your experience in the comments.

Apple devices are characterized by stability, reliability and quality. Nowadays, almost all portable models are united by iOS, which works great on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. However, sometimes even it fails. In this case, there is no need to panic. The following will outline the main iOS errors and how to solve them. All errors on iOS are related like

iOS, as a closed platform, has one significant advantage - it is much better protected from viruses than an open operating system, and therefore from leaks of the user’s personal data. However, being closed also has a lot of disadvantages, and if most have already gotten used to the inability to connect the iPhone to a PC as a flash drive in order to throw off a couple of files (and everyone seems to have figured it out with the iTunes program, created specifically for exchanging i-gadget content with a PC), the impossibility of exchanging files via Bluetooth still surprises many.

Yes, Buetooth in i-devices only serves to connect with headsets and other wireless gadgets, but you won’t be able to transfer, say, a photo to a friend. However, in 2013, i-users had a good alternative for exchanging files, an option called AirDrop. What this option is, to whom it is available, how to configure it, and why it may not work - we will tell you in this material.

AirDrop Limitations

AirDrop is not only a very convenient file sharing option, it is also secure. When this option is activated, a secure network is created, information within which is transmitted in encrypted form. In addition, the use of a Wi-Fi network makes the exchange really fast. It would seem that everything is perfect, but, of course, there is a but. AirDrop, unfortunately, has a number of limitations.

Firstly, it’s worth saying that using AirDrop you can only exchange between Apple devices. It will not be possible to transfer a file from an iPhone to, say, an Android smartphone using it.

Secondly, not every i-gadget has access to AirDrop on iPhone 4/4S and older i-smartphones cannot work with this option; it is supported by iPhone 5 and younger Apple phones. As for the iPad, the iPad Pro, iPad 4 (and later), iPad Mini (and later) will be able to work with this option. AirDrop is also supported by iPod touch (fifth generation and later models), but with Apple computers everything is very complicated; you can see the list of PCs that work with the option in the picture.

You will be surprised, but there is more to come with restrictions. It turns out that not all content can be transferred using AirDrop; photos, for example, can be sent, but music will not work. Copyright protection at its finest.

Well, and one more thing. If users want to exchange contacts, they must both be signed into iCoud.

How to use Airdrop on iPhone and other mobile i-devices?

In order to transfer a file via AirDrop from a mobile i-device, you must:

How to use Airdrop on Mac and other Apple computers?

Sending a file from an Apple computer to any other i-device is even easier:

That's it! Ready!

AirDrop Problems and How to Fix Them

At the time of its release, AirDrop worked, it must be said, with numerous glitches. Today everything is more or less debugged, but we cannot say that the option functions perfectly. Quite often, when trying to transfer a file, the iPhone does not see the “destination”, and often the AirDrop option completely disappears from the control center. How to solve these problems?

First of all, make sure that your problem is not related to the limitations of the option - for example, there is no point in looking for AiDrop, say, on the iPhone 4S - this smartphone simply does not support this technology (read the full list of limitations just above in the section “AirDrop Limitations”).

located no more than 9 meters from each other
connected to the same Wi-Fi network
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are active - when AirDrop is turned on, they should, in theory, be activated independently, but you never know

In addition: for mobile i-devices - make sure that they are not locked; for Apple computers, that they are not in sleep mode and the “System Settings” / “Buetooth” window is open (you can minimize it, the main thing is not to close ).

All the conditions for correct transfer are met, but AirDrop does not see the iPhone or any other i-device, or the option itself has disappeared from the control center? Then let's deal with the more serious causes of the problems.

As you know - “Seven troubles - one reset”, and therefore if everything seems to be configured correctly, but the connection does not work, try turning AirDrop off and on on both devices and reconnecting. If this measure does not help, disable the option again, restart both devices, turn it on and try to establish a connection again.

"For everyone" mode

Quite often, AirDrop refuses to see a device in “Contacts Only” mode, even if the recipient is in the sender’s contact list. Try activating the “For everyone” mode for a while (we recommend refraining from this measure in a public place) and check if the situation has returned to normal.

“Playing” with the settings

Situations are not uncommon when one or another i-device setting interferes with the organization of the transfer.

For iPhone, check the following:

For Appe computers:

Pairing

When AirDrop is activated, a Buetooth connection should be created automatically, but sometimes this does not happen. In this case, for iPhone and other mobile i-gadgets:

For Apple computers:

I don't see the option itself

If your problem is that you don’t see the AirDrop option itself in the control point, although your device should support it, then try this:

Nothing helps

If none of the above instructions helped you get started with AirDrop, try updating the firmware on your i-device to the latest one or contact Apple's Russian-language support service.

Let's summarize

For all its advantages, AirDrop can cause a lot of trouble. Not only does it have a lot of restrictions, but even if your device does not fall under them, it quite often refuses to work correctly. Therefore, it is no wonder that the majority of Apple device users still prefer to transfer files via email, instant messengers or social networks, although AirDrop was released more than three years ago!

AirDrop, a peer-to-peer technology for wirelessly sharing content between iOS and OS X devices, is widely regarded as one of those features that doesn't “just work.”

But it's not that simple. As it turns out, most of the time the AirDrop problems people encounter can be resolved fairly easily. That's why you shouldn't give up on AirDrop even if it works. Chances are there's a good explanation and simple solution to the AirDrop snag you've been experiencing.

AirDrop can save you a ton of time, so here's hoping our troubleshooting tips will convince you to give this really, really great thing another chance. If AirDrop isn't working properly for you, read on to find out how you can do some basic troubleshooting.

Is your AirDrop device discoverable?

AirDrop must be manually enabled in Control Center on iOS devices and in the Mac Finder for it to work. On iOS, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open Control Center and tap AirDrop to choose discovery mode.

To control who you can share content with, use the following AirDrop options:

* Off - No one can see your device, but you can still forward your message to someone.

* Contacts only - Only contacts in your address book can see your device as an AirDrop destination. Both devices must be signed in to iCloud (Mail), and the email address or phone number associated with your Apple ID must be in the Contacts app on the receiving device. This option is good for added privacy as it will prevent AirDrop requests coming from random or unknown users.

* All nearby users of a similar device can see your device using AirDrop. This is the recommended option for most users.

Is free Wi-Fi and Bluetooth included?

On iPhone, iPod touch (a portable media player from Apple's iPod series), and iPad, you can simply tap the AirDrop icon in the AirDrop menu to automatically turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when one or both options are disabled.

Are your devices within 9 meters of each other?

Check the distance between devices. Airdrop uses Bluetooth detection to ensure that the device you are trying to airdrop is within 9 meters of yours. If necessary, move the devices closer together to improve Bluetooth reception. Bluetooth is especially susceptible to physical obstacles such as concrete walls.

Is the receiving device's screen turned on?

AirDrop is only available when the receiving iOS device's screen is turned on. On a Mac, AirDrop works when the display is asleep, as long as the computer itself has not entered sleep mode. Trade requests appear as notifications on the iOS lock screen so you can tap to accept the send.

As mentioned, AirDrop stops functioning when the receiving device goes to sleep, either automatically or manually (on an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, press the Sleep/Wake button once). Until your device wakes up, its icon won't appear as an AirDrop recipient on other devices.

Is airplane mode activated?

Airplane mode turns off all radios in your iOS device. As mentioned, AirDrop requires Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to be turned on. To exit Airplane mode, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and remove the Airplane mode icon from the menu, or toggle the Airplane mode switch in the Settings menu.

If the iPhone Mirror option is enabled in the Clock app on your iPhone under the My Watch Airplane Mode icon, then turning on Airplane mode on your watch will cause it to work on your iPhone and vice versa.

Is Personal Hotspot mode enabled?

Personal Hotspot mode conflicts with AirDrop because both features require Wi-Fi for themselves. On iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, a message will appear in the AirDrop menu warning that “AirDrop is not available when using Personal Hotspot.”

To disable the Personal Hotspot hotspot feature on iOS, toggle the Personal Hotspot switch in the Personal Hotspot Settings menu to OFF.

Are both devices signed into iCloud for data storage?

To use AirDrop in Contacts-only mode, both devices must be signed in to iCloud in iCloud Settings, and the email address or phone number associated with your Apple ID must be saved in the receiving device's Contacts app, otherwise they will be unavailable.

Does your app support AirDrop?

The vast majority of third-party applications provide access to AirDrop through the system-wide Share menu (system

shared resource management), but some do not. Check the App Store description or contact the developer to make sure the app supports AirDrop. Some apps may purposefully disable AirDrop for copyright reasons. For example, you can't share music or video files via AirDrop from Apple's own apps such as video and music.

Multiple file transfers failed?

Airdrop greets you with the message “Can't get all these items at once” on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad? This is because you are trying to send multiple files from Mac to iOS device, of different types.

AirDrop for iOS was designed to automatically open received items in the corresponding app, so it cannot handle different types of files in a single session. For example, if you select an image, PDF file, and Word document in Finder, and then transfer those files to iPhone, you will receive an error message.

Instead, submit each File Type separately: first the image, then the PDF, and finally the Word document. AirDrop lets you send as many files as you need, but Mac-iOS sessions are limited to one type of item (i.e. a few images, a bunch of web links, etc.).

Is AirDrop enabled on both ends?

This may sound stupid, but if I had a nickel for every time I heard this word, I'd be a rich guy. If Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, or both, are disabled on your device, then AirDrop will not work and you will see a warning message to enable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Strange characters in the name?

I've found that using non-standard characters to name networks and devices often leads to a bewildering array of annoying problems. To protect yourself from this problem, avoid using spaces, international characters, and other special characters such as *, $, #, and %.

If necessary, rename the Wi-Fi network and configure names for your router on the iOS network. iOS devices can be renamed in the Settings menu name. Oh, and reboot your devices after renaming them to help propagate the changes across the network.

AirDrop now appears in Control Center?

Your parents can restrict AirDrop on iOS using the restrictions feature. On your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, go to Settings General Restrictions and enter your restrictions password (tip: it must be different from your device password). Make sure the switch next to AirDrop under the Allow heading is set to on, or AirDrop will not be available on this device and will not appear in Control Center.

AirDrop devices on the same Wi-Fi network

AirDropping your Mac device doesn't require you to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your iOS device, but it helps if it is. To make sure your devices are on the same network, on each iOS device, go to Wi-Fi Settings and compare network names. Do the same on Mac computers by clicking the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar.

How about resetting network settings?

Resetting network settings can solve a number of problems—especially since AirDrop uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, both of which are part of network settings. To reset your network settings, select Settings General reset reset network settings.

This will erase all network settings on your iOS device and return them to factory settings, so you'll need to re-enter passwords for secure Wi-Fi networks.

"I can't AirDrop photos on my iPhone 6s."
"What to do if iPhone 8 AirDrop does not work between iPhone, iPad, Mac."

You may want to know what AirDrop is and what AirDrop can do. But when you plan to transfer some files from iPhone to MacBook or iPhone to iPhone via Airdrop, you may encounter the “AirDrop not working” problem. Don't worry. Read the article and try the methods below to fix iPhone AirDrop not working in iOS 12 errors.

Things You Should Know Before Using Airdrop on iPhone or iPad

If you want to use AirDrop, your devices must be running iOS 7, Mac OS X lion (10.7) or newer systems, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth must be enabled on iOS devices. Additionally, you should make sure that the distance between the two devices is not too far (less than 30 feet, about 9 meters).

6 ways to fix AirDrop not working on iPhone 6/7/8/X/XR/XS

There are a few basic methods you can try when your AirDrop won't work on iPhone as well as iPad/iPod touch.

Method 1: Turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi

Turn Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off and then on. Check your network, turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and then turn them on.

Method 2: Reboot your devices

Hold the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons until the Apple logo appears on the screen. For iPhone 7 users, press the Sleep/Wake button and the Volume Down button to do this. For iPhone8/X users: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button, then press and quickly release the Volume Down button, finally press and hold the Side (Sleep/Wake) button until the Apple logo appears.

Method 3: Sign out and then sign in to iCloud

Go to Settings > Your Account, sign out of your iCloud account, and sign in to your iCloud.

Method 4: Update iOS to the latest version

This problem may be due to some bugs in the iOS operating system that you cannot fix. So just wait until the new iOS fixes it. You'd better back up your device to avoid data loss during the update. Then go to Settings > General > Software Update to download and install the latest OS.

Method 5: Network reset

Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

Method 6. Change settings

What to do if airdrop does not see the device? Change the settings (activate “for everyone” instead of “only for contacts” and vice versa).

Method 7: Use the ReiBoot tool

If the methods above did not work, try using some alternative tools such as to solve AirDrop not seeing iPhone, iPad, Mac.

Step 1: Click the "Solve All iOS Freezes" button on the main window to enter system recovery.

Step 2: Click “Fix Now” and begin the process.

Step 3: Download the firmware package

Tenorshare ReiBoot offers a firmware package for your iOS device. Your device will be updated to the latest version after recovery. Click the "Download" button and start downloading the software package online. If you have problems downloading, click “Copy” and download through your browser.

The internal memory of the package is 2.5 GB, and takes some time.

Step 4: Start restoring iOS system

Once booted, click “Start Recovering” and begin restoring the system. This process takes less than 10 minutes and you cannot turn off the device during this process.

Step 5: iPhone/iPad/iPod system restored successfully

When the restore is complete, your iOS device turns on. The data and settings are saved and the problem is fixed.

Tenorshare ReiBoot not only can enter and exit recovery mode, but also can fix problems such as frozen screen, iOS frozen, iTunes errors and other problems.

I hope these methods will help you solve the problem.

In addition, Reiboot helps solve errors such as the blue screen of death, or the iPhone does not respond to your button presses at all.

In this article I will look at the reasons why your iPhone does not see your MacBook/iMac via AirDrop and how to establish communication between devices.

This article is suitable for all iPhone Xs/Xr/X/8/7/6/5 and Plus models running iOS 12. Older versions may have different or missing menu items and hardware support listed in the article.

AirDrop Limitations

AirDrop is a secure and convenient file sharing system. If the option is activated, a secure network is created, data within which will move in encrypted form. When using a Wi-Fi network, the exchange is really fast. Despite this, AirDrop has a number of limitations.

AirDrop technology can only be used to exchange information between Apple devices. The function is not available to every i-gadget. The technology is supported only by iPhone 5 and newer phones. The screenshot below shows a list of Apple computers that work with this option.

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Not all content can be transferred using AirDrop. While photos can be sent, music files cannot. This is due to copyright protection. If users need to exchange contacts, they must go to iCoud.

Using Airdrop on iPhone

To transfer a file via AirDrop using an iPhone, do the following:

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Using Airdrop on Mac and other Apple computers

Select “Transition”, then AirDrop in the section line in the Finder. You can also select AirDrop in the sidebar of this window.
The AirDrop window will display nearby system users. Drag the necessary files in the window onto the recipient’s image, then click on the “Send” button.

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You can also use the “Sharing” function:

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Receiving files

In a situation where the recipient is logged into your iCloud account, the sent file will be automatically accepted and saved. Otherwise, the recipient will need to confirm receipt of the file before saving it to the device.

On a Mac computer, files are saved in the Downloads folder.
On iOS devices, the file is shown in the corresponding program. For example, a website is displayed in the Safari browser, photos are displayed in the Photos program.

AirDrop Problems and Troubleshooting

At release, AirDrop had numerous glitches. Now the software is more streamlined, but we cannot say that the technology functions perfectly. Very often, when trying to transfer a file, the iPhone does not see the “destination”, and AirDrop may disappear from the control center altogether.

To resolve the problem, you need to make sure that the errors are not related to the limitations of the option. For example, on an iPhone 4S there is no point in looking for AirDrop, since the gadget simply does not support this technology.

Then you need to make sure that the devices between which you plan to exchange:

Connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
They are located no more than 9 meters from each other.
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are active. When you turn on AirDrop, they should be activated automatically, but it's worth checking.

You also need to check that i-devices are not blocked, Apple computers are not in sleep mode, and the “Bluetooth”/”System Preferences” window is open.

Recipient not visible

If the connection fails, then turn AirDrop off and on on all devices and reconnect. If this method does not help, then disable the option again, reboot the devices and try to establish a connection.

"For everyone" mode

Very often, AirDrop does not see the device when the “Contacts Only” mode is used and the recipient is in the sender’s contact list. You need to try activating the “For everyone” mode for a while and check if the situation has returned to normal.

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Changing settings

There are common situations when data transfer does not occur due to device settings.

For iPhone, check the following:

Increase

For Apple computers:

Increase

Pairing

When AirDrop is activated, Bluetooth pairing should happen automatically, but sometimes it doesn't. In this situation, we act according to the algorithm:

For Apple computers: