Philip Houska People love to share their content. Whether it's with family, friends or colleagues. However, if selected people around you use Apple devices, then it is appropriate to use the AirDrop service. A simple yet powerful feature based on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, you can quickly and securely send photos, videos, contacts, locations, audio recordings and more between iPhones, iPads and Macs. You just need to be in a certain vicinity. How to turn on AirDrop?
AirDrop system and hardware requirements:
To send content to and receive content from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you'll need a 2012 or later Mac running OS X Yosemite or later, except for the Mac Pro (Mid 2012).
To send content to another Mac, you'll need:
- MacBook Pro (Late 2008) or later, excluding MacBook Pro (17-inch, Late 2008)
- MacBook Air (late 2010) or later
- MacBook (Late 2008) or newer, excluding white MacBook (Late 2008)
- iMac (early 2009) and later
- Mac mini (Mid 2010) and later
- Mac Pro (early 2009 with AirPort Extreme or mid 2010)
How to turn AirDrop on (off) on iPhone and iPad?
A swipe from the bottom of your device's screen will bring up the Control Center, where you'll select an option AirDrop. Once you click on this option, you will be presented with a choice of three items:
- Off (in case you want to disable AirDrop)
- For contacts only (only your contacts will be available for sharing)
- For all babies (sharing with everyone nearby who also has the service activated)
We recommend choosing the last option – For all babies. Although you will potentially see people you don't know, it's more convenient because you won't have to check if you're both connected to iCloud accounts. That's an option For contacts only requires
How to share content via AirDrop from iPhone and iPad?
Any form of content that allows this feature can be sent with AirDrop. These are most often photos, videos and documents, but contacts, locations or audio recordings can also be shared.
So just choose the content you want to send. Then click on the share icon (the square with the arrow pointing up) which will take you to the share menu and you just select the appropriate person that will appear in the AirDrop menu.
How to block AirDrop on iPhone and iPad using Restrictions?
Just open it Settings – General – Restrictions. After that, it depends on whether you have this function activated or not. If you don't have one, you must write the security code you set. If you have Restrictions active, all you have to do is find the item AirDrop and simply turn it off.
A step-by-step guide on how to handle Restrictions on iOS, you can find here.
How to solve possible problems?
If AirDrop doesn't work for you (the devices can't see each other), you can try the following steps.
First and foremost, customize AirDrop in a sense. The easiest way is to switch from a variant For contacts only na For all babies. Then turn AirDrop off and on. You can also try turning off Personal Hotspot to avoid straining Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections.
If you need to connect to a Mac, but it doesn't show up in the menu, start on Mac Finder and select an option AirDrop.
Turning Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off and on might also work. Try to repeat this procedure several times. Another method is simply a hard reset. Hold the Home and Sleep/wake buttons until your device resets.
A slightly more drastic option that should help you to make AirDrop work properly is to reset the connection. To do this, on your iOS device you need to go to Settings – General – Reset – Reset network settings, type in the code and restore the entire network.
In case of persistent problems, you can contact Apple support.
How to turn AirDrop on (off) on Mac?
Just click to activate Finder and find an item in the left column AirDrop. As with iOS devices, here too you are offered three options – Off, Contacts only a For all.
How to share files using AirDrop on Mac?
Practically, there are three ways to achieve this. The first is the so-called by dragging (drag & drop). It needs to be run for that Finder and open the folder where you have the content you want to share. After that, it is enough to move the cursor to a specific file (or files) and drag it into the interface offered AirDrop.
Another way to transfer content is using context menu. You have to start again Finder, locate the file you want to share and right-click to open the context menu to select an option Share. You choose from the menu AirDrop and click on the picture of the person you want to send the file to.
The last option is based on share sheet. As usual, even now you are forced to open Finder and find the file you want to share. Then you click on it, select the button Share (see image above), you will find AirDrop and click on the picture of the person you want to share the content with.
Sharing links in Safari works similarly. After opening this browser, navigate to the link you want to share, click the button Share at the top right, you select a function AirDrop, click on the person in question and then press Done.
How to solve possible problems?
If the feature won't work as it should (for example, no contacts in the AirDrop interface), try the following remedial methods in this order:
- Turn off/on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to reset the connection
- Turn off Personal Hotspot to avoid straining your Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections
- Temporarily switch to a variant For all babies
It would probably be a good idea to write which Macs, iPhones and iPads actually support AirDrop among themselves.
I don't have any three items to choose from in the Finder on Mac. Probably because of support, but it should work between Mac computers and it does work, but there is nothing there.
How about a similar article about how they should work and how to set up iMessage. I read a lot of people have a problem with this. Dividing the conversation into multiple threads, some people only have one, some people can't do it at all, some people can't forward as SMS, etc.
Thanks for the tip, we will prepare something.
If you were to prepare an article about iMessage, I would be interested not only in the settings between two phones, but also in the case when I own an iPhone, iPad, iMac. How does it all behave when I leave my iMac or iPad asleep at home and I have an iPhone with me where there is no data on it. In that case, I'm probably unlucky and I don't get the message, and the sender doesn't have the option to send a normal SMS either. There are more combinations that iMessage does not take into account. Thanks
... I also don't have the option: "who can see me..." when "marking" the airdrop on the side tab in the finder. I have an MBP early 2011, El Capitan 10.11.6 Can anyone advise me how to make Airdrop work?.. or it just won't work. :-( Thanks
Hello, unfortunately your machine is too old to send content between Mac and iOS devices. Hardware requirements are added to the articles.
Michal, thanks for the info! ;-)
There is also an option with external bluetooth 4.0 and SW modification, but unfortunately I no longer know where I came across it. It is also possible to activate the Handoff function. BT must contain a specific chipset that is also used by Apple.
Is there any way to find out what I sent via air drop?