Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Jul 25, 2025

How to fix AirDrop connection issues on iPhone, iPad, or Mac

How to fix AirDrop connection issues on iPhone, iPad, or Mac

If your AirDrop is not working on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, first make sure that Bluetooth is turned on on both devices.

One of the most convenient features for Apple users is AirDrop, which lets you send media, links, and documents via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to devices within a certain range.

Most newer Apple devices already have this feature, however, it can be finicky for no particular reason. When AirDrop is not working properly, try these troubleshooting techniques.

Quick tip: AirDrop is compatible with any iPhone that has iOS 7 or later, iPad with iPadOS 13 or later, and Mac with OS X 10.10. Both devices must be compatible for AirDrop to work.

How AirDrop works

to discover devices within a certain range, and then Wi-Fi to send over the content.

Bluetooth connections can reach up to half a mile, but your devices likely need to be within 30 feet of each other to work properly. When Wi-Fi is unavailable, AirDrop will use your cellular service.

How to fix AirDrop not working on iPhone or iPad


First, make sure your iPhone or iPad has Bluetooth turned on. To do that, open the Settings app on your device. Tap Bluetooth toward the top of the list and make sure the button is green — if not, swipe the button to the right. If you see a prompt to Allow New Connections, tap on it to allow your device to connect to new devices.

Swipe the Bluetooth button to the right to turn it green, and tap "Allow New Connections" to connect to new devices.


Next, make sure AirDrop is turned on. In the Settings app, select General and then tap AirDrop. You can then select if you want AirDrop to be available to everyone within range or just those in your contact list. For the sake of haste, choose Everyone to see if that quickly solves the problem. It also doesn't hurt to try turning AirDrop off and on again for it to reconnect — to turn it off, select Receiving Off.

On the AirDrop page, select "Everyone."


Finally, make sure the device you want to AirDrop to is also enabled for Everyone. If your two devices are far apart, bring them closer in case they're slightly out of range.

How to fix AirDrop not working on a Mac computer


You may need to change your AirDrop settings to allow your device to be discoverable. Open the Finder app from your Mac's menu bar or search for it using Spotlight. In Finder, select AirDrop at the top of the sidebar menu on the left. At the bottom of the AirDrop page, select the drop-down menu next to Allow me to be discovered by and change it to Everyone.

In the drop-down, select "Everyone."


If that doesn't work, use the menu bar at the top of your screen and select the Wi-Fi icon. Make sure it's switched on and that you're connected to a network. Next, do the same for Bluetooth. You can also try turning both off and on again in an attempt to reconnect.

You should also check that your firewall settings allow for new connections. Open the System Preferences app on your Mac, and select Security & Privacy. On the Security & Privacy page, click the lock icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen, and enter your password or use your Touch ID.

On the Firewall tab, you can either click Turn Off Firewall or click Firewall Options and, in the pop-up, uncheck the box next to Block all incoming connections, then click OK.

After clicking "Firewall Options," make sure to uncheck the box next to "Block all incoming connections," and click "OK."


What to do if AirDrop still isn't working


If AirDrop is still not working after you've tried the above steps, consider restarting your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

You may also want to update your iPhone, iPad, or Mac software to the latest available version if you haven't already.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
×