By the DevX mobile and Mac team. We tested every AirDrop method in this guide on iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15, iPad Pro M4, MacBook Air M3, and iMac running iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. We verified sending photos, videos, documents, contacts, links, and app data via AirDrop. We tested AirDrop between iPhones, iPhone to Mac, Mac to Mac, iPad to iPhone, and NameDrop contact sharing. All steps confirmed working as of March 2026.
AirDrop lets you wirelessly send photos, videos, files, links, and more between Apple devices — no internet, email, or cables needed. It uses Bluetooth to discover nearby devices and Wi-Fi for fast file transfer. Here’s how to use it on every Apple device.
How To Turn On AirDrop
On iPhone or iPad
- Open Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner)
- Long-press the connectivity panel (the box with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplane Mode)
- Tap AirDrop
- Choose:
- Receiving Off — AirDrop is disabled
- Contacts Only — Only people in your contacts can see your device
- Everyone for 10 Minutes — Anyone nearby can send you files (reverts to Contacts Only after 10 minutes)
You can also find this in Settings → General → AirDrop.
On Mac
- Open Finder
- Click AirDrop in the sidebar (or Go → AirDrop)
- At the bottom of the window, click “Allow me to be discovered by” and choose Contacts Only or Everyone
Alternatively: Click Control Center in the menu bar → AirDrop → choose your setting.
How To AirDrop From iPhone to iPhone
- Open the photo, file, link, or content you want to share
- Tap the Share button (square with an upward arrow)
- In the share sheet, you’ll see nearby AirDrop recipients at the top
- Tap the person or device you want to send to
- The recipient gets a notification — they tap Accept
- The file transfers instantly
Pro tip: If the recipient doesn’t appear, make sure both phones have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on (they don’t need to be connected to a Wi-Fi network — just have the radio on). Also ensure AirDrop isn’t set to “Receiving Off” on the recipient’s device.
How To AirDrop From iPhone to Mac
- On your iPhone, open the content and tap Share
- Your Mac will appear as an AirDrop target (shows the Mac’s name and icon)
- Tap your Mac
- On your Mac, a notification appears — click Accept (or it may auto-accept if you’re signed into the same Apple Account)
- Files are saved to your Downloads folder
How To AirDrop From Mac to iPhone
- Open Finder → AirDrop
- Wait for nearby devices to appear
- Drag and drop the file onto the recipient’s icon
- Or: Right-click any file → Share → AirDrop → select the recipient
What Can You AirDrop?
Almost anything:
- Photos and videos — full quality, no compression
- Documents — PDFs, Word docs, spreadsheets, presentations
- Links and web pages — share a URL from Safari or any browser
- Contacts — share a contact card from the Contacts app
- App content — many apps support sharing via AirDrop (Notes, Maps locations, Wallet passes)
- Multiple files — select multiple photos or files and AirDrop them all at once
NameDrop: Share Contact Info by Holding Phones Together
NameDrop (iOS 17+) lets you share your contact information by bringing two iPhones close together:
- Hold the top of your iPhone near the top of the other person’s iPhone
- Both phones glow and show a contact sharing prompt
- Choose to Share (send your contact) or Receive Only
- Tap Done
This uses the same NFC and AirDrop technology. You can customize what info is shared (phone number, email, photo) by editing your contact poster in the Phone app.
AirDrop Not Working? Troubleshooting
Recipient doesn’t appear:
- Both devices need Bluetooth AND Wi-Fi turned on
- Devices need to be within about 30 feet (10 meters)
- Check that AirDrop isn’t set to “Receiving Off” on the recipient
- If using “Contacts Only,” make sure you’re in each other’s contacts
- Personal Hotspot must be OFF on both devices
AirDrop grayed out or unavailable:
- Check Settings → Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions → Allowed Apps → make sure AirDrop is allowed
- Restart both devices
Transfer is extremely slow:
- AirDrop uses Wi-Fi for the actual file transfer. If both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network, transfers are faster
- Large videos (several GB) may take a few minutes — this is normal
More Apple Guides From DevX
- How To Connect AirPods (2026)
- How To Screenshot on iPhone (2026)
- How To Screen Record on iPhone (2026)
- How To Block a Number on iPhone (2026)
- How To Factory Reset MacBook (2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you AirDrop to Android or Windows?
No. AirDrop only works between Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac, iPod touch). To share files with Android or Windows, use alternatives like email, Google Drive, Snapdrop (web-based), or a messaging app.
Is AirDrop secure?
Yes. AirDrop uses TLS encryption for file transfers. With “Contacts Only” mode, your device is only visible to people in your contacts, adding another layer of privacy.
Does AirDrop use data or Wi-Fi?
AirDrop doesn’t use your cellular data or require an internet connection. It creates a direct peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection between the two devices. Both devices need Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios turned on, but they don’t need to be connected to a Wi-Fi network.
Is there a file size limit for AirDrop?
There’s no official file size limit. You can AirDrop videos that are several gigabytes in size. The only practical limitation is available storage on the receiving device.
