For example, if a Mac uses a screensaver that doesn’t require a password to exit, AirDrop should be able to work. This is based on the various states of the device in question. The determining factor here is whether a device is in a “deep” sleep. If either device is asleep when using AirDrop, you won’t be able to establish a connection in many cases. Wake and Unlock Your DevicesĪpple devices have a complex sleep-wake cycle that sometimes needs management. If Bluetooth is on, we recommend disconnecting any Bluetooth devices, followed by restarting your Bluetooth connection by turning it off for about ten seconds before re-enabling. The Bluetooth option will indicate whether it’s on, and clicking through will show you a list of devices. You can (again) do this from the Control Center on macOS. Check the Bluetooth Connection on Your DevicesĪirDrop also requires an active and enabled Bluetooth connection on every device you’re using in order to work.īecause of this, you’ll want to check the Bluetooth settings on both the sending and receiving devices. Turn off Wi-Fi for both devices, then wait at least ten seconds before enabling Wi-Fi again. Once you connect both devices to the same network, restart your Wi-Fi connections.
However, if AirDrop isn’t behaving, you can eliminate a possible cause by connecting the devices to the same subnet. In theory, your iPhone and Mac could use different networks while still sharing files, as the networks are “born” from the same router. These Wi-Fi networks tend to start with the same name and end with their GHz value. This is simple to diagnose in practice but becomes more tricky if you use “subnets” on dual-band routers using 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz connections. Check your network connections on both devices to ensure you’re using the same network. In order to share files over AirDrop, both devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi network. If you can see and interact with the AirDrop settings, you have a supported device.