# iPhone AirDrop Not Working: Fixes for Sending and Receiving > Fix AirDrop when the other iPhone, iPad or Mac does not appear or a transfer fails. Check Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, discoverability, Personal Hotspot and contacts. Source: https://www.epifive.com/blog/iphone-airdrop-not-working-fix · Published 2026-10-30 · EpiFive ## Key takeaways - AirDrop needs Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on for both devices, and Apple gives a range of about 30 feet (10 meters). - Disconnect Personal Hotspot on either device before sending, because Apple lists it as a prerequisite. - To send to someone outside your contacts, the recipient should choose Everyone for 10 Minutes in Control Center. - Contacts Only works only if the sender's Apple Account email or phone number is on a card in the recipient's contacts. - On iOS 26.2 or later, sending to a non-contact prompts for an AirDrop code that the recipient reads out. AirDrop usually fails for one of a few reasons: Wi-Fi or Bluetooth is off on one device, the devices are too far apart, Personal Hotspot is on, or the receiving device is set to accept only from contacts or nobody. Check those in order, set the receiver to Everyone for 10 Minutes for a one-off transfer, restart both devices, and retry. ## Who this is for and what you will have at the end This guide is for anyone whose iPhone, iPad or Mac does not appear in the AirDrop sheet, shows a name but fails to send, or never receives the Accept prompt. At the end you will know which of the receiving settings is blocking the transfer, how to send to someone who is not in your contacts, and how to work through the problem methodically instead of toggling settings at random. The steps come from Apple's own AirDrop pages for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Menu names can differ slightly between iOS and macOS versions, so where a path is not documented in Apple's pages this guide describes the control rather than guessing at a menu location. ## How AirDrop works in brief AirDrop sends files between nearby Apple devices. According to Apple, both devices need Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on and need to be within 30 feet (10 meters) of each other. You do not need to join the same Wi-Fi network, but you do need both radios on. That is why turning on Airplane Mode, or turning off Bluetooth to save battery, is the most common cause of an empty AirDrop sheet. The receiving device controls who can see it. There are three states you will meet: | Receiving setting | Who can send to the device | |---|---| | Receiving Off | Nobody | | Contacts Only | People whose details match a contact card on the receiver | | Everyone for 10 Minutes (iPhone and iPad) or Everyone (Mac) | Any nearby Apple device | Most "AirDrop not working" reports come from the receiving device being set to Contacts Only when the sender is not in the contacts, or to Receiving Off. ## Step 1: Check the basics on both devices Do these on the sender and the receiver: 1. Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. If either is on but behaving oddly, turn it off and on again. 2. Make sure Airplane Mode is off, or that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are re-enabled after you turned it on. 3. Disconnect Personal Hotspot. Apple lists this under "before you begin" for iPhone and iPad. 4. Unlock the screens. Keep the devices awake and within 30 feet (10 meters). For a first attempt, put them next to each other. 5. Confirm both are Apple devices. AirDrop does not send to Android phones or Windows PCs. If you only need to move photos to a Windows PC, a different route is easier. See [how to transfer photos from iPhone to a Windows PC](https://www.epifive.com/blog/transfer-photos-iphone-to-windows-pc). ## Step 2: Set the receiving option ### On iPhone or iPad Apple's instructions for sending to someone who is not in your contacts tell the recipient to: 1. Open Control Center. 2. Touch and hold the connectivity controls (the group with Airplane Mode, cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth). 3. Tap AirDrop. 4. Choose Everyone for 10 Minutes. Apple says that on iOS 16.2 and later this option ends after 10 minutes. If the device is signed in to an Apple Account it reverts to Contacts Only, and if not it reverts to Receiving Off. That means a transfer you attempt later in the day may fail even though it worked in the morning, because the setting expired. ### On a Mac Apple's Mac guide says to click the AirDrop icon in Control Center, or to click the icon next to AirDrop, then choose Contacts Only or Everyone. In Finder you can click the Finder icon in the Dock and then AirDrop in the sidebar. Incoming notifications appear in the Finder window rather than in Notification Center, so keep a Finder AirDrop window open when you are waiting for a file. Everyone for 10 Minutes applies only to iPhone and iPad. A Mac stays on the option you chose until you change it. ## Step 3: Fix Contacts Only problems Contacts Only is the default people usually leave on, and it is also the most confusing. Apple says contacts-only transfers require the sender to be in the recipient's contacts, with the sender's Apple Account email address or phone number on the contact card. That detail explains a common failure. Two people who text each other every day can still fail if the recipient saved the sender's number under a contact card but the sender's AirDrop identity is based on a different phone number or an email that is not on the card. The simplest fixes are: - Ask the recipient to choose Everyone for 10 Minutes for this transfer, or Everyone on a Mac. - Or have the recipient add your Apple Account email address and phone number to your contact card. After a successful transfer, Apple says the recipient is added to your Other Known List for 30 days. You can mark them as unknown in Contacts before then. ## Step 4: Send the file correctly On iPhone or iPad, Apple's steps for sending to a contact are: 1. Open the app with the content, such as Photos. 2. Tap Select, then tap the items you want to share. 3. Tap the Share button, then tap AirDrop. 4. Under People, tap the recipient's name. 5. Ask the recipient to tap Accept. To send to someone who is not in your contacts, open the content, tap Share and then AirDrop, ask the recipient to set Everyone for 10 Minutes, and tap their name under People. If both devices are on iOS 26.2 or later, you will be prompted for an AirDrop code. The recipient taps Get AirDrop Code, reads you the code shown, and you enter it on your device. If both devices run iOS 17 or later you can also try holding them together to share. This is a quick way to bypass hunting for a name in the list, but the same Wi-Fi and Bluetooth requirements apply. On a Mac, open a Finder window, click AirDrop in the sidebar, and drag the item onto the recipient's icon. ## Step 5: Restart and retry Apple's Mac troubleshooting list ends with a simple instruction: restart the device and try again. If the receiver appears but the transfer stalls, restart both devices, then repeat Steps 1 and 2. A restart clears stuck wireless services without touching your data. Work through the fixes in this order, and test after each one so you know which change worked: 1. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on, Airplane Mode off, on both devices. 2. Personal Hotspot disconnected. 3. Devices unlocked and within 30 feet (10 meters). 4. Receiver set to Everyone for 10 Minutes (or Everyone on Mac). 5. Restart both devices. ## Verification You know AirDrop is working when the recipient's name or picture appears under People, and the receiver sees an Accept prompt. ## Troubleshooting ### The other device never appears in the AirDrop sheet The cause is almost always the receiving setting or a radio that is off. Ask the recipient to open Control Center, check the AirDrop option, and choose Everyone for 10 Minutes. Check that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both on, since Apple requires both. ### The device appears but the transfer never starts Make sure the recipient is looking at the screen and taps Accept. Disconnect Personal Hotspot on both devices. Bring the devices closer, then restart both. ### AirDrop worked earlier but not now If you used Everyone for 10 Minutes earlier, the option has expired. Apple says it reverts to Contacts Only for devices signed in to an Apple Account. Set it again. ### AirDrop asks for a code This is expected when both devices run iOS 26.2 or later and the recipient is not in your contacts. The recipient taps Get AirDrop Code and reads it out. If the recipient cannot find the code option, confirm that both devices are on iOS 26.2 or later. ### A Mac does not appear Open Finder, click AirDrop in the sidebar, and check the discoverability option in that window, or click AirDrop in Control Center and choose Contacts Only or Everyone. Confirm Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both on, then restart the Mac. ### Nothing works Restart both devices, update to the latest version of iOS, iPadOS or macOS, and try again with the devices side by side. If it still fails, contact Apple Support. For other common iPhone problems see [iPhone unavailable lockout fix](https://www.epifive.com/blog/iphone-unavailable-security-lockout-fix) and [Wi-Fi calling setup](https://www.epifive.com/blog/wifi-calling-setup-iphone-android-us-carriers). ## Closing checklist - Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on for both devices; Airplane Mode is off. - Personal Hotspot is disconnected on both. - The devices are unlocked and within 30 feet (10 meters). - The receiver is set to Everyone for 10 Minutes (iPhone or iPad) or Everyone (Mac) if the sender is not in their contacts. - For Contacts Only, the sender's Apple Account email or phone number is on the contact card. - On iOS 26.2 or later, the recipient reads out the AirDrop code. - Both devices were restarted before you gave up. ## References - Apple Support, How to use AirDrop on your iPhone or iPad: https://support.apple.com/en-us/119857 - Apple Support, Use AirDrop to send items to nearby Apple devices (Mac): https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-airdrop-to-send-items-to-nearby-devices-mh35868/mac ## Frequently asked questions ### Why can't I see someone in AirDrop? Usually the recipient's receiving setting, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth is the cause. Both devices need Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on and need to be within about 30 feet (10 meters). If the person is not in your contacts, ask them to choose Everyone for 10 Minutes in Control Center. ### What is Everyone for 10 Minutes in AirDrop? It is a receiving option that lets any nearby Apple device see you for ten minutes. Apple says that on iOS 16.2 and later it then reverts to Contacts Only if the device is signed in to an Apple Account, and to Receiving Off if it is not. ### Why does AirDrop ask for a code? When both devices run iOS 26.2 or later and you send to someone who is not in your contacts, Apple says you are prompted for an AirDrop code. The recipient taps Get AirDrop Code and reads it to you. ### Does AirDrop work while Personal Hotspot is on? Apple's instructions tell you to disconnect Personal Hotspot on either device before using AirDrop, so turn it off on both and try again.