Click the Sidebar icon and make sure that AirDrop is checked, as shown in the screenshot below.Open Finder and select Preferences from the Finder menu.There is also one last check you might perform (though AirDrop should be on and the icon in the Sidebar by default) on your Mac to make sure that AirDrop is shown in Finder windows: The devices also need to be within a range of each other to use Bluetooth – usually around 30 meters or so.Īlso if your device is locked, AirDrop won’t work because the device won’t even appear on the list. Note: it is not necessary to use the same iCloud account on each device, but by doing so you won’t have to approve every file transfer. To use AirDrop, you need to be signed in with an Apple ID. Open Finder and select the Go menu to check if your Mac supports AirDrop If items 1-3 above are all OK, you’re now ready to use AirDropĪirDrop transfers information uses BOTH WiFi and Bluetooth.

Do you have an iPhone 5 or newer, iPad 4 or later, iPad Mini 1 or newer, or an iPod Touch 5th generation+? AirDrop only works on these devices and newer generations.

You see AirDrop listed if you have a compatible Mac (see screenshot below) An easy way to check if it’s supported by your Mac is to go to Finder and select Go from the menu bar.

AirDrop works on all Macs from 2012 and later.

You need iOS 7 or later and OS X Yosemite+.

Ensure your devices are compatible with AirDrop Even though AirDrop is simple to use, there are a few things to check before you start. On iOS, you only need to tap the Share button from relevant apps. On a Mac, you can either drag and drop files to an iOS device or use the Share button which is available in certain applications (such as Safari, Preview, and Pages). Plus, with AirDrop all transfers are automatically encrypted for your safety and security.ĪirDrop was also available on iOS from iOS 7 but unfortunately wasn’t compatible with OS X. Thankfully, with OS X Yosemite and all subsequent OS X and macOS releases, Apple designed AirDrop to work between all of its devices. It makes sending files between devices extremely quick and simple. Step 5: send a file from your Mac or MacBook to your iPad, iPhone, or iPodĪpple introduced AirDrop to the Mac in OS X Lion, as an easy way to share files between computers without having to use email or even a USB drive.Having Trouble with AirDrop on Your Mac?.Step 4: send a file from your iPad, iPhone, or iPod to your Mac or MacBook.Step 3: turn on AirDrop on your iOS device.Ensure your devices are compatible with AirDrop.

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