If AirDrop suddenly stops working on your iPhone or iPad, there are a few steps you can take to try and fix it.
AirDrop is an incredibly useful feature that allows users to easily share files between Apple devices. If you’ve owned an iPhone for a while, there’s no doubt you’ve used it to send files to friends and family.
Like many features from Apple, AirDrop may not work properly. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to troubleshoot and fix AirDrop issues on your device should they occur.
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How to Open AirDrop
You need to make sure you have AirDrop turned on. If it’s not open, the process won’t run. Here’s how to make sure your device is ready for AirDrop:
On this screen, make sure that Receive Off does not have a blue checkmark next to it. If available, you cannot receive content from other users.
Make sure you have AirDrop turned on.
The other two options are pretty simple. You can choose to allow AirDropped files from your contacts or open them to anyone around you for 10 minutes.
If you’re having trouble using “Contacts Only”, you might want to switch both devices to “Everyone for 10 Minutes” mode and see if that works.
Make Sure Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Are On
AirDrop uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to transfer files, so make sure both are turned on on your iPhone or iPad. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and make sure they’re both turned on. You can also check if they are turned on via the Control Center.
Make sure Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are turned on.
You may want to quickly turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off and on and see if that helps.
Sign In to Your Apple ID
You must also be signed in with your Apple ID for AirDrop to work properly. Open the Settings app, tap Sign in to your iPhone at the top of the screen if needed, and enter your sign-in credentials.
Unlock Your Device
Your device(s) must be unlocked for AirDrop to work. If a device is locked, AirDrop files will not be shown as available when attempting.
Download Latest Software
AirDrop requires iOS 7 or later. If a device is running older software, AirDrop will not work and you will need to update it.
We also recommend downloading the latest firmware for your iPhone or iPad if an update is available. For more information on Apple’s latest firmware, check out our guide.
Features like AirDrop may break in iOS or iPadOS beta software. If you are facing AirDrop issues while running beta software, you can try porting your device to stable software to see if it fixes the issue.
Make Sure Devices Are Near
If you are not using a shared Wi-Fi network, you must use Bluetooth to complete AirDrop. In this case, make sure that the devices are close to each other.
Bluetooth’s range on the iPhone and iPad is about 10 meters, so you’ll want to make sure the devices are within that range and as unobstructed as possible.
Make Sure AirDrop Is Not Restricted
Make sure AirDrop is not restricted in your device’s settings. Here’s how to do this:
Make sure your device is not restricting AirDrop.
If Content & Privacy Restrictions is turned on at the top, follow these steps:
You’ll want to make sure the other device involved in AirDrop isn’t restricted as well.
Restart your device
If you’ve checked all this again and AirDrop still isn’t working properly, try restarting your iPhone or iPad. Turn it off, wait a minute, turn your phone or tablet back on and try again.
You can also try to reset your iPhone or iPad.
Turn Off Mobile Hotspot
AirDrop will not work if your device is working as a mobile hotspot. You need to turn off mobile hotspot for it to work normally. There are a couple of ways to do this.
The first way is to go to the Settings app, tap Personal Hotspot and disable the “Allow Others to Join” option. This will make your device undiscoverable and turn off your hotspot.
Make sure Personal Hotspot is turned off.
The other way is to pull up the Control Center and hard press the Bluetooth button. This will open another screen showing your device’s various connections. On this screen, make sure Personal Hotspot is turned off. If it is, it will be grayed out and say “Undiscoverable”.
Disable Do Not Disturb
The popular Do Not Disturb functionality can interfere with AirDrop, making a device undiscoverable. If you want to perform an AirDrop, make sure it is set to off.
Make sure Do Not Disturb is turned off.
To check it out quickly, pull up the Control Center, tap the Focus tab (it has a crescent icon) and make sure Do Not Disturb is turned off.
Network Settings Reset
You can also try resetting your device’s Network Settings.
You may need to reset your device’s Network Settings to fix AirDrop issues.
Before doing this, be aware that it will cause your iPhone or iPhone to forget known Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth connections. It can also help you solve your AirDrop problems.
Here’s how you can reset your device’s Network Settings:
Once done, you need to reconnect your iPhone/iPad to your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices.
Contact Apple Support
If none of the above steps work, you may have a hardware problem. You will want to contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Store for assistance.
