How to Turn On AirDrop on Your iPhone and iPad: A Comprehensive Guide

AirDrop is a seamless and efficient feature within the Apple ecosystem that allows you to quickly share photos, documents, files, and more with nearby iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Before you can enjoy this convenient sharing capability, it’s essential to know How To Turn On Airdrop and configure it to your preferences. This guide will walk you through the simple steps to enable AirDrop on your iPhone or iPad and start sharing effortlessly.

Preparing for AirDrop: Essential Prerequisites

Before turning on AirDrop, ensure that your devices and the devices you intend to share with meet the following requirements:

• Proximity: Both devices should be physically close to each other, ideally within a few feet. AirDrop utilizes Bluetooth to discover devices and Wi-Fi for data transfer, both of which require a close range.
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Enabled: Both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi must be turned on for AirDrop to function correctly. You don’t need to be connected to a specific Wi-Fi network, but Wi-Fi needs to be active.
• Personal Hotspot Off: If either you or the recipient has Personal Hotspot enabled, it needs to be turned off. Personal Hotspot can interfere with AirDrop’s connection.
• AirDrop Receiving Settings: Understand the recipient’s AirDrop receiving settings. If they have set their AirDrop to “Contacts Only,” and you are not in their contacts, they won’t be able to see your device unless they add your Apple ID email address or mobile number to your contact card. For broader sharing, they may need to temporarily set their receiving setting to “Everyone.”

You have the flexibility to adjust your AirDrop receiving settings to “Contacts Only” or “Receiving Off” at any time, giving you control over who can discover your device and send you content via AirDrop.

Step-by-Step Guide: Turning On and Using AirDrop

Once you’ve ensured the prerequisites are met, follow these steps to turn on AirDrop and share files:

1. Initiate Sharing: Open the app containing the content you wish to share. This could be Photos, Files, Safari, Contacts, or many other apps. Tap the “Share” icon or button, which usually looks like an upward-pointing arrow. If sharing from the Photos app, you can select multiple photos by swiping.

2. Access AirDrop: In the share sheet that appears, look for and tap the “AirDrop” button. It’s represented by a distinctive icon .

3. Select Recipient: AirDrop will now display nearby AirDrop users. Tap the name of the person you want to share with. If you are using AirDrop between your own Apple devices logged in with the same Apple ID, your devices will also appear as options.

   If you are sharing with someone in your Contacts, their name will appear with their contact photo (if available). If they are not in your contacts, you will see just their name.

Bonus Tip for iPhone iOS 17 Users: Proximity Sharing

For users with iPhones running iOS 17, Apple has introduced an even more intuitive way to initiate AirDrop. Simply bring your iPhone close to the recipient’s iPhone. After opening the content you want to share, just physically bring your iPhones together to start the AirDrop transfer. This streamlined method makes sharing even faster and more seamless.

Accepting AirDrop Transfers

When someone shares content with you via AirDrop, an alert notification will pop up on your screen. You will have two options: “Accept” or “Decline.”

• Accept: Tapping “Accept” will initiate the file transfer. The received content will typically open in the same app it was sent from. For instance, photos will appear in the Photos app, web links will open in Safari, and app links will redirect you to the App Store.
• Decline: Tap “Decline” to reject the AirDrop transfer. The sender will be notified that you declined the transfer.

Automatic Acceptance for Your Own Devices: If you AirDrop content to another of your own devices (e.g., from your iPhone to your iPad or Mac, all signed in with the same Apple ID), you won’t see the “Accept” or “Decline” prompt. The file transfer will happen automatically in the background, making it incredibly convenient to move files between your personal devices.

Customizing Your AirDrop Settings

You can control who can see your device and send you content via AirDrop by adjusting your AirDrop receiving settings. There are two primary ways to access and modify these settings:

Method 1: Via the Settings App

1. Open Settings: Go to the “Settings” app on your iPhone or iPad home screen.

2. Navigate to General: Tap on “General.”

3. Select AirDrop: Tap on “AirDrop.”

4. Choose Your Preference: You’ll see three options:

   • Receiving Off: This completely disables AirDrop receiving. You will not be discoverable via AirDrop, and you won’t receive any AirDrop requests.
   • Contacts Only: Only people in your Contacts app who also have an Apple device will be able to see your device and send you content via AirDrop. This is a more private setting.
   • Everyone: Anyone nearby with an Apple device using AirDrop will be able to see your device and send you content. In iOS 16.2 and later, selecting “Everyone” temporarily sets it for 10 minutes, after which it automatically reverts to “Contacts Only” for enhanced security.

Method 2: Via Control Center

Control Center provides a quick and convenient way to access and change your AirDrop settings without navigating through the Settings app.

1. Open Control Center:

   • iPhone X and later, iPad with iOS 12 or later, or iPadOS: Swipe down from the upper-right corner of your screen.
   • iPhone 8 or earlier: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

2. Access Network Settings: Locate the network settings card in the upper-left corner of Control Center. It typically displays icons for Airplane Mode, Cellular Data, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Press firmly or touch and hold this card to expand it.

3. AirDrop Options: Within the expanded network settings, you will see the AirDrop button . Touch and hold the AirDrop button to reveal the receiving options: “Receiving Off,” “Contacts Only,” and “Everyone.” Choose your desired setting.

Troubleshooting: AirDrop Receiving Off Grayed Out

In some cases, you might find that the “Receiving Off” option in AirDrop settings is selected and grayed out, preventing you from changing it. This usually indicates that AirDrop has been restricted in Screen Time settings. To resolve this:

1. Go to Screen Time: Open the “Settings” app and tap on “Screen Time.”
2. Content & Privacy Restrictions: Tap on “Content & Privacy Restrictions.”
3. Allowed Apps: Tap on “Allowed Apps.”
4. Enable AirDrop: Ensure that the toggle next to “AirDrop” is turned on (green).

By enabling AirDrop in Allowed Apps, you should be able to adjust your AirDrop receiving settings normally.

Conclusion

Turning on AirDrop on your iPhone or iPad is a straightforward process that unlocks a powerful and convenient way to share files wirelessly with nearby Apple devices. By following these steps and understanding the various settings, you can effectively utilize AirDrop to enhance your productivity and sharing experience within the Apple ecosystem. Whether you are quickly sending photos to a friend or transferring documents between your own devices, mastering AirDrop is a valuable skill for any Apple user.