How to AirDrop on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

AirDrop is a way to instantly send files, photos, or videos from one Apple device to another without using your internet or mobile data. It uses Bluetooth to connect your devices to each other and then the WiFi signal between the two devices to move the file quickly and safely without using the internet.

For example, if you take a picture on your iPhone and want to send it to a friend who also has an iPhone nearby, you can use AirDrop to share it in seconds, as long as you both have AirDrop enabled. This gives you the freedom to share and receive almost anything between your iPhone and other Apple devices.

You can AirDrop photos, videos, contacts, voice memos, locations and anything else that takes your fancy.

AirDrop uses Bluetooth and WiFi to send information from one Apple device to another without using the internet. When you turn on AirDrop, your device starts looking for other Apple devices that also have AirDrop turned on. Once it finds a nearby device, the two devices make a secure connection so you can send information between them.

The whole process might look something like this:

Even though AirDrop uses WiFi, it doesn’t need the internet. It just uses the WiFi signal between the two devices to move the file quickly and safely. This makes it faster than sending files over email or messaging apps, especially for big files like videos or lots of photos.

The simplest way to turn on Airdrop is from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac Settings. Go to the Settings App and tap 'General' and then 'AirDrop' from the list of options. From there, choose Contacts only or Open to Everyone depending on who you’re sharing the file with.

You can also turn on AirDrop from the Control Center if you’re using an iPhone or iPad or from Finder if you’re using Mac. Here's how:

To turn on AirDrop on your iPhone or iPad, you'll first need to open the Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen. If your device has a Home button, swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen instead.

Then follow these steps to turn AirDrop on:

1. Open Control Center by swiping down (top-right) or up (bottom).

2. Press and hold the network settings box (WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.).

3. Tap the AirDrop icon.

4. Select Contacts Only or Everyone for 10 Minutes.

To turn on AirDrop on your Mac, you'll first need to open a Finder window. The Finder icon is the smiley face in the Dock at the bottom of the screen.

Once you've done that, follow these steps:

1. Click the Finder icon (the smiling face) in the bottom dock.

2. Click “AirDrop” in the sidebar (It’s usually near the top left of the Finder window).

3. Choose 'everyone' or Contacts Only for 10 minutes at the bottom of the window

Before you turn AirDrop on, make sure Bluetooth and WiFi are enabled on both devices you're sending and receiving from. AirDrop won’t work if either is off, so check that both icons are blue (which means they’re on).

Once AirDrop is turned on, using it to send files is easy:

1. Select the file you want to send

2. Tap the Share button

3. Tap on the AirDrop Icon

4. Choose the recipient

5. Wait for the recipient to accept

If the recipient accepts, the file will be transferred instantly. This can take anywhere from a couple of seconds to a few minutes, depending on the size of the file, and the number of files you're transferring.

If you want to accept files on AirDrop, you simply need to enable Bluetooth, WiFi and AirDrop and wait for someone to send you a file:

1. Make sure AirDrop is turned on

2. Wait for someone to send you something

3. Tap “Accept”

Once you tap Accept, the file will transfer and you’ll see it in the appropriate app. Website links will open in Safari, for example, and shared photos will appear within the Photos app.

You have a number of options at your disposal when managing AirDrop settings.

You can control who sees your device by visiting Settings, then General. Or by revisiting the options in the Control Centre. As mentioned, you can choose to share with Contacts Only, Everyone or you can even switch to Receiving Off.

How to block AirDrop on an iPhone

If you wanted to block AirDrop altogether, you can do so using Screen Time restrictions. This can be especially useful if you’re keen to add parental controls to your child’s Apple device. To do so:

1. Go to Settings on your iPhone.

2. Scroll down to find Screen Time.

3. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.

4. Select Allowed Apps.

5. Tap the AirDrop On/Off slider until the switch is greyed out.

You can easily re-enable AirDrop by following the above steps again.

AirDrop is usually very fast. Most of the time, it only takes a few seconds to send a file, like a photo or a short video, especially if the devices are close together. For small files like contacts or notes, it can feel almost instant.

The time AirDrop takes depends on a few things. If you’re sending a large file, like a long video or a batch of photos, it might take a little longer—maybe a minute or two. Also, the speed can vary depending on how far apart the devices are, and how strong the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections are.

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