AirDrop not working? This way you can easily solve the problems!

AirDrop is a great invention from Apple, but it has to work. AirDrop not working on your iPhone, iPad or Mac? Often the solution is not too far away. We have listed a number of handy steps for you, with which you can ‘airdrop’ again in no time.

AirDrop allows you to send just about anything from one Apple device to another, such as from your iPhone to your MacBook Air. It not only works on your own devices, but also if you want to quickly and easily send something to a friend sitting next to you on the couch. If it works, at least. This is how you solve any problems with AirDrop.

Fix AirDrop issues

If you follow the steps below, your AirDrop problems will soon be a thing of the past. Then you can continue sending a photo, a file, a website or a location with AirDrop. And while you’re at it, you can also change your AirDrop name right away!

#1 AirDrop Support

The chances that your Apple device doesn’t support AirDrop are pretty slim. The position has been with us for a very long time. If you do have an older device, you may be missing out. With an iPhone or iPad running iOS 7 (or iPadOS 7) or later, you’re in good hands. For Macs and MacBooks, you must have at least OS X Yosemite installed.

#2 Adjust AirDrop Settings

It is possible that the AirDrop settings are not set correctly. There are three different levels: Received from, Only Contacts and Everybody. If you can’t figure it out, you can always temporarily disable the setting Everybody so you can at least get started now. You can change this on an iPhone or iPad by going to General to go and then AirDrop to push. On a Mac, go to the Finder and press in the side menu AirDrop. In blue you see the option to change the setting.

#3 Turn Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on and off

“Have you tried turning the device on and off?” is a common (and annoying) question from IT helpdesk employees, but in many cases it solves the necessary problems. If you have already restarted your device – without success – you can try the same with the bluetooth and wifi of your iPhone, iPad and Mac.

#4 Update

Is there a new software update ready? Then it is convenient to download and install it. Your current software version may have issues with AirDrop and the new update will fix those issues. Also good to know: if you’re using beta software, that might be the cause of your AirDrop issues. In that case, it is best to wait for the next beta update or to restore your device to the official version of the operating system.

#5 Reset your device

Factory resetting your device is a bit too drastic to fix AirDrop issues, but you can hard reset your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. You do this on an iPhone or iPad as follows:

1. Press and hold the top volume button briefly.
2. Press and hold the lower volume button briefly.
3. Press and hold the power button until the screen goes black.

You can reset a Mac or Macbook in a simpler way, namely by restarting it. Tap the Apple icon in the top left and press Restart.