AirDrop, a wireless file-sharing service between Apple devices, can experience problems when sending and receiving documents. One of the main difficulties encountered by users of iPhone (iOS), iPad and iPod Touch is the identification of devices close to and compatible with the service, which can be solved through the connection settings of the device itself.
Other possible causes of problems may be related to the outdated operating system, or the use of features such as Do Not Disturb and Personal Access. Check out how to fix common problems related to using AirDrop on iPhone below.
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Learn how to fix problems using AirDrop on iPhone – Photo: Reproduction / Rodrigo Fernandes
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1. Check if the device is visible
To make your device discoverable by other iPhones, it must be marked as visible. To change the visibility, go to Settings> Central> AirDrop and activate the «All» option. It is also possible to activate visibility through the Control Center by pressing the connections folder and touching the AirDrop icon. If you are trying to send a file and the other user is not available, ask the person to check if the device is also visible.
AirDrop visible to everyone makes it easy to transfer files – Photo: Reproduction / Rodrigo Fernandes
It is worth mentioning that, if the option «Contacts only» is active, only people registered in «Contacts» or «Telephone» will be able to be found, which can limit the reach. In order to make sending more objective and avoid possible instabilities in identification, the ideal is to release it to everyone at the time of sending and disable reception right after completing the transfer, to avoid receiving files from strangers.
2. Disable Do Not Disturb mode
Disabling Do Not Disturb mode can make AirDrop work – Photo: Playback / Helito Beggiora
When Do Not Disturb mode is active, the phone cannot receive requests from AirDrop. Therefore, disable the feature to perform file transfer. To do this, go to Settings> Do Not Disturb and disable the option. You can also disable the feature in the Control Center by touching the moon icon.
3. Disable Personal Access
Disable Personal Access to use AirDrop – Photo: Playback / Helito Beggiora
You also won’t be able to use AirDrop if you’re using your phone as a router. To do this, it is necessary to disable Personal Access by going to Settings> Personal Access and disabling the feature. It is also possible to turn off the function through the Control Center, pressing the connections folder and touching the Personal Access icon.
4. Restart Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Airplane mode helps restart Wi-Fi and Bluetooth quickly – Photo: Rodrigo Fernandes / dnetc
AirDrop uses your phone’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to perform file transfers. Restarting these connections can make them more stable and end up with problems while using the service. An easy and quick way to restart both services is to activate Airplane Mode, wait 10 seconds and then deactivate it.
Restarting the phone will reset the device’s connections and possibly resolve AirDrop problems for a while. This solution may be temporary, but it can help in a time of urgency. It is an alternative to using Airplane Mode, in case the failure is not resolved.
6. Reset network settings
Reset iPhone Network Settings – Photo: Photo: Playback / Lucas Mendes
If restart it has no effect, it is possible to resort to a slightly deeper attitude: redefining the network settings. This will make the device forget all connections used on the cell phone, being necessary to reconnect to all of them, creating new access points from scratch. To do this, go to Settings> General> Reset> Reset Network Settings.
IOS performs constant system updates that can correct flaws in several functions, including AirDrop. Check if your device is using the latest version of the system and check if there are new versions available, by going to Settings> General> Software Update. If available on your device, update iOS.
If you are still unable to use AirDrop, you can use iCloud Drive as an alternative to transfer files. In this case, it is only possible to share between the same account, which can be useful in cases of transfer between an iPhone and a Mac, for example. To do this, select the files, tap the share button and choose «Save to Files». Then, simply access the same folder on the other device to find the items you just saved.
How to use Apple’s AirDrop
