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After two days of searching i found something that fixed it. If you are on ios13 (i\'m on 13.4.1) trying to airdrop say videos and pics to your macbook, and airdrop in finder doesn\'t see your phone, or it does, but the transfer failed or sat there forever not responding, and airdrop keeps reverting itself to receiving off by itself There is no such thing as AirDrop Turn On or Off. Before you begin Check each of the following. Make sure that the person you\'re sending to is nearby and within Bluetooth and Wi-Fi range. Check that you and the person you\'re sending to have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on. If either of you have Personal Hotspot on, turn it off. 4. Turn Off Do Not Disturb or Focus Modes. AirDrop won’t work if Do Not Disturb or certain Focus Modes are active: On your iMac, check the menu bar for the moon icon (Do Not Disturb) and turn it off in Control Center Focus. On iOS devices, turn off Focus modes via Control Center. 5. Bring Devices Closer When clicking on the box to turn it on, it immediately turns itself off. It\'s a bug - Apple please correct this. I have tried everything and one online solution was able to turn it on but once the computer is restarted, the airdrop option disappears from finder again and it can\'t be turned on again. Very frustrating. Select Everyone: Tap on the Everyone option to enable AirDrop for all nearby devices. By following these steps, you will set AirDrop to be discoverable by all nearby Apple devices by default. Keep in mind that other users also need to have AirDrop enabled on their devices to send or receive files from you. Choose Go AirDrop from the menu bar in the Finder, then check the ”Allow me to be discovered by” setting in the AirDrop window. iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch have a similar setting . If set to receive from Contacts Only, both devices must be signed in to iCloud, and the email address or phone number associated with the sender\'s Apple ID must be in the Contacts If either of you have Personal Hotspot on, turn it off. Check if the person you\'re sending to has their AirDrop set to receive from Contacts Only. If they do, and you’re in their Contacts, they need to have your email address or mobile I set up the alternative Admin user as suggested (your steps 1-8). Booted into it; set up Bluetooth and WiFi ok and confirmed both devices see each other. Also confirmed that Airdrop on the Mac would accept drops from any user. I selected a photo on the iPhone and clicked Airdrop. The iPhone now sees the Mac as a target and sends the photo ok. i\'ve already done the following: 1) check content restrictions and airdrop is enabled 2) turn airplane mode on and off 3) restart phone twice 4) turn on/off wifi and bluetooth 5) reset network settings also, it\'s missing from settings. i saw a thread similar to this, but the problem was fixed when the person with the problem reset network I can\'t open/save Airdrop photos directly to the photos app from my iPhone to MacBook Pro (2025) I used to be able to open/save airdrop photos directly to the photos app from my iPhone to MacBook Pro (2025), but recently have only been able to open airdropped photos in the downloads folder which gets rid of the possibility of Live Photo editing.

AirDrop Not Working? Troubleshooting Tips and Solutions

Is AirDrop failing on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac? Many users struggle with AirDrop connectivity, experiencing issues like devices not being discoverable, transfers failing, or AirDrop mysteriously turning off. You\'re not alone! This guide provides comprehensive troubleshooting steps to get AirDrop working smoothly again.

Common AirDrop Problems and Quick Fixes

One frequent complaint is: "When clicking on the box to turn it on, it immediately turns itself off. It\'s a bug - Apple please correct this." While this may seem like AirDrop is turning off, there might be other underlying issues.

Another user mentioned: "After two days of searching I found something that fixed it. If you are on iOS13 (I\'m on 13.4.1) trying to AirDrop say videos and pics to your Macbook, and Airdrop in Finder doesn\'t see your phone, or it does, but the transfer failed or sat there forever not responding, and airdrop keeps reverting itself to receiving off by itself..." Let\'s address this and other common problems:

Troubleshooting Steps: Before You Start

Before diving into advanced troubleshooting, make sure these basics are covered:

  • Proximity: Ensure the devices you\'re trying to AirDrop between are close to each other (within Bluetooth and Wi-Fi range).
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: Verify that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are turned on for both devices.
  • Personal Hotspot: Turn off Personal Hotspot on both devices if either has it enabled. "If either of you have Personal Hotspot on, turn it off."
  • Do Not Disturb and Focus Modes: Turn off Do Not Disturb or any active Focus Modes on both devices. "AirDrop won’t work if Do Not Disturb or certain Focus Modes are active:" Check Control Center on your iMac (look for the moon icon) and iOS devices.

AirDrop Discovery Settings: "Allow Me to Be Discovered By"

AirDrop has different discovery settings that can impact connectivity. On your Mac, "Choose Go AirDrop from the menu bar in the Finder, then check the \'Allow me to be discovered by\' setting in the AirDrop window." On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you\'ll find a similar setting.

  • Contacts Only: "If set to receive from Contacts Only, both devices must be signed in to iCloud, and the email address or phone number associated with the sender\'s Apple ID must be in the Contacts." Verify the sender\'s contact information is saved correctly in your Contacts app.
  • Everyone: "Select Everyone: Tap on the Everyone option to enable AirDrop for all nearby devices." This is the most permissive setting and often resolves discovery issues. "By following these steps, you will set AirDrop to be discoverable by all nearby Apple devices by default."

Advanced Troubleshooting: If the Basics Don\'t Work

If the above steps haven\'t resolved your AirDrop problem, try these more advanced solutions:

  1. Network Settings Reset: As one user experienced, sometimes resetting network settings can resolve connectivity issues. One user mentioned: "i\'ve already done the following: 1) check content restrictions and airdrop is enabled 2) turn airplane mode on and off 3) restart phone twice 4) turn on/off wifi and bluetooth 5) reset network settings also, it\'s missing from settings." While this user continued to have issues, resetting network settings can be a useful step. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
  2. Check Content Restrictions: Ensure AirDrop is enabled in your content restrictions.
  3. Airplane Mode Toggle: Turn Airplane Mode on, wait a few seconds, and then turn it off.
  4. Device Restart: Restart both the sending and receiving devices.
  5. Alternative User Account (Mac): As one user successfully implemented, try creating an alternative Admin user account on your Mac to troubleshoot: "I set up the alternative Admin user as suggested (your steps 1-8). Booted into it; set up Bluetooth and WiFi ok and confirmed both devices see each other. Also confirmed that Airdrop on the Mac would accept drops from any user. I selected a photo on the iPhone and clicked Airdrop. The iPhone now sees the Mac as a target and sends the photo ok."
  6. Potential iOS 13 Bug: For users on iOS 13, there might be specific compatibility issues. Ensure you\'re on the latest iOS 13 version (e.g., 13.4.1).

Dealing with File Saving Issues

Some users face issues with saving AirDropped photos. If you are struggling with:

"I can\'t open/save Airdrop photos directly to the photos app from my iPhone to MacBook Pro (2025) I used to be able to open/save airdrop photos directly to the photos app from my iPhone to MacBook Pro (2025), but recently have only been able to open airdropped photos in the downloads folder which gets rid of the possibility of Live Photo editing." check that the format is supported by the Photos app.

AirDrop: Not an "On/Off" Switch

Remember, "There is no such thing as AirDrop Turn On or Off." AirDrop is always active when Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are enabled. The key is configuring the discovery settings correctly.

By following these troubleshooting steps, you should be able to resolve most AirDrop issues and get your devices communicating seamlessly again. If you continue to experience problems, contact Apple Support for further assistance.

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