AirDrop not working on a Mac: what to check, in order

AirDrop and files Published 4 November 2026

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When AirDrop fails on a Mac, the cause is nearly always one of four things Apple lists: Wi-Fi or Bluetooth is off on one device, the receiving device is not set to accept you, the devices are too far apart, or something needs a restart. Check them in that order.

The checklist

Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both devices. Apple says both must be on.
Confirm both devices can use AirDrop. Apple’s guide says the devices should be iPhones, iPads or Macs.
Check the receiver’s setting. On a Mac, click the Control Center icon in the menu bar, then the AirDrop icon, and choose Contacts Only or Everyone. On an iPhone or iPad, the choices are Contacts Only and Everyone for 10 Minutes. See AirDrop settings.
Move closer. Keep the devices within 30 feet (10 meters).
Restart the device and try again. Apple lists this as the last step.

Work out which side is broken

Try the same transfer to a different device. If a second iPhone receives the file, your Mac is fine and the first phone is the problem. If no device ever appears on your Mac, the fault is on the Mac. Narrowing it down saves you from restarting everything.

Symptoms that point to a specific check

The recipient never appears: usually the receiver’s setting or a radio that is off. See AirDrop not showing up.
The recipient appears but the transfer sits there: see AirDrop stuck on waiting.
A sender not in your contacts is asked for a code: this is a macOS 26.2 feature, covered in AirDrop codes.

What this page does not claim

Other websites blame the firewall, Personal Hotspot or a VPN. Those may be real causes on your Mac, but they are not in Apple’s AirDrop guide, so this page does not list steps for them. If the checklist does not fix it, contact Apple Support.

Sending around the problem

If you only need to move a file today, NotchStar’s File Shelf can hold it while you drag it into a message or a folder instead. It opens the same macOS AirDrop picker, so it does not fix a broken AirDrop.

Quick answers.

What does Apple say to try first?

Apple's AirDrop guide lists four checks: WiFi and Bluetooth on for both devices, the recipient set to Everyone or Contacts Only, the devices within 30 feet (10 meters), and a restart.

Link to this answer

Keep reading.

How to AirDrop from a Mac to another device: Send a file from your Mac with AirDrop in two ways: the Share button in an app, or the AirDrop window in Finder. Steps, requirements and the 30 foot range.
AirDrop not showing up on a Mac: why a device is missing: If a device or contact does not appear in your Mac's AirDrop window, check Contacts Only and Everyone, WiFi and Bluetooth, and distance.
AirDrop stuck waiting on a Mac: what to try: If an AirDrop transfer on your Mac just waits, check that the receiver accepted, the distance, WiFi and Bluetooth and their setting, then restart.
A shelf and an AirDrop zone in the notch: Park files in the notch while you work, then drag them out or AirDrop them. Drag a file toward the notch and the shelf opens by itself.

Put your notch to work.

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