Solve Airdrop Not Working Issue On Mac Within A Minute

By Nicholas J. Johnson | October 24, 2019

Airdrop is a peer to peer technology through which you can transfer files easily and quickly.

When an Airdrop works, the entire process of using it is easy. But sometimes users encounter airdrop not working issue on Mac. Fortunately, there are some easy steps are available that can fix this issue.

So, if you are one of those who is facing this problem and looking for solutions then, go through this article.

Easy Troubleshooting Methods for Airdrop is Not Working Issue on My Mac

Whenever you will face airdrop not working issue on mac, you must follow the below solutions and try to fix the issue.

1. Verify if Airdrop is Available

Sometimes you might not find Airdrop if you are using older iOS devices. So, ensure both the sender and receiver devices are capable to transfer files by Airdrop. So, if you do not know how to activate AirDrop on your Mac then, follow the below-instructions carefully.

Open Finder on your Mac.
Choose Go option from the menu bar.
Search AirDrop and open it.
Turn on Mac’s Bluetooth or Wi-Fi if it is turned off and your Airdrop will be activated automatically.
When you will be asked to choose who you want to see in the Airdrop window, click Allow me to discovered by everyone option.
Now, select if you want to pair your Mac with the device of anyone in your contact or with the one within your Mac’s Bluetooth range.
Check the issue is resolved or not.

2. Toggle Radios On Mac

Toggle radios on Mac and try to fix the issue.

Open System Preferences from the Dock or Via Spotlight.
Hit on the Network and turn off Wi-Fi and then turn it back on.
Click on Bluetooth and Turn off Bluetooth and turn it on back.
So, if you want to toggle faster then find out Wi-Fi and Bluetooth icons on the right of your menu bar toggle them.
For toggling all the radios at once, turn on Airplane Mode and turn off back.
Now, try to connect again and check the issue.

3. Check if Block All Incoming Communications Turned on on Firewall

If you want to share contents through Airdrop then verify whether block all incoming communication option is turned off or not. If it is turned on, then turn it off.

Go to System Preferences
Then, click on Security & Privacy>Firewall
Now click on the Firewall options
Uncheck Block all incoming communications option.

4. Check the Distance

If you see airdrop not working on Mac then, verify the distance between your devices. Make sure the devices that you are using is placed close to each other. Because AirDrop uses Bluetooth discovery, you can locate the devices together and enhance Bluetooth reception.

5. Hard Reset

Try Hard reset and check if the issue gets fixed.

Go to the left of the Menu Bar and click on the | | icon
Click on Restart
After restarting, try to connect it again.

6. Update

Apple’s Bluetooth stack manages your device’s radio. So, if the new versions of iOS are not compatible and create compatibility issues, they fix them. So, update the software and try to fix the issue.

Open settings from your Home screen
Go to the General TAB
Navigate to Software Update
Install if the update is available
Try to use AirDrop and check the issue.

7. Resign in Your iCloud Account

Due to the iCloud issue, airdrop not working on Mac . To solve this issue, sign out and sign in again. Ensure the devices that are used for Airdrop signed in the iCloud account.

Go to Settings and hit on your name and go to iCloud.
Click on Sign out and type your Apple ID password.
Return to the Settings screen and hit Apple ID to sign in.
Now, type your account and password and sign in.
Try Airdrop and check the issue.

8. Verify Your Personal Hotspot

This is the most important step that you must try. It helps you to share data connection when you do not have access to the Wi-Fi network.

Go to settings and then Personal Hotspot.
Navigate the button next to Personal Hotspot and turn it off.
Reopen Airdrop and check the issue.

9. Verify Do not Disturb Mode

By using Do not disturb mode you can silence calls, alerts as well as notification. But this mode can cause Airdrop is not working issue. Disable this mode temporarily and try to fix the issue.

Swipe up from the bottom of the device screen.
Hit the moon icon and turn off Do Not Disturb mode.
If you see the button becomes grey, it means its turn off.
Now try Airdrop and see if the issue gets fixed.

10. Use Same Network for Your Devices

If you want to fix this issue then ensure both iOS devices and Mac use the same network connection. After that try Airdrop and verify if the problem is resolved or not.

11. Reset Network Settings

After using all the methods if the issue is not fixed then reset your network settings. Reset is the most effective solution that can fix many of your issue. But before you perform the reset process, note down your Wi-Fi network passwords as they are required after rebooting your device.

Go to Settings then, navigate to the General>Reset.
Select Reset Networking settings and then type the Passcode.
Choose your Wifi and enter the password and connect again.
Use Airdrop and check if the issue gets fixed.

Concluding Words…

So if a question arises in your mind how to fix airdrop not working issue on my Mac then try out these solutions and fix your issues instantly. These solutions are explained in a simple language that you can try easily. So, if you find this article helpful then share your experience in the below comment section.

Posted in Mac