What Is AirDrop? How Does It Work?

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Updated January 06, 2020

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AirDrop is a feature that lets Macs and iOS devices share files wirelessly with a minimum of fuss. Usually, when we want to share a photo with someone, we just send it in a text message. But when that someone is standing right beside you, it's easier to use AirDrop.

AirDrop isn't just for photos. You can use it to transfer almost anything that you can share. For example, you can AirDrop a website from your iPad to your friend's phone, which is great if they want to bookmark it to read later. You can also Airdrop text from Notes to someone else's iPad or iPhone. The feature can even handle information like playlists, contact information, and locations you've pinned in Apple Maps.

Person using Airdrop to move files to and from a Mac and an iPad — Lifewire / Ellen Lindner

These instructions apply to devices running iOS 7 or later and post-2012 Macs running OS X Yosemite and newer.

How Does AirDrop Work?

AirDrop uses Bluetooth to create a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi network between the devices. Each device creates a firewall around the connection and files are sent encrypted, which actually makes it safer than transferring via email. AirDrop will automatically detect nearby supported devices, and the devices only need to be close enough to establish a good Wi-Fi connection, making it possible to share files across several rooms.

One advantage to AirDrop is the use of Wi-Fi to make the connection. Some apps provide a similar file sharing capability using Bluetooth. And some Android devices use a combination of Near Field Communications (NFC) and Bluetooth to share files. But both Bluetooth and NFC are relatively slow compared to Wi-Fi, which makes sharing larger files using AirDrop much faster and more convenient.

How to Turn On AirDrop

Apple wanted to make it easy to turn AirDrop on or off, so they put the setting in the control panel. Here's how to access it and adjust its settings.

Open the control panel by sliding up from the very bottom of your iPhone's screen.

On iPhone X and later and all iPads, swipe down from the upper-right corner of the screen.
Press and hold your finger on the upper-left box with the airplane buttons.
In the next menu, tap the AirDrop button.
The next screen reveals your options for the permissions. The settings are Receiving Off, which turns off AirDrop completely; Contacts Only, which only lets you receive files from people in your contacts list; and Everyone, which lets anyone in range send you things via AirDrop.
The safest option is Contacts Only. AirDrop doesn't present any security risks on its own, but you may not want strangers sending you unsolicited files in public.

How to Use AirDrop on the iPhone or iPad

To use AirDrop, you'll need to be near the person you are sharing with, and they must have their device turned on. However, you don't need to be right next to them. AirDrop has an effective range that can reach into the next room. Both devices should have AirDrop set to Contacts Only or Everyone.

Navigate to the item you want to share, for example, a photo in the Photos app.
Tap the Share button.
Locate the device you want to receive your AirDrop in the top portion of the Share menu. Devices will show up as a circle with an identifying label under it. It will usually be the contact's photo with their name under it, but if you don't have a photo attached to this contact, it will show up as a gray circle with their initials in it.
Tapping the circle will initiate sending the document to the recipient, who will then be prompted whether or not to accept the AirDrop.