AirDrop Not Working Between iPhone and Mac? Check the Receiving Device

On iPhone, open Control Center, press and hold the group of connection controls, and tap AirDrop. On Mac, open Control Center from the menu bar, turn on AirDrop, and use the arrow beside it to check who can send to you. With Contacts Only, the receiving device needs the sender in Contacts with the email address or phone number associated with the sender’s Apple Account.

If the contact details are uncertain, choose Everyone for 10 Minutes on iPhone or Everyone on Mac, then try sending a photo you can easily recognize. When the test is done, return to your preferred receiving setting. If the devices are on supported software and the sender is outside the recipient’s contacts, AirDrop can ask for a code even when the receiving device is visible.

If you see a request to accept, approve it on the receiving device. If AirDrop asks for a code, the receiver gets the code and shares it with the sender, who enters it on the sending device. Transfers between your own devices are accepted automatically when both are signed in to the same Apple Account.

On iPhone, check Photos for a photo sent from Photos, or Files for a document. On Mac, check Downloads or the app you selected when accepting. If a small test file still fails, try sending in the opposite direction. Record whether the receiver ever appeared and what each screen showed before contacting Apple Support.