How to Turn On AirDrop on iPhone

how to receive an airdrop

When someone shares something with you using AirDrop, you see an alert with a preview, provided your device is discoverable (as per instructions earlier in this guide). Then came letters, fax machines, email and Bluetooth. If you own an Apple device, though, you’ve got access to a bespoke mode of content sharing that arguably trumps the lot. Newer iPhones with iOS 18 can send and receive texts using satellites. When they do that, you’ll see a prompt on your iPhone. Accept this prompt and you’ll receive the sender’s file.

  1. Axel is TechRadar’s UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site’s Mobile Computing vertical.
  2. Open AirDrop in the Finder window by either clicking the Finder icon itself or searching for AirDrop using the Search key.
  3. Now, using AirDrop, you can share files quickly and easily with most Apple devices nearby that have receiving enabled.
  4. In the share menu, at the top, select an AirDrop-enabled device to send your file.
  5. Then, it’s wise to check whether the device you’re sending to has its AirDrop set to receive from Contacts Only.

After you send the content over AirDrop, wait for will bitcoin halving lead to another btc bull run the other user to accept or decline the transfer. A Waiting message displays as the file is sending, a Sending message displays during the transfer, and a Sent message appears after the file is accepted and delivered. If the other user declines your AirDrop request, a red Declined message appears instead. By turning on AirDrop on your iPhone, you allow nearby iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices to send and receive files from you. You can enable this feature just for your contacts or for everyone. With AirDrop, you can wirelessly send photos, videos, documents, and more to a nearby iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

How to Use AirDrop On Your iPhone

Before you use AirDrop, there’s a few things you’ll want to check beforehand to make sure you can share content with ease. The first is making sure the recipient device is nearby and within Bluetooth or Wi-Fi range, meaning it’ll need to have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on. Most items are saved in the app that they’re sent from. For example, if you use AirDrop to send a photo from the Photos app, it’s saved in the Photos app on the other device. Your recipient will get a prompt to accept or reject your file transfer request. If they accept it, your file will be sent.

how to receive an airdrop

Enable AirDrop on Your iPhone

You can share photos, videos, websites, address book entries, text files, and more. Apple introduced AirDrop in 2011, and in the years since, it’s become the go-to service to share photos, documents and more between iOS and macOS-enabled devices. Depending who is the ceo of pave verdict on the device, you might find your files in other places. On an iPhone or iPad, some items may be saved in the Files app.

Peter is Reviews Editor at Tom’s Guide. As a writer, he covers topics including tech, photography, gaming, hardware, motoring and food & drink. Outside of work, he’s an avid photographer, specialising in architectural and portrait photography. Typically this is a one-time setting, but you might want to change it if, for example, you’re traveling and want to avoid roaming charges. Save time by starting your support request online and we’ll connect you to an expert. However, it’s up to developers to include AirDrop support in their apps, so not everything you download from the App Store works with AirDrop.

Mac User Guide

To use AirDrop to securely share app and website passwords with someone using an iPhone, iPad, what is the difference between an introducing broker and white label or Mac, see Use passwords on iPhone. If you’re not signed in with your Apple ID on your device, this setting reverts to Receiving Off after 10 minutes. When someone shares something with you using AirDrop, you see an alert. If the person you’re sharing content with is in your Contacts, you’ll see an image with their name. If they’re not in your Contacts, you’ll see just their name without an image. The method is the same for iPhone models prior to the iPhone 11, save for the added functionality of point-to-pair.

Receive items with AirDrop

Axel is TechRadar’s UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site’s Mobile Computing vertical. Want to know if AirDrop works on Windows or Android devices? To activate the feature, first, launch the Settings app on your iPhone. If you’re expecting to receive a file, you’ll first need to turn AirDrop on.

Just as with sharing to another iPhone, you can share to a Mac using the same method, as long as it has Bluetooth enabled (the settings for which can be accessed using the top toolbar). If you see a red numbered badge on the AirDrop button, it means there are multiple devices nearby that you can share with. Tap the AirDrop button and then select the user you want to link to. First, open an app and identify the piece of content you want to share. Then, tap the Share button, which is often iconized by a square box with an arrow protruding upwards out of it. If you share a photo from the Photos app, you can swipe left or right and select multiple photos.