how to receive an airdrop

Axel is TechRadar’s UK-based the okex margin trading disaster 2020 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.

Read how to install Safari extensions on iPhone. To send an item to someone with AirDrop, both you and your recipient must have turned on AirDrop and chosen to accept items from either Contacts or Everyone. If you share a file with a device that’s logged in with the same Apple ID/Apple Account you’re logged in with, that device is not shown the Accept or Decline message. Since both devices are assumed to be yours, the transfer is accepted automatically. You’ll also need to check the recipient device isn’t connected to a Personal Hotspot, since this disables AirDrop functionality.

how to receive an airdrop

You can use AirDrop to send files to your own devices or to share files with others. You can use AirDrop to send files to your own devices, or to share files with others. If it does, and you’re in its Contacts, you’ll need to make sure your Apple ID’s email address or mobile number is listed in your contact card on that device for AirDrop to work. If it doesn’t, the device will need to switch its AirDrop receiving setting to Everyone in order to receive files. If you tap Accept, the file is saved to your device and opened in the appropriate app.

  1. To receive files on your iPhone via AirDrop, simply ask the sender to select your iPhone on their AirDrop device list.
  2. When you’ve finished using the feature, you can turn AirDrop off to prevent people from sending you files.
  3. Check your Photos or Files apps to find the relevant file.
  4. With AirDrop, you can wirelessly send photos, videos, documents, and more to a nearby iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

How to Turn On AirDrop on iPhone

If you want to share many files between your Mac and other Apple devices, see Transfer files from iPhone to a storage device, a server, or the cloud. You can put your AirDrop receiving setting to Contacts Only or Receiving Off at any time to control who can see your device and send you content in AirDrop. It’s easy to a guide to initial coin offerings AirDrop content from a Mac to an iPhone, too. Open AirDrop in the Finder window by either clicking the Finder icon itself or searching for AirDrop using the Search key. Once you’re there, you’ll be presented with the same discovery options as on iPhone (Off, Contacts Only and Everyone) along the bottom of the window.

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Tap the profile picture of that device’s user to share your chosen content. In case you’re new to the feature, AirDrop is Apple’s file transfer feature that allows you to share files between your Apple devices. This feature works wirelessly so you don’t have to use cables to transfer your files. Tap Contacts Only to ensure your device is only visible to contacts. Or tap Everyone to allow your device to be seen by any compatible devices nearby (you still have to accept any file transfers). Many of the preinstalled apps that come with the iOS work with AirDrop, including Photos, Notes, Safari, Contacts, and Maps.

Use AirDrop to send items to nearby Apple devices

Check your Photos or Files apps to find the relevant file. The Contacts Only option is available on devices that support iOS 10 and later, iPadOS, or macOS Sierra 10.12 and later. If AirDrop is set to Contacts how to buy a katana Only on your device with an earlier software version, you’ll need to adjust AirDrop settings to the Everyone option in Settings or from Control Center. You can select the Everyone option while using AirDrop and disable it when not in use. This article explains how to use AirDrop on your iPhone including how enable it, send a file, and accept or decline a file AirDropped to you on iPhones with iOS 14 through iOS 11.

An alternate method is supplied for older iPhones with at least iOS 7. Secondly, you can use the Share button just like in iOS. In most apps, including Photos, it’ll be found in the top right corner and will allow you to pick a device to send it to.

After you send the content over AirDrop, wait for 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.

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.

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.