AirDrop is still the fastest way to move photos, videos, links, and documents between nearby Apple devices. No cables, no cloud upload wait, and no third-party app required. This guide walks through the current Control Center path, the Contacts Only vs Everyone for 10 Minutes privacy options, NameDrop-style bring-together sharing on recent iOS versions, and what to check when AirDrop will not appear.
Steps below follow Apple’s AirDrop support page as of September 2026. Exact labels can shift slightly by iOS and iPadOS version, but the flow stays the same.
What you need before AirDrop works
- Both devices are Apple hardware (iPhone, iPad, or Mac) and are near each other.
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on for both devices. You do not need to join the same Wi-Fi network.
- Personal Hotspot is off on both devices.
- Screen is unlocked on the receiving device when you send.
Turn AirDrop receiving on (Control Center)
- Open Control Center (on modern iPhones, swipe down from the top-right corner).
- Touch and hold the connectivity controls (the group with Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth).
- Tap AirDrop.
- Choose who can find you:
- Receiving Off: you will not show up for incoming AirDrops.
- Contacts Only: only people in your contacts can see you (they need your Apple Account email or phone number saved).
- Everyone for 10 Minutes: nearby Apple devices can see you temporarily. After 10 minutes, Apple reverts this setting (to Contacts Only if you are signed in, or Receiving Off if you are not).
You can also set this in Settings → General → AirDrop. Keep Contacts Only as your everyday default, and switch to Everyone for 10 Minutes only when the other person is not in your contacts.
How to send something with AirDrop
- Open the app that has the content (Photos, Files, Safari, Notes, and most share-sheet apps work).
- Select the item, then tap the Share button.
- Tap AirDrop.
- Tap the recipient under People (contacts) or Other People / nearby devices.
- Ask them to tap Accept on their device. Transfers between your own signed-in devices usually skip the Accept prompt.
On iOS 17 and later, you can also hold two iPhones close together to start sharing. That is handy when you are standing next to someone and do not want to hunt through the share sheet first.
Sharing with someone who is not in your contacts
- Ask them to open Control Center, touch and hold the connectivity controls, tap AirDrop, and choose Everyone for 10 Minutes.
- On your device, open the share sheet, tap AirDrop, then tap their device under People / Other People.
- On newer system versions (Apple documents this for iOS 26.2 and later), non-contact transfers may ask for an AirDrop code. The receiver taps Get AirDrop Code, reads it to you, and you enter it to finish the send.
How to accept an AirDrop
When someone sends you something, a banner appears on your Lock Screen or Home Screen. Tap Accept (or Decline). Photos and videos usually land in Photos; other files often open in Files or the matching app. If you see an AirDrop code prompt instead, tap Get AirDrop Code and share that code with the sender.
AirDrop not showing up? Quick fixes
- Confirm Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on, and Personal Hotspot is off.
- Move closer. AirDrop is short-range.
- Have the receiver set AirDrop to Contacts Only or Everyone for 10 Minutes (not Receiving Off).
- For Contacts Only, make sure each person has the other’s phone number or Apple Account email saved in Contacts.
- Restart both devices, then try again.
Privacy tip
In public places, leave receiving on Contacts Only or Receiving Off. Use Everyone for 10 Minutes only for the handoff, then let it expire. That time limit exists specifically to cut down on unwanted AirDrop prompts.
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