AirDrop not working between a Mac and an iPhone

AirDrop needs Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both devices, a receiving setting that lets the sender in, and devices near each other. A Personal Hotspot connection also stops it.

Fix this with your agentCopies a prompt for Claude Code, Codex or any agent that can use Terminal.

My Mac has this problem: AirDrop not working between a Mac and an iPhone. Read https://kilobat.app/guides/airdrop-not-working-mac.md and work through it with me. Install the Kilobat CLI if it’s missing: brew install seifip/kilobat/kilobat. Run the guide’s Terminal and kilobat checks yourself and tell me what you find. List the steps only I can do. Ask before you change any setting.

Applies to: Current macOS and iOS versions. Everyone for 10 Minutes is in iOS 16.2 and later.Checked: 7 November 2026

Symptoms

The iPhone does not appear in the AirDrop window on the Mac.
The Mac does not appear in the AirDrop list on the iPhone.
A transfer shows Waiting and then fails.
AirDrop worked before a macOS or iOS update, but it does not work now.

Likely causes

Wi-Fi or Bluetooth is off. Apple says that the sender and the recipient must both have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on.
The devices are too far apart. Apple says that the devices must be within 10 metres (30 feet) of each other.
Personal Hotspot is in use. Apple's iPhone article says to disconnect if either of you has Personal Hotspot on.
The receiving setting does not let the sender in. The recipient must receive from Contacts Only or Everyone. On iPhone, Everyone for 10 Minutes changes back after 10 minutes.
The firewall blocks all incoming connections. Users report that AirDrop to the Mac fails with this option on. Apple's AirDrop pages do not mention the firewall.

How to check

On the Mac and the iPhone, make sure that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on.
Put the two devices near each other, within 10 metres.
On the iPhone, make sure that no device uses its Personal Hotspot.
On the Mac, make sure that it is not connected to the iPhone's hotspot.
On the receiving device, look at the AirDrop setting. It must not be Receiving Off.
On the Mac, show the state of the AirDrop link.
```
ifconfig awdl0
```
Output A line such as status: active or status: inactive.

Show whether the firewall blocks all incoming connections.

/usr/libexec/ApplicationFirewall/socketfilterfw --getblockall

How to fix it

Turn off Personal Hotspot on the iPhone, or disconnect the Mac from it.
On the Mac, open Control Center and click the arrow next to AirDrop.
Choose Contacts Only or Everyone.
On the iPhone, touch and hold the connectivity controls in Control Center. Tap AirDrop.
For a test, tap Everyone for 10 Minutes.
If the Mac receives, choose Apple menu > System Settings > Network > Firewall. Click Options.
If Block all incoming connections is on, turn it off for a test. Try AirDrop again.
Restart both devices, then try again. Apple gives this step for AirDrop problems.
If AirDrop works but other traffic stutters, see AirDrop, AWDL and latency spikes in games and calls.

With Kilobat

Show the AirDrop visibility, the state of the AirDrop link and what uses it.
```
kilobat airdrop
```
Kilobat's Pause for calls and games turns off the AirDrop link. AirDrop does not work during the pause.
To end a pause now, restore the link. macOS asks for an administrator password.
```
kilobat low-latency off
```
To change who can send to the Mac, Kilobat opens the AirDrop settings. Only macOS can change them.
```
kilobat airdrop everyone
```

Questions

Why does the Mac go back to Contacts Only?

On iPhone, Apple says that Everyone for 10 Minutes changes after 10 minutes. If you are signed in to an Apple Account, it goes back to Contacts Only.

Does Apple say that the firewall stops AirDrop?

No. Apple's AirDrop pages do not mention the firewall. Users report it, so turn the option off only for a test.

Does AirDrop need the same Wi-Fi network?

Apple's AirDrop pages do not ask for a shared network. They ask for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on, and devices near each other.

Sources

Apple Support: Use AirDrop to send items to nearby Apple devices (Mac User Guide)
Apple Support: Use AirDrop on your iPhone or iPad
Apple Support: Change Firewall settings on Mac
ifconfig(8) and socketfilterfw(8), man pages installed with macOS 27.2

Checked on 7 November 2026.