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AirDrop not finding my Mac

sviato

sviato

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Oct 27, 2010
2,432
430
HR 9038 A
Trying to test out AirDrop for the first time between my Macbook and iPhone. The MacBook finds my iPhone and I'm able to send a file, but my iPhone doesn't find my Mac when I try to share a photo.

Anyone know what the issue could be?
 
sviato said:
Trying to test out AirDrop for the first time between my Macbook and iPhone. The MacBook finds my iPhone and I'm able to send a file, but my iPhone doesn't find my Mac when I try to share a photo.

Anyone know what the issue could be?
Click to expand...

What version of both software are you running?

Also, make sure both devices are set to "Everyone" just incase.
 
I'm running Yosemite on MBP, and IOS 8.0.2 on iPhone.
Neither device can see the other via Airdrop. Is this a 8.1-only feature?
 
Snide said:
I'm running Yosemite on MBP, and IOS 8.0.2 on iPhone.
Neither device can see the other via Airdrop. Is this a 8.1-only feature?
Click to expand...

It might be enabled in 8.1... I know that some features were disabled on 8.0 GM and OS X Yosemite later-betas.
 
afsnyder said:
What version of both software are you running?

Also, make sure both devices are set to "Everyone" just incase.
Click to expand...

Running iOS 8.0.2 and OS X 10.10.

Tried both on Contacts Only and on Everyone.


Let's see if it'll work with 8.1 :confused:
 
Took mine a bit to find but I rebooted my phone then my MBP. Make sure you have all updates for your Mac updated.
 
When I first updated to Yosemite on my late 2013 15" rMBP, the computer could see my iPhone 6 on AirDrop, but my iPhone couldn't see the MBP. I restarted the iPhone and it has worked fine since.

One thing I have found is that if either are "sleeping" or not "live," AirDrop doesn't work. But that is the similar thing I've found when my wife and I use AirDrop between our iPhone 6s - we both have to have the screens on for it to see the other.
 
sviato said:
Trying to test out AirDrop for the first time between my Macbook and iPhone. The MacBook finds my iPhone and I'm able to send a file, but my iPhone doesn't find my Mac when I try to share a photo.

Anyone know what the issue could be?
Click to expand...

What model MBP? Handoff requires a mid 2012 or newer. My 2011 MBP and MBA don't support this either.

See this support article on Apple: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT6510
 
Last edited:
sviato said:
Trying to test out AirDrop for the first time between my Macbook and iPhone. The MacBook finds my iPhone and I'm able to send a file, but my iPhone doesn't find my Mac when I try to share a photo.

Anyone know what the issue could be?
Click to expand...

I can't get it to work between my mother's iPad on 8.1 and my MBP 13" 2013 on Yosemite official release. The mac finds the iPad every time I try, but the iPad never finds the Mac.

I've tried:
- rebooting both devices several times
- tested both 'contacts only' and 'everyone' settings in all combinations
- logged out of and back in to iCloud on both devices
- logged in as both my @gmail and @me addresses in iCloud on the Mac
- had mobile LTE on and off for the iPad, with internet sharing on and off
- internet connection on and off going into the MBP
- looked for all possible updates
- tested sharing from various apps on the iPad
- firewall on and off on the Mac
- logged in as my mother on the Mac, so that both devices were logged in on the same iCloud account

Must be a bug.
 
Oohara said:
I can't get it to work between my mother's iPad on 8.1 and my MBP 13" 2013 on Yosemite official release. The mac finds the iPad every time I try, but the iPad never finds the Mac.

I've tried:
- rebooting both devices several times
- tested both 'contacts only' and 'everyone' settings in all combinations
- logged out of and back in to iCloud on both devices
- logged in as both my @gmail and @me addresses in iCloud on the Mac
- had mobile LTE on and off for the iPad, with internet sharing on and off
- internet connection on and off going into the MBP
- looked for all possible updates
- tested sharing from various apps on the iPad
- firewall on and off on the Mac
- logged in as my mother on the Mac, so that both devices were logged in on the same iCloud account

Must be a bug.
Click to expand...

You're sure that you're opening airdrop in a Finder window right?
 
Oohara said:
I can't get it to work between my mother's iPad on 8.1 and my MBP 13" 2013 on Yosemite official release. The mac finds the iPad every time I try, but the iPad never finds the Mac.

I've tried:
- rebooting both devices several times
- tested both 'contacts only' and 'everyone' settings in all combinations
- logged out of and back in to iCloud on both devices
- logged in as both my @gmail and @me addresses in iCloud on the Mac
- had mobile LTE on and off for the iPad, with internet sharing on and off
- internet connection on and off going into the MBP
- looked for all possible updates
- tested sharing from various apps on the iPad
- firewall on and off on the Mac
- logged in as my mother on the Mac, so that both devices were logged in on the same iCloud account

Must be a bug.
Click to expand...

I ended up logging out/into iCloud and restarting both devices then pairing them through Bluetooth and now it works.
 
Once you send something via Airdrop (say iPhone to iPhone) how do you pull what was sent back up? Meaning, where does it go?
 
Update: I got it to work.

My Mac found the iPad the second I went into Sharing > Bluetooth Sharing > Bluetooth Preferences. I didn't even have to change any settings. My guess is that the iPad finally saw the Mac when the Mac pinged the iPad to update the 'Devices' list.

Eventually though I had to turn on Bluetooth Sharing (When receiving items: Never Allow/When other devices browse: Never Allow) to get the connection to work without opening Bluetooth Settings each time.

----------
ddublu said:
Once you send something via Airdrop (say iPhone to iPhone) how do you pull what was sent back up? Meaning, where does it go?
Click to expand...

You have to choose a compatible app to open the file in, and then save the file in that app.
 
sviato said:
I ended up logging out/into iCloud and restarting both devices then pairing them through Bluetooth and now it works.
Click to expand...

I did this too.

However... I have subsequently removed all Bluetooth pairings, AND turned off Personal Hotspot on the iPhone (leaving Bluetooth turned on).

It's now more reliable.

It might seem counter-intuitive, but you don't need Bluetooth pairing or Personal Hotspot turned on to do this stuff. In fact, it's better with Personal Hotspot turned off. It was a bit hit & miss before whether the iPhone would show up as an Instant Hotspot (in Yosemite or iPad Air 2). Now, when I get a decent enough signal it shows up pretty reliably as an Instant Hotspot.
 
Airdrop finally worked after the 8.1 update...... but only if i set contacts to everyone and the only minor problem is that it delays a little bit to find my Mac.
 
LV426 said:
I did this too.

However... I have subsequently removed all Bluetooth pairings, AND turned off Personal Hotspot on the iPhone (leaving Bluetooth turned on).

It's now more reliable.
Click to expand...

Ahh, I actually removed all other pairings as well - didn't even think it might've mattered.
 
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