broken airdrop in 26.2

[Rychiar]

I think this is the most annoying apple bug I've ever encountered. as someone who uses airdrop all day at work. Now it only works on the devices too old to have been updated.

 

[hsze]

I have the same problem, Airdrop does not work, not even with "everyone". Still exists in 20.3.

 

[Wizec]

I’ve had this problem too. They just seem to forget about features sometimes…

 

[Reverend Benny]

Whats the issue? Running 26.3 on my 16 pro and have been able to use airdrop. Haven't tried with "everyone" though as in that the person isn't in my contacts list.
Could it be related to specific models or in certain situations?

There were some key changes in Airdrop in 26.2, could it be that the "old way" of how users use the function has changed?

Key AirDrop Security Enhancements in iOS 26.2:

• One-Time AirDrop Codes for Non-Contacts: Instead of setting AirDrop to "Everyone" to receive a file from someone not in your contacts, iOS 26.2 allows the creation of a one-time, temporary code. The sender must enter this code to initiate the transfer, preventing anonymous, unrequested file reception.
• 30-Day Authorized Access: When a one-time code is used, the sender and receiver are authorized to AirDrop with each other for 30 days before the permission automatically expires. This allows for ongoing sharing without needing to add the person to your contacts, while still maintaining security.
• 10-Minute Limitation on "Everyone": As established in previous, and continuing into iOS 26, the "Everyone" setting automatically reverts to "Contacts Only" after 10 minutes to prevent users from leaving their devices exposed to strangers permanently.
• Manage Known AirDrop Contacts: Users can manage this list of temporary, authorized users in Settings > General > AirDrop.

Some reports points to fixes and improvements for BT and Wifi in 26.2, maybe that also introduced bugs for certain HW and/or combinations.