AlexWoodblock

Q: Handoff and AirDrop not working in El Capitan

After upgrading to OS X 10.11 El Capitan, my Handoff and AirDrop stopped working between iOS 9.0.2 on iPhone 5S and my MacBook Pro Late 13. I've tried logging out of iCloud account on both devices numerous times, it didn't help.

 

For my friend with MacBook Air and iPhone 5S with same iOS version it works flawlessly.

 

Did anyone encounter similar issue, and if so, how did you solve it?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, iOS 9.0.2, plus iPhone 5S with iOS 9.0.2

Posted on Oct 1, 2015 6:18 AM

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Q: Handoff and AirDrop not working in El Capitan

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  • by HStriepe,

    HStriepe HStriepe Jan 25, 2016 1:14 PM in response to rote_kirsche
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 25, 2016 1:14 PM in response to rote_kirsche

    Same here. I have given up on this one. It would be nice to get info from the source on how to reset the system rather than getting field rumors.

    I have stopped trying betas, since other things break.

  • by rote_kirsche,

    rote_kirsche rote_kirsche Jan 25, 2016 1:34 PM in response to HStriepe
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 25, 2016 1:34 PM in response to HStriepe

    Any idea on how to reach someone? This is obviously an issue that's been going on for a while and happens to many people, it's insane to me that there's no official solution for this yet.

  • by MDaytona,

    MDaytona MDaytona Jan 25, 2016 1:43 PM in response to AlexWoodblock
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 25, 2016 1:43 PM in response to AlexWoodblock

    So far, I've had this issue on 2 Macs with different causes.

    Mac #1 - was running OS X server.  Under OS X server settings, make sure default network access is on 'all networks' (or whatever private settings you know would work), or AirDrop stops working.

     

    Mac #2 - restored from another Mac's time machine backup (apparently this has some unforeseen side effects).  Under the Settings/Sharing section, change your Mac's computer name to something else.  You can actually then change it back to what is was.  Changing the Mac's computer name seems to fix something internally that causes AirDrop and Handoff to start working again.

     

    Good luck!

  • by rote_kirsche,

    rote_kirsche rote_kirsche Jan 25, 2016 2:27 PM in response to rote_kirsche
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 25, 2016 2:27 PM in response to rote_kirsche

    I now went into the bluetooth settings on both my iphone and mac and tried to configurate the 2 devices but was told that the connection was unsuccessful. The network isn't available.

    Even though I switched on bluetooth and the button on top is visible, the sidebar button in the settings is still red (the wifi button for example is green since wifi is connected and working).
    So.. it's not really just airdrop that's not working but no bluetooth connection whatsoever.

  • by j.christ,

    j.christ j.christ Jan 28, 2016 12:24 PM in response to AlexWoodblock
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 28, 2016 12:24 PM in response to AlexWoodblock

    I was having very similar problems.  Tried deleting the bluetooth plist file, tried signing out/in to iCloud on both devices.  Just updated my Macbook Pro to 10.11.3 and my iPhone 6 to 9.2.1 and I can now find my Macbook on my phone when using Airdrop!

  • by appaday,

    appaday appaday Jan 28, 2016 1:50 PM in response to AlexWoodblock
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jan 28, 2016 1:50 PM in response to AlexWoodblock

    This is finally working for me but still feels a bit wonky.

    To get something from the macbook on my phone I just need to have bluetooth on both devices and go to airdrop on both.

    If I want to get a picture on my phone over to my mac, I have to right click on the bluetooth icon and choose "Browse files on device"

    That opens the bluetooth file exchange window. And then it starts searching for the phone. That when the mac user will show up on my phone and let me send the pictures I have selected. I don't need to select "send files to device" on the mac, I just select send and as long as bluetooth is open I get the file pop up on my phone.

  • by MarkofPerth,

    MarkofPerth MarkofPerth Jan 30, 2016 10:14 PM in response to appaday
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 30, 2016 10:14 PM in response to appaday

    AIRDROP PROBLEM SOLVED!!!!

     

    Mac Book Pro (Retina mid 2015): El Captain OSx 10.11.3

    iPhone 6 plus: iOS 9.2.1

     

     

    My airdrop wasn't working at all before. And I tried a few suggestions posted around the web, I turned off the firewall, made both devices discoverable, played with bluetooth on both sides, nothing. Airdrop was not working whatsoever. Then I cam across MDaytona's suggestion above:

     

    Just changed the name of your Mac Book to something else.

    System preferences > Sharing

    I changed both my computer's name, and I clicked on the edit button to change the name of the computer on the local network.

    It worked!! but only after restarting the Mac!

     

    MDaytona is right, for some reason updating the name of the mac triggers the airdrop connectivity to be updated/refreshed. I made a few quick tests and it seems to work without issues now, I don't even have to have airdrop open on both devices. It just works as you would expect.

    In my case, the mac wasn't restored form time machine. Airdrop just never worked.

     

    I can't believe Apple hasn't figured this out earlier.

    I hope this helps all of you out there trying to sort this out!

     

     

    P.S. My Bluetooth between the two devices is still not working, it wasn't working before this fix and it is not after. When I try to connect it says that "The device does not have the necessary services". Or if i try to connect my iphone to network it says "Network is unavailable. Make sure Network access is enabled."

    So I would exclude Bluetooth playing any role in this fix.

  • by vanagsg,

    vanagsg vanagsg Jan 31, 2016 5:31 AM in response to MarkofPerth
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jan 31, 2016 5:31 AM in response to MarkofPerth

    NOT SOLVED !!!!!!

  • by Thailand Amulets,

    Thailand Amulets Thailand Amulets Feb 2, 2016 8:59 AM in response to AlexWoodblock
    Level 1 (24 points)
    iLife
    Feb 2, 2016 8:59 AM in response to AlexWoodblock

    MIne started working again by sending something to my iPad  instead of other way round

    However, now airdrop is working, despite having deactivated all notifications sounds and banners, the airdrop always pops out a banner from the right of screen and makes a beeping sound to notify of file transfer - there is no airdrop in the notifications, and even if there was, i cant delete any of the app names in the notifications, unless i delete the app.

    There is also a strange command line icon there which keeps reactivating itself called 'followupd' which looks totally ugly and is something to do with following up notifications form other apps i think.

    Anyway, i dont want notifications popping and beeping in the middle of editing a serious documentary video every time i airdrop a file, and am gong crazy trying to find a way to deactivate notifications and sounds for airdrop, but there appears to be no way possible.

    Left side of screen is a pain also as i use two displays and every time i mouse left out of screen with safari in fullscreen, this stupid 'autopeek' sidebar pops out instead of allowing my mouse cursor to leave to go to the other monitor..

    El Capitan is only a Sergeant in my Opinion.

  • by mkyriacou8,

    mkyriacou8 mkyriacou8 Feb 3, 2016 1:31 AM in response to AlexWoodblock
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 3, 2016 1:31 AM in response to AlexWoodblock

    I recently changed the channel and channel width settings on my wifi router to auto and so far airdrop has worked each time I have used it.  I can't say if it was this solely that has made the difference or a combination of adjusting the wifi settings and:

    • resetting SVC and PRAM
    • ensuring wifi and bluetooth enabled on OSX and IOS devices
    • ensuring that block all incoming connections was not checked in security and privacy
    • turning off / on IOS devices, mac and wifi router
    • downloading latest IOS and OSX software
    • resetting iPhone
    • ensuring that allow me to be discovered by everyone was selected
    • ensuring that IOS and OSX devices were compatible with airdrop
    • logging out of iCloud and logging back in.
  • by StaveleyPhoto,

    StaveleyPhoto StaveleyPhoto Feb 6, 2016 3:53 AM in response to AlexWoodblock
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 6, 2016 3:53 AM in response to AlexWoodblock

    Why isn't Apple sorting this?

     

    I run a photo processing lab and we used to rely on Airdrop to retrieve photos from clients phones, if they needed a special job doing.  We've tried all the suggested tips to no avail.

     

    Airdrop was a fantastic piece of kit and Apple appear to be doing nothing to sort it.  If I'd got hair, I'd pull it out.

     

    COME ON APPLE, GET YOUR FINGERS OUT!

  • by rouven Schmidt,

    rouven Schmidt rouven Schmidt Feb 9, 2016 8:39 AM in response to AlexWoodblock
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iCloud
    Feb 9, 2016 8:39 AM in response to AlexWoodblock

    The only thing that really helps (as far as Handoff is concerned) is to replace the cloudpaird file in /system/library/coreservices/ with the old one extracted from Yosemite.

     

    You have to do this after every update though …

  • by 031croat,

    031croat 031croat Feb 9, 2016 8:42 AM in response to rouven Schmidt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 9, 2016 8:42 AM in response to rouven Schmidt

    can u upload cloudpaird file and and share link for downolad? tnx

  • by HaraldS,

    HaraldS HaraldS Feb 9, 2016 8:43 AM in response to rouven Schmidt
    Level 2 (324 points)
    iPhone
    Feb 9, 2016 8:43 AM in response to rouven Schmidt

    Great. I will give that a try,

  • by rouven Schmidt,

    rouven Schmidt rouven Schmidt Feb 9, 2016 8:46 AM in response to 031croat
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iCloud
    Feb 9, 2016 8:46 AM in response to 031croat
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