So many years on, why is Airdrop still a failure?

I don't think I've ever been able to get Airdrop to work between two Macs without having to go back and forth between rooms to get Macs to find each other. Today I have two Macs running the same OS, about 60 feet apart on the same floor, on the same network, with Bluetooth turned on. And no, they don't see each other initially, and I can't make them see each other. It's a failed technology, so I almost always resort to sending the file as a message.

Posted on Jul 15, 2020 7:46 PM

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Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

37,073 points

Posted on Jul 15, 2020 10:15 PM

Airdrop isn't a failure, you're trying to make it do something it was never designed to.

Airdrop provides file transfers over very short distances.

Two phones next to each other, for example, or your phone while you have it in front of your Mac.

It isn't designed to transfer files between Macs sixty feet apart, rather a maximum of thirty.

"Both devices are within 30 feet (9 meters) of each other and have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on"

Use AirDrop on your Mac - Apple Support

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Satchmo Author

Level 4

1,350 points

Aug 23, 2020 5:39 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

In the normal world, "not working" is a synonym for "failure" when it comes to device functionality. I would say that Airdrop doesn't work 75 percent of the time I try to use it. Sometimes after initial failure I can make it work in the same way that I used to be able to make a 1950s TV work: by waving my hand over it while mumbling an incantation.

I reject the idea that the failure of an Apple device function can be properly measured by how many threads there are about it in the Apple "community." Users often prefer to post other places, and in those places they mention ongoing problems with Airdrop. I suspect very few Mac users try to use Airdrop, and so would not experience problems.

One nifty way to get Airdrop to work is apparently to disable Apple's firewall. Oh, that old thing.

How to fix AirDrop problems

MrElvey

Level 1

61 points

Aug 29, 2020 11:39 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

AirDrop problems: They're the norm for me too. It would be helpful to know which services/daemons/ports AirDrop and Handoff rely on. For those of us who keep our firewall settings pretty tight, or want to troubleshoot by looking for the traffic. Documentation is lacking, AFAIK. For me, both of 'em work but fail surprisingly often between devices all within arms' range.

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So many years on, why is Airdrop still a failure?