airdrop not working on imac, help!

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Level 1

8 points

airdrop not working on imac, help!

I have a mid 2011 imac.

I have everything turned on on my imac and ipad but my imac does not show my ipad being connected.

I have googled how to fix it and i have tried several things, like turning them both off restarting, turning off blue tooth, my imac will not let me though!!!??

I just do not know what else to do so any help would be greatly appreciated.

I'm trying to transfer some photography videos and pdf's from my mac to my ipad. I have done it before with out airdrop and from itunes but it does not work!! If there is another way please let me know.

Thank you !

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Sep 7, 2020 12:20 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Bcky555 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 8, 2020 1:07 PM in response to BDAqua

thanks so much, appreciate your ongoing help!

Just a side note, I can airdrop from my 2 phones and ipad to each other, none of them will show on the imac

I went through the steps you posted above and still does not work.

you said yours works and it is not 2012 as stated below that you posted.

Each Mac was introduced in 2012 or later (excluding the 2012 Mac Pro) and is using OS X Yosemite or later. To find out, choose Apple menu  > About This Mac.

This is mine.

I do not get a notice to be discovered either.

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

245,639 points

Sep 7, 2020 6:11 PM in response to Bcky555

If you can't see the other device in AirDrop

Make sure that your devices meet these requirements:

Both devices are within 30 feet (9 meters) of each other and have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on.
Each Mac was introduced in 2012 or later (excluding the 2012 Mac Pro) and is using OS X Yosemite or later. To find out, choose Apple menu  > About This Mac.
Each iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is using iOS 7 or later, with Personal Hotspot turned off.

Make sure that your devices can receive AirDrop requests:

Choose Go > AirDrop from the menu bar in the Finder, then check the ”Allow me to be discovered by” setting in the AirDrop window. iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch have a similar setting. If set to receive from Contacts Only, both devices must be signed in to iCloud, and the email address or phone number associated with the sender's Apple ID must be in the Contacts app of the receiving device.
Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Security & Privacy. Click the Firewall tab, then click the lock and enter your administrator password when prompted. Click Firewall Options, then deselect “Block all incoming connections.”

In 10.13.6 Airdrop doesn't show the options that later OS versions do...

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Answer 3

rkaufmann87

Level 10

145,180 points

Sep 8, 2020 1:51 PM in response to Bcky555

Sure you can, but I think they will tell you about the same thing I told you. If you are in the USA the number is 800-275-2273 and if you are outside the USA please use the AppleCare Contact Info link to find the number in your corner of the world.

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Answer 4

BDAqua

Level 10

245,639 points

Sep 7, 2020 6:51 PM in response to Bcky555

My Mid 2011 iMac has it, as well as my 2010 Mac Pro, which are both displayed in that pic using it, they just don't have the options you generally read about.

When I use Airdrop I have to wait for the other to respond inthe Airdrop window itself.

No iPad to test with.

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Answer 5

Bcky555 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 8, 2020 2:33 PM in response to rkaufmann87

thank you! so i just contacted them and I do not have airdrop! so that part is taken care of but they could not tell me how to transfer some quicktime videos and pdf's to my ipad! Do you have anyidea how to do that??!

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