AirDrop not working on iPhone 13 Pro Max after update 26.2

Please check your Screen Time restrictions on your iPhone.

Screen Time

Settings > Screen Time > Content and Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps > AirDrop [Enable]

Watch the GIF below

If you have Contacts Only turned On then please add Apple ID of the sending device to your list of contacts on the receiving device. See the pic at the bottom of this post for better clarity

Before you begin

• Make sure that the person you're sending to is nearby and within Bluetooth and Wi-Fi range.
• Check that you and the person you're sending to have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on. If either of you have Personal Hotspot on, turn it off.
• Check if the person you're sending to has their AirDrop set to receive from Contacts Only. If they do, and you’re in their Contacts, they need to have your email address or mobile number in your contact card for AirDrop to work.
• If you're not in their Contacts, have them set their AirDrop receiving setting to Everyone in order to receive the file.

You can put your AirDrop receiving setting to Contacts Only or Receiving Off at any time to control who can see your device and send you content in AirDrop.

If you already tried (to no avail) all the steps provided in these articles:--> Use AirDrop to send items to nearby Apple devices and/or Use AirDrop on your iPhone or iPad , I suggest that you contact Apple Support directly, using this link:--> https://getsupport.apple.com/?caller=ikb

Thanks and regards

Giulio

It surely is not iOS 26.2 because...

I conducted a thorough search of this forum using the term 'battery drain after iOS update' and uncovered numerous posts detailing similar issues across various iOS updates. This suggests that iOS updates may not consistently be the root cause. Below are a handful of examples extracted from the search results:

• Re: Airdrop not working after iOS 17 update
• airdrop disabled in ios 16.6
• Is it iOS 17.1 version though. The one that just released today. Or are you on a previous version like 17.0.3? Did you restart your devices if you did indeed update to
• Re: airdrop not displayed after upgraded to ios 17.1.1
• Airdrop does not work after MacOS 13.2 and iOS 16.3 updates
• Re: Airdrop auto declining since iOS 17.0.3 update

It's not always the iOS update's fault!  Many things can cause phone problems.  If you tell people you think it's an iOS update, it might make it harder to fix or find a solution for the real issue.

Remember, the right question often leads to the solution!

Was/Is your device Jailbroken? If that's the situation, please be informed that attributing the issues to iOS updates may not be accurate.

iOS updates aim to enhance user experience, boost security, and fix bugs rather than disrupt core features. The majority of the issues after updates might stem from underlying, unmentioned factors. Updates won't typically alter personal data but may refine settings or features. Backup before major updates for safety. Review Apple's update details and backup advice for a smooth process.

Kindly consider checking your settings and addressing any device issues before attributing the issue to external factors. This could be a pure coincidence that the iOS update affected the iPhone functions.

Before initiating a standard iOS update, it's advisable to create a backup. Have you completed this step? If yes, proceed with the restoration from the backup.

See what each update does: OS — iOS 26, About iOS 18 Updates, About iOS 17 Updates, About iOS 16 Updates, About iOS 15 Updates, About iOS 14 Updates, About iOS 13 Updates, About iOS 12 Updates, and so on...