AirDrop Between iPad and MAC

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Level 1

28 points

AirDrop Between iPad and MAC

I have AirDrop working great between my 2 MAC's now that I have them in close proximity - thanks to some great help here.

According to posts that I've read here, AirDrop should work fine between a MAC and an iPad 4 running IOS 7. I must be doing something wrong.

On my MAC, I open Finder and click on AirDrop in the left menu. This opens the normal window on the right that shows an icon for the MAC and the icon to the left of The menu AirDrop is revolving. I guess this indicates that the MAC is searching for another AirDrop device.

On my iPad, I open a photo. In the bottom left corner, I tap on the Share icon. The normal Share icons come up along with one for AirDrop.

Neither the MAC nor the iPad can be recognized by the other device.

Is there something else I need to set on or off on my iPad to get this to work?

Thanks a lot.

Adrian

iPad

Posted on Sep 20, 2013 10:41 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

bobbyco57

Level 4

1,768 points

Sep 20, 2013 10:43 AM in response to Adrian70437

Where did you read??? At this point, no AirDrop support between iOS and OSX

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Answer 2

Adrian70437 Author

Level 1

28 points

Sep 20, 2013 11:19 AM in response to bobbyco57

I read it here on the Apple Support site. If you enter the subject line I used, you will get a short list of discussions about this subject. One of them, dated Sept. 2013, addresses this subject specifically. It says that AirDrop will work between a MAC and an iPad 4 running IOS 7. There were no posts refuting this statement.

Is it Apple's position that it will not work?

I cannot imagine why they would not want it to work. It would sure give Apple a leg up against the Andriod system.

Thanks

Adrian

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Answer 3

Sep 20, 2013 11:23 AM in response to Adrian70437

The fact that a post to this forum has no response is evidence of absolutely nothing. It just means no one responded. And the iOS 7 page makes no mention of Macs at all (just specific iOS devices). If Airdrop will be available for OS X, I suspect it will not be until Mavericks is relased.

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Answer 4

Adrian70437 Author

Level 1

28 points

Sep 20, 2013 11:41 AM in response to Kilgore-Trout

I suspect you are correct about support being part of Maverick.

Shame on me for thinking I could believe what I read on this site. :) :) Well, most of what I've read has been accurate and I have had a lot of help from posters like you.

Thanks for the input and help.

Adrian

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Answer 5

Sep 20, 2013 11:42 AM in response to Adrian70437

You're welcome.

It is a user to user forum. No, not everything posted is accurate.

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Answer 6

Harrym55

Level 1

4 points

Sep 20, 2013 3:22 PM in response to Adrian70437

There are so many posts from people asking this question. Surely only an update or two away.

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Answer 7

Sep 21, 2013 10:34 AM in response to Adrian70437

Found your answer:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5887?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

Note: AirDrop for iOS supports only iOS 7 devices. You cannot use AirDrop on iOS to share with OS X, and OS X users can't use AirDrop to share with iOS devices.

Yes, I was surprised too!

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Answer 8

Sep 21, 2013 11:06 AM in response to Colt West1

Shucks, you mean I can't use an iPad2 or 3 even with iOS7? It only says iPad 4.

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Answer 9

bobbyco57

Level 4

1,768 points

Sep 21, 2013 2:10 PM in response to WhiteVolvo

That is correct. This is because there is a new wifi, bluetooth chip used that has the technology in it to accommodate the new airdrop feature. It is NOT an attempt to force you to upgrade

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Answer 10

Oct 2, 2013 3:11 PM in response to bobbyco57

C'mon, with programming you can do whatever you want.

Chip not available? Do it by IP.

This is more like a failure in design or planning.

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Answer 11

Nov 14, 2013 8:11 PM in response to Adrian70437

Can't AirDrop between iPad and MacBook Pro? That's BS!

Major FAIL by Apple...again. Just bought the new iPad Air and not impressed at all with the versatility. Why does Apple have to be so **** proprietary with their stuff. These days it's all about collaborating and working together on sharing and functionality.

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Answer 12

Baba

Level 1

44 points

Dec 3, 2013 3:24 PM in response to TPierpoint

YGTBFKM!!!!

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Answer 13

Dec 8, 2013 8:32 AM in response to TPierpoint

I'm sorry, but the fact that Apple won't support this feature is complete bullshiit. There is no reason why this shouldn't be possible.

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Answer 14

pjl123

Level 5

6,208 points

Dec 8, 2013 9:03 AM in response to Mahler12x

airdrop is new to ios. And for now, as near as i can figure it is ios to ios. but you really dont have an issue. There are any number of free or low cost apps that have done the same thing that have been available for a long time. all apple is trying to do is bake the functionality of those apps into the operating system. If you want to move pictures across any ios, mac, and most andriod devices, look at app called photosync or transfer.

There are some other apps that clai, to share other types of files, but I have not had much luck with them.

I would bet the functionality will progress within the apple operating systems over time. for now, simply use an app.

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Answer 15

Sepoe

Level 2

169 points

Dec 9, 2013 2:41 AM in response to Adrian70437

Hi there

I think it is a huge disatvantage that apple does not manage to make Airdrop work between Mac and iOs - and even more so since it is called the same. If this is really not supposed to work cross-platform, then it should at least be called clearly different!!!

Apple is doing many things right in terms of design but this is in my opinion a really bad mistake.

Subsequent passage is a bit of philosophy:

This to me is like using the word "Serial Connector" instead of Firewire or USB and use the exact same word for both - imagine you go out and buy two devices that are equipped with "Serial Connectors" and as you try to hook them up, you find out that they use completely different cables because one is in fact USB and the other one is Firewire!!! You would run to the store and hardly complain to the guy that sold this devices to you!

As a quick fix (not a free one though) you can use an app called instashare. It does what AirDrop should do and is able to work also on older devices like iPhone 4 (which AirDrop is not..). Seems to work really great between OS X and iOS - at least during my short tests...

Cheeers

Sepoe

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