You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

💡 Did you know?

⏺ If you can't accept iCloud Terms and Conditions... Learn more >

⏺ If you don't see your iCloud notes in the Notes app... Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

AirDrop Problems in iOS 8.1

I just installed iOS 8.1 on my iPhone 5s. When I try to turn on AirDrop for Contacts Only using the Control Center it either does not try to turn on or just asks for my iCloud password and then does nothing (i.e. stays turned off). If I select AirDrop for Everyone it sometimes turns on and sometimes does not.


Does anyone else have this problem?


Thanks,


Mike

iPhone 5s, iOS 8

Posted on Oct 20, 2014 11:44 AM

Reply
78 replies

Oct 31, 2014 10:03 AM in response to MikeMcCollister

Similar issue here, two different problems...


Problem 1

At work I have a Mac Pro running Yosemite 10.10 and iPhone 5 running iOS8.1, one cannot see the other, very annoying, WiFi is on, Bluetooth is on. I then tried on a new iMac in the office, again running Yosemite 10.10 and it sees my iPhone, is it an issue with the Mac Pro I'm wondering? Bluetooth works as I'm using a Magic Mouse. Hmmm.


Problem 2

I have an iMac (couple of years old) at home also running Yosemite 10.10, I don't even see the option for AirDrop, it's not in my finder window like on my work Mac Pro and when I go to System Prefs > Extensions > Share Menu > AirDrop is selected but greyed out in the menu.


Very frustrating, would love it to work seamlessly! Any one have any ideas or is it a bug that needs fixing by Apple?!?

Nov 10, 2014 9:15 AM in response to Htep

I also had the same problem where I can airdrop to my iPhone 5 (8.1) from my MacBook Pro Retina 2012 (10.10) but not the other way around.

I had tried everything in the threads but the thing that fixed it for me was to sign out from iCloud AND iTunes store on both Mac and iPhone, then restart. My iCloud and iTunes accounts also have different IDs.


I've also found that when using handoff and continuity, if your Mac is sleeping, DON't tap on handoff on your iPhone! It will mess up the settings and you will need to sign out of iCloud on both devices and sign back in again.

Nov 13, 2014 3:37 AM in response to MikeMcCollister

I'm running Yosemite on a MBP retina (12/2012) and iOS 8.1 on a brand spanking new iPhone 6 Plus: so it MUST be working!


I was going crazy with this AirDrop issue as well, until I noticed that in the finder window (when i was selecting "AirDrop") there's a really small blue writing "allow me to be discovered by:..." and then I could select "Everyone", "Contacts only" and "No One" (right under the blue AirDrop icon).

It was by default on "Contacts only".

It means that if you're not registered in your own Contacs list on your computer the iPhone (or iPad or iPod) can't see the computer itself since you're not register in the same Contact list as well.

Changing the setting on the computer to "Everyone" solved the issue as my MBP suddenly popped up on iPhone as AirDrop destination.


So basically if you're Airdropping from any iDevice to any Mac (or viceversa) be sure to have both systems set to be discoverable to"Everyone".

If only one of them is set on "Everyone" then it will be possible to AirDrop only towards the one that's set as "Everyone".

If both are set as "Contacts Only" then be sure that you're register in your own Contact's list, otherwise it ain't gonna work.


Quite clumsy from Apple not to explain a little better this thing and quite clumsy that on a Mac AirDrop is set as "Contacts only" by default.

I hope this is gonna help some of you people who's having this issue for some time now.




User uploaded file

Nov 17, 2014 5:26 AM in response to MikeMcCollister

MMy iphone6 and my ipad4 retina are both running iOS 8.1 and as long as I use "Everyone" I can send pictures back and forth. Doesn't seem tomwantbto work if I don't select everyone. Thats problem number one.


problem number 2 is that my wife's ipad2 running iOS 8.1 doesn't show the airdrop selection at all. Bluetooth is on, everything else seems to be working fine. I powered it down, waited a couple minutes, powered it up again, still not showing the airdrop selection in the grey menu That you slide up. Seems to me it might be smoother if there was a selection in "General" that actually switched this feature on and off.


incidentally, we both have iMacs hers is brand new, mine is circa 2008 but both are running Yosemite. Haven't even tried sending pix to the iMacs. Just sitting here at the kitchen table with the iOS devivices wondering why her iPad won't cooperate.


ANyone have some idea why her iPad doesn't have AirDrop?

AirDrop Problems in iOS 8.1

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.