Geordon
Level 1 (9 points)

Q: AirDrop fron iOS to OS X:  Can I send stuff to myself?

I know that I can send stuff from my devices to my wife's devices with no problem (we have different Apple IDs).  Is there some way that I can use AirDrop to send files to myself between my iPhone, iPad, and/or Mac desktop?

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.4)

Posted on Aug 10, 2015 9:32 PM

by UGADog,Solvedanswer
UGADog UGADog
Level 4 (1,902 points)
Mac OS X
A:

Yes, AirDrop is quirky.  Age of your iMac is important.  To AirDrop to iMac from iOS capable device, iMac must be:

 

MacBook Air (2012 or newer)

MacBook Pro (2012 or newer)

iMac (2012 or newer)

Mac mini (2012 or newer)

Mac Pro (Late 2013)

 

And even with that, it is quirky.  My MB Pro mid 2014 can't find my iPhone 6 and I've tried all the troublehooting here. Yet my iPhone can see the MB Pro

Posted on Aug 10, 2015 10:03 PM

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Geordon

Q: AirDrop fron iOS to OS X:  Can I send stuff to myself?

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  • by UGADog,Helpful

    UGADog UGADog Aug 10, 2015 9:39 PM in response to Geordon
    Level 4 (1,902 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 10, 2015 9:39 PM in response to Geordon

    Yes you can AirDrop yourself on other devices if all the devices are new enough.  Your device will show up if you follow these instructions (most of the time, Airdrop can be finicky).  Share content with AirDrop from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support  Do remember the iDevice needs to know what to do with item it receives from an AirDrop to be effective.  For example, AirDropping a Mac App to iOS device would be pointless because the iDevice wouldn't know what to do with it.

  • by Geordon,

    Geordon Geordon Aug 10, 2015 9:44 PM in response to UGADog
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Aug 10, 2015 9:44 PM in response to UGADog

    iPad mini, iPhone 5s, (both running iOS 9 beta) and iMac running El Capitan.  It looks like I can send between the iOS devices (I just did it with a image) buut I can't send to or from the desktop.  I have watche3d my wife send from her iPhone (logged in with one ID) to her MBP (signed in with a different Apple ID) successfully.  Is AirDrop still a hot mess, then?

  • by UGADog,Solvedanswer

    UGADog UGADog Aug 10, 2015 10:03 PM in response to Geordon
    Level 4 (1,902 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 10, 2015 10:03 PM in response to Geordon

    Yes, AirDrop is quirky.  Age of your iMac is important.  To AirDrop to iMac from iOS capable device, iMac must be:

     

    MacBook Air (2012 or newer)

    MacBook Pro (2012 or newer)

    iMac (2012 or newer)

    Mac mini (2012 or newer)

    Mac Pro (Late 2013)

     

    And even with that, it is quirky.  My MB Pro mid 2014 can't find my iPhone 6 and I've tried all the troublehooting here. Yet my iPhone can see the MB Pro

  • by Geordon,

    Geordon Geordon Aug 10, 2015 10:05 PM in response to UGADog
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Aug 10, 2015 10:05 PM in response to UGADog

    Well, that explains things, then.  My iMac is mid-2011, if I recall... Time for me to upgrade.   In any event, it seems like AirDrop is still a work in progress, with no few bugs to squash still.

     

    Thanks!

  • by markwmsn,

    markwmsn markwmsn Aug 10, 2015 10:09 PM in response to Geordon
    Level 5 (5,669 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 10, 2015 10:09 PM in response to Geordon

    You didn't say what vintage your iMac is? As noted in the cited article, it needs to be at least a 2012 model to AirDrop with an iOS device.