Why Doesn't AirDrop Work With My iMac?

Question

Level 1

48 points

Why Doesn't AirDrop Work With My iMac?

After several months of trying, I have not been able to get AirDrop to work since I bought iPad Pro in 2016. Can not wirelessly transfer files between my iPad and my mid-2011 iMac Sierra desktop. But both devices open AirDrop in their Finders!? And a friend's iPhone will share AirDrop with my iPad. I was subsequently told by an Apple Store staff member (long after I had purchased the iPad from his store) that AirDrop doesn't work because the mid-2011 iMac's h/w for performing AirDrops (and Bluetooth pairings too) is not compatible with my iPad Pro's h/w (wish they'd told me this before I bought the iPad from them). I thought I had paid for user-friendly wireless capability between my iMac & iPad. Apparently, my only alternative may be to go back to legacy USB file transferring. Am angry about this because I can't seem to find out if this h/w incompatibility claim is actually true, and what I could do about it. Can anyone tell me please if there is a solution to this dilemma (and please don't tell to me again to simply use iCloud - I have reasons for needing to use AirDrop in lieu of iCloud)? Thank you.

iMac, macOS Sierra (10.12.4)

Posted on Sep 13, 2017 7:23 PM

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Answer 1

MichelPM

Level 10

80,968 points

Sep 14, 2017 4:59 AM in response to MurPhil

To send data via AirDrop from an iDevice to a Mac, you need a 2012 or later Mac model.

To send data via AirDrop between two Macs, you need these year and model Macs or later.

AirDrop system requirements

To send items to an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, or to receive items from those devices, you need a 2012 or later Mac model with OS X Yosemite or later, excluding the Mac Pro (Mid 2012).

To send items to another Mac, you need:

MacBook Pro (Late 2008) or later, excluding the MacBook Pro (17-inch, Late 2008)
MacBook Air (Late 2010) or later
MacBook (Late 2008) or later, excluding the white MacBook (Late 2008)
iMac (Early 2009) or later
Mac Mini (Mid 2010) or later
Mac Pro (Early 2009 with AirPort Extreme card, or Mid 2010)

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Answer 2

MurPhil Author

Level 1

48 points

Sep 15, 2017 2:05 PM in response to MichelPM

Thank you MichelPM for the advice about Instashare. I'll definitely check it out.

As I mentioned before, wish I had known that my pre-2012 iMac wouldn't support AirDrop. Would have helped if the sales person at the Apple Store had mentioned this. AirDrop was one a feature I was really looking forward to using on my iMac and iPad. He gave me the opposite impression, saying AirDrop will work fine as long as iMac has El Capitan or newer (I have Sierra). What really confuses me the most is that my iMac still shows AirDrop in its Finder. Clicking on this Folder opens the AirDrop window, but there is no notification or error message that the iMac's h/w is incompatible with AirDrop. This gives me a strong (albeit false) impression that AirDrop is available to use on my iMac. Alas, apparently not - I feel as if I've been duped somehow!

Be that as it may, I still love everything else about my iMac & iPad Pro. Windows is in a distant 2nd place to me.

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Answer 3

MichelPM

Level 10

80,968 points

Sep 15, 2017 2:16 PM in response to MurPhil

Did you read the AirDrop description I listed carefully?

Airdrop will work between older and newer Macs

Hence why your Mac has AirDrop.

It just won't work between a Mac and iDevice unless your Mac is a 2012 model or later running Yosemite or later.

If you have TWO Macs running OS X 10.10 Yosemite or later, you can AirDrop between Macs from early 2009 or later.

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Answer 4

MurPhil Author

Level 1

48 points

Sep 15, 2017 5:59 PM in response to MichelPM

Yes, I got that. Thanks My only point was that this subtle older-newer Mac distinction wasn't made by Apple sales staff when I purchased my iPad Pro. Anyway, moving on ... I look forward to trying Instashare. Many thanks for your help.

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Answer 5

MurPhil Author

Level 1

48 points

Sep 19, 2017 1:14 PM in response to MurPhil

Not having much luck with Instashare as an AirDrop alternative. Seems very quirky, and only works intermittently for file transfers from Win7 to iPad. Transfers from iPad to Win7 don't happen, and reason why not is also not given. I have a similar problem with with my basic home LAN. My iMac seems happy to take files from Win7, but won't allow Win7 to have files from iMac. Instashare isn't currently worth the extra time and effort for even the simplest of file transfers.

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