How to Use AirDrop on Mac: Settings, Receiving and the 10-Minute Rule

Here's the catch. On iPhone and iPad, Everyone isn't permanent any more. In iOS 16.2 and later, Everyone for 10 Minutes switches itself back after 10 minutes, to Contacts Only if you're signed in to your Apple Account, or to Receiving Off if you're not. So if someone's AirDrop worked a minute ago and now doesn't, check that timer first.

Where the AirDrop setting lives on a Mac

1. Open the System Settings app.
2. Click General in the sidebar.
3. Click AirDrop & Continuity. You may need to scroll down.
4. Next to AirDrop, choose who can send files to you from nearby Apple devices.

That's the path in Apple's current Mac help for macOS 27 Golden Gate, as of October 2026. In the Finder, Shift-Command-R jumps straight to the AirDrop window, which is quicker than hunting for it.

Contacts Only vs Everyone

Setting	Who can send to you
Contacts Only	People in your contacts, on devices with iOS 10, iPadOS 13, macOS 10.12 or later
Everyone	Any nearby Apple device; on iPhone and iPad it's Everyone for 10 Minutes in iOS 16.2 and later
Receiving Off	Nobody; it's where Everyone for 10 Minutes goes back to if you aren't signed in to an Apple Account

There's one quirk with older software. Contacts Only needs iOS 10, iPadOS 13, macOS 10.12 or later, so if your device runs something earlier, Apple says to select Everyone to receive items by AirDrop. You can turn Everyone off again once the items have arrived.

Before you AirDrop anything

• Keep the two devices near each other.
• Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both.
• Disconnect Personal Hotspot if either of you has it on.
• If both devices are on iOS 17 or later, try holding them together to share.

Sending from iPhone or iPad to someone in your contacts

1. Open the app with the content, for example Photos.
2. Tap Select, then tap the photo or photos you want to share.
3. Tap the Share button, then tap AirDrop.
4. Tap the person's name under People. Anyone in your contacts who's nearby appears there.
5. Ask them to tap Accept on their device.

AirDrop is one of several ways to move pictures from a phone to a computer. For the cable and iCloud routes too, here's my guide to getting iPhone photos onto a Mac.

Sending to someone who isn't in your contacts

1. Open the app with the content, for example Files.
2. Tap the More button, then Select, and tap the files you want to share.
3. Tap the Share button, then tap AirDrop.
4. Ask the other person to open Control Center, touch and hold the connectivity controls, tap AirDrop and tap Everyone for 10 Minutes.
5. Tap them under People. If both devices use iOS 26.2 or later, you're prompted to use an AirDrop code.
6. Ask them to tap Get AirDrop Code and tell you the code, then enter it on your device.

The code step is new, and it has a side effect worth knowing. Once you've used a code, that person goes on the Other Known List in your contacts for 30 days. If you'd rather not keep them there, you can mark the person as unknown in the Contacts app before the 30 days are up.

The other switches on the same settings page

AirDrop shares its settings page with Continuity and AirPlay, and the other options are worth a look while you're there.

Setting	What it does
Handoff	Start something on one Apple device and hand it off to another; not available on all computers
Copy and paste between devices	With Handoff on, copy on one Apple device and paste on another
AirPlay Receiver	Lets nearby Apple devices stream to this Mac; needs macOS 12 or later and may be unavailable on a Mac managed by MDM
Allow AirPlay for	Current User, Anyone on the Same Network or Everyone
Require password	Asks for a password before anyone can stream to this Mac

Handoff needs Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Handoff turned on, and the same Apple Account signed in on every device. For AirPlay, Current User is the tidy choice if you only stream from your own devices: only devices signed in to your Apple Account can see the Mac. Anyone on the Same Network opens it to any nearby Mac, iPhone or iPad on your network, and Everyone opens it to any of them. To set a password, turn on Require password, click Set, enter it and click OK.

AirDrop and children's devices

If your child receives or tries to send certain sensitive content through AirDrop, Apple's Communication Safety can warn them, blur the content and point them to helpful resources. It's one more reason to keep a child's device on Contacts Only.

My verdict on AirDrop on Mac

I'd leave a Mac on Contacts Only and switch to Everyone only while you're receiving from someone new, then switch it back. On an iPhone the 10-minute timer does that for you. If a transfer won't show up, check Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Personal Hotspot before anything else, because those are the first things Apple lists. And if what you're sending is a screen grab, here's where your screenshots on Mac are saved.

Frequently asked questions

Where is AirDrop on a Mac?

The setting is in System Settings: click General, then AirDrop and Continuity. In the Finder, Shift-Command-R opens the AirDrop window.

Why does AirDrop keep switching off Everyone?

In iOS 16.2 and later, Everyone for 10 Minutes changes back after 10 minutes, to Contacts Only if you're signed in to your Apple Account or Receiving Off if you're not.

Do I need Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for AirDrop?

Yes. Apple says both people need Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on, the devices need to be nearby, and Personal Hotspot should be disconnected.

What is an AirDrop code?

When both devices use iOS 26.2 or later and you share with someone not in your contacts, they tap Get AirDrop Code and tell you the code to enter. They're then added to your Other Known List for 30 days.

Can anyone AirPlay to my Mac?

Only if you allow it. In AirDrop and Continuity settings, Allow AirPlay for can be Current User, Anyone on the Same Network or Everyone, and you can require a password.