How to Fix AirDrop When It Fails on Mac

Step by step

1. 30 sec

   Toggle Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

   Click the Control Center icon in the top-right menu bar. Click the Wi-Fi icon to turn it off, wait five seconds, and click it again to turn it back on. Repeat this process for the Bluetooth icon.

   Note: AirDrop requires both radios to be active and functional.
2. 1 min

   Reset AirDrop Visibility

   Open Finder and select AirDrop from the sidebar. Click the blue text labeled 'Allow me to be discovered by:' and change the setting to 'Everyone' or 'Contacts Only'. If it is already set, toggle it to 'No One' and then back to 'Everyone' to force a refresh.

3. 1 min

   Disable Do Not Disturb and Focus

   Open Control Center and ensure Focus or Do Not Disturb is turned off. Active Focus modes can suppress incoming AirDrop notification banners, making it appear as though the transfer failed.

   Note: A locked screen or active Do Not Disturb often prevents file reception.
4. 1 min

   Check Firewall Settings

   Navigate to System Settings > Network > Firewall. Click 'Options' and ensure 'Block all incoming connections' is disabled. If enabled, this prevents your Mac from receiving files via AirDrop.

5. 2 min

   Force Restart the Sharing Daemon

   Open Terminal from your Applications/Utilities folder. Type 'sudo pkill sharingd' and press Enter. Enter your administrator password when prompted and press Enter again to restart the background process handling AirDrop.

   Note: The password will not appear in the terminal window while typing.