How to Fix AirDrop Not Working on Mac (2026 Guide — macOS Tahoe)

Why AirDrop Is Not Working on Your Mac in 2026

AirDrop relies on both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth working simultaneously — it uses Bluetooth to discover devices and Wi-Fi Direct to transfer files. If either radio is misconfigured, or if macOS Tahoe has a software bug affecting the AirDrop daemon, transfers will fail. In 2026, macOS Tahoe versions 26.2 and 26.3 specifically introduced AirDrop regressions that Apple has been actively patching.

Common reasons AirDrop stops working:

• Wi-Fi or Bluetooth turned off on either device
• AirDrop visibility set to "Contacts Only" and the recipient isn't in Contacts
• VPN, firewall, or custom DNS blocking AirDrop's local network connections
• macOS Tahoe 26.2/26.3 bug — Bluetooth daemon stops advertising
• Devices not signed into Apple ID / iCloud (required for Contacts Only mode)
• Third-party antivirus or optimizer apps interfering with mDNS/Bonjour

Fix 1: Check the Basics First

Before anything else, verify these settings on both Mac and iPhone/iPad:

1. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth must both be ON — not just enabled, but connected/active. Open Control Center and confirm both icons are lit.
2. AirDrop must be set to Everyone (for 10 Minutes) or Contacts Only — open Finder → AirDrop, or on iPhone: Control Center → long-press the wireless block → AirDrop.
3. Both devices must be awake and unlocked — a sleeping iPhone won't appear in AirDrop.
4. Devices must be within 9 metres (30 feet) of each other.
5. Do Not Disturb / Focus mode off — some Focus modes block AirDrop on iPhone.

Fix 2: Toggle AirDrop Off and On

On Mac, cycle AirDrop through its settings:

1. Open Finder → Go → AirDrop (or press Cmd + Shift + R).
2. At the bottom, change AirDrop to No One.
3. Wait 10 seconds, then change it back to Everyone.

On iPhone/iPad:

1. Open Settings → General → AirDrop.
2. Tap Receiving Off, then tap Everyone for 10 Minutes.

Fix 3: Toggle Bluetooth Off and On

On macOS Tahoe, the Bluetooth daemon (bluetoothd) occasionally stops advertising your Mac to other devices. A full Bluetooth reset fixes this:

1. Click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar → Turn Bluetooth Off.
2. Wait 10 seconds.
3. Turn Bluetooth back On.

For a deeper reset if toggling doesn't help:

sudo pkill bluetoothd

Open Terminal and run this command — macOS will restart the Bluetooth daemon automatically.

Fix 4: Disable VPN and Check Firewall Settings

VPNs that tunnel all traffic will block AirDrop's peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connections. Disable your VPN temporarily:

1. Open System Settings → VPN and toggle off any active VPN connections.
2. Or go to System Settings → General → Login Items & Extensions → Network Extensions and disable VPN extensions.
3. Restart your Mac and try AirDrop again.

Also check your firewall:

1. Open System Settings → Network → Firewall.
2. If the firewall is on, click Options and ensure Block all incoming connections is unchecked.
3. Add exceptions for AirDrop and Bonjour if needed.

Fix 5: Sign In to iCloud and Check Apple ID

AirDrop in "Contacts Only" mode requires both devices to be signed into iCloud with an Apple ID. Even in "Everyone" mode, some macOS builds require iCloud authentication for the AirDrop service to initialize:

1. Open System Settings → Apple ID and confirm you're signed in.
2. On iPhone, go to Settings → [your name] and confirm the same Apple ID.
3. Sign out and back in if the account shows any warnings.

Fix 6: Reset Network Settings on Mac

Corrupted network preferences can prevent AirDrop from discovering local devices:

1. Open Terminal and run:

sudo dscacheutil -flushcache && sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

This flushes the DNS cache and restarts mDNSResponder (the Bonjour service AirDrop uses for device discovery).

Then reset Wi-Fi preferences:

sudo rm /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.wifi.plist
sudo rm /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/NetworkInterfaces.plist

Restart your Mac after running these commands.

Fix 7: Update macOS (Critical for Tahoe 26.2/26.3 Users)

Apple released patches for AirDrop failures introduced in macOS Tahoe 26.2 and 26.3. If you're on either of these versions:

1. Open System Settings → General → Software Update.
2. Install all available updates.
3. Restart and test AirDrop immediately after updating.

Users on Sequoia and earlier don't typically hit these specific bugs — the regressions were introduced in the Tahoe upgrade cycle.

Fix 8: Disable Third-Party Antivirus or Cleaning Apps

Security software, VPN clients, and "Mac optimizer" apps that install kernel extensions or network filters can block Bonjour packets, which AirDrop needs to discover devices:

1. Temporarily quit your antivirus, firewall, or cleaning app from the menu bar.
2. Test AirDrop immediately.
3. If it works, add AirDrop/Bonjour exceptions in the app, or contact the software vendor for a macOS Tahoe compatible version.

Fix 9: Test with a New User Account

If AirDrop fails only for your user account (not a freshly created test account), the issue is in your user profile — likely corrupted preferences:

1. Open System Settings → Users & Groups → add a new standard user.
2. Log in as the new user and test AirDrop.
3. If it works, go back to your main account and delete AirDrop preferences:

rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.NetworkBrowser.plist
rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.sharingd.plist

Log out and back in to regenerate clean preference files.

Fix 10: Reset NVRAM and SMC

As a last resort before reinstalling macOS, reset hardware parameters:

Reset NVRAM (Intel Macs): Restart, immediately hold Option + Cmd + P + R for about 20 seconds until you hear the startup chime twice.

Reset SMC (Intel MacBook): Shut down, hold Left Shift + Control + Option + Power for 10 seconds, then release and power on normally.

Apple Silicon Macs: Shut down fully, wait 30 seconds, and power back on — this achieves the equivalent reset.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't my Mac see my iPhone in AirDrop?

The most common cause is that AirDrop on the iPhone is set to Contacts Only but you're not in each other's contacts, or the iPhone is locked/sleeping. Set both devices to Everyone for 10 Minutes and ensure both screens are on and unlocked.

Why does AirDrop work from iPhone to Mac but not Mac to iPhone?

This asymmetric failure usually points to a Bluetooth advertising glitch on the Mac where your Mac's Bluetooth daemon stops broadcasting its presence. Restart bluetoothd via Terminal: sudo pkill bluetoothd — this resets the daemon without a full reboot.

Does AirDrop work on macOS Tahoe?

Yes, but macOS Tahoe 26.2 and 26.3 introduced known AirDrop bugs. Update to the latest Tahoe version via System Settings → Software Update. Apple has released targeted patches for these regressions.

Can a VPN block AirDrop on Mac?

Yes. VPNs that route all traffic or install network filters often block the peer-to-peer mDNS/Bonjour traffic that AirDrop uses for device discovery. Disable your VPN before using AirDrop, or configure a split-tunnel VPN that excludes local network traffic.

Why is my AirDrop transfer getting stuck at zero?

A transfer stuck at 0% usually means the Wi-Fi Direct connection between devices isn't establishing. Move both devices closer together, disconnect from any 5GHz band if having issues, and disable any proxies or custom DNS servers that might interfere.