Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both Apple devices, move them nearby, set the receiver to Contacts Only or Everyone for 10 Minutes, and restart both devices. Personal Hotspot can interfere with the local discovery path. Both devices must be unlocked and awake while you try, and the receiver should stay on the AirDrop screen.
What this covers
- AirDrop between a nearby iPhone, iPad or Mac
What it does not cover
- ×Android or Windows targets, which do not receive AirDrop
Try in this order
0 of 4 completedEnable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both devices
ReversibleVerify both radios are on and temporarily turn off Personal Hotspot during the local discovery test.
Move devices nearby and unlock them
ReversibleKeep the sender and receiver close, awake and available at the sharing screen.
Change receiving visibility temporarily
ReversibleSet AirDrop receiving to Everyone for 10 Minutes, or confirm both contacts contain the correct Apple Account details.
Restart both devices
ReversibleRestart the sender and receiver, then retry with a single small photo or document.
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions about “AirDrop cannot find the other device”
Why can't AirDrop find a device?+
Both devices need Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on and to be near each other, and receiving settings must allow it.
Could Personal Hotspot interfere?+
Yes, turn it off and try again.
Do both devices need to be unlocked?+
Yes. Both should be awake and unlocked, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on.
Is the receiving setting limiting it?+
Set AirDrop to Everyone for 10 Minutes to test.
Are they close enough?+
Keep the devices within a few feet while testing.
Could Personal Hotspot or a Focus mode interfere?+
Yes. Personal Hotspot can disrupt AirDrop's Wi-Fi use, and some Focus modes limit visibility. Turn both off while testing.
Is contacts-only receiving the problem?+
Contacts Only requires the sender to be in the receiver's contacts and signed into iCloud. Switch to Everyone for 10 Minutes to test.
Is Wi-Fi sharing an issue?+
AirDrop uses Bluetooth to find devices and Wi-Fi to transfer. If one device is on a network with client isolation, the transfer may fail. Try on a home network or turn off unusual network settings for the test.
What if AirDrop finds contacts but not other devices?+
Check whether the receiver is set to Contacts Only and whether the sender is in their contacts. Switching to Everyone for 10 Minutes lets the sender appear even if contact details do not match.
Could a VPN be the reason a nearby device won't show up?+
Yes — a VPN active on either phone can interfere with the local Wi-Fi discovery AirDrop depends on, in the same general way client isolation on a network does, so disconnecting the VPN on both devices for the duration of the test is worth doing alongside the Personal Hotspot and Focus mode checks, not instead of them.
Does a full restart of both phones actually fix this, or just a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth toggle?+
Try the toggle first since it is faster, but a full restart of both devices is the stronger fix when toggling does not work, because it clears a stuck discovery state in the radios that a simple on/off switch does not always reset.