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Easily stop people from AirDropping you by disabling the feature
Co-authored byNaseem Speachand Rain Kengly
Last Updated: December 27, 2023Fact Checked
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- Using an iPhone or iPad
|- Using a Mac
|- Expert Interview
|
Are you worried about other people sending unknown files through AirDrop? If your AirDrop is on, you may have it set to "Everyone" or "Contacts Only". You can easily disable this feature from your Control Center, so you don't have to worry about getting any unwanted photos. This wikiHow will show you how to turn off AirDrop on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
- iPhone or iPad: In Control Center, tap and hold the Wi-Fi tile, then tap "AirDrop" → "Receiving Off."
- Mac: In Control Center, click AirDrop to turn it off.
- Alternatively on a Mac, open the Finder and click "AirDrop" → "Allow me to be discovered by" → "No One".
Method 1 of 2:
Using an iPhone or iPad
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1
Open the Control Center. On iPhone X or later, swipe down on the top-right corner of the screen. On iPhone 8 and earlier (and iPhone SE), swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
- On an iPad with iOS 12 or later, swipe down from the top-right of the screen.
2
Tap and hold the network settings tile. This will be in the top-left corner. You can tap and hold any icon in the network settings tile; this will expand it.
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3
Tap and hold the AirDrop icon. You can find this below the Wi-Fi icon.
4
Tap Receiving Off. AirDrop will be turned off until you turn it on again.[1]
- You can also do this in Settings → General → AirDrop → Receiving Off.
- When you want to transfer files again, you can turn AirDrop on again by tapping the icon in the Control Center.
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Method 2 of 2:
Using a Mac
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1
Open the Control Center. Click the toggle icon in the top-right corner of the menu bar. This will be between the search icon and date.
2
Click AirDrop. The icon will be blue if it's currently enabled. Clicking the icon again will disable AirDrop and turn the icon grey.[2]
- You can also disable AirDrop in the Finder. In the Finder sidebar, click AirDrop → Allow me to be discovered by → No One.
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Add New Question
Question
How can I delete AirDrop?
To date, there is no way you can delete AirDrop, but you can turn it off by heading to Settings, then General, then clicking AirDrop. From there, click receiving off.
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Question
How can I tell if I am sending air drop?
You can tell if you are sending an airdrop if you click on who you want to send it to. It will will say sending under the name.
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Co-authored by:
Tech Expert
This article was co-authored by Naseem Speach and by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly. Naseem Speach is a Tech Expert based in Los Angeles, California. Naseem started his tech reviews YouTube channel in 2020 and has since gained a following of over 34,000 subscribers. He specializes in sharing information about the latest smart home tech, Apple, Samsung, Google, PlayStation, Microsoft, and gaming devices. This article has been viewed 297,260 times.
Co-authors: 10
Updated: December 27, 2023
Views:297,260
Article SummaryX
1. Swipe up to open Control Center.
2. Tap AirDrop:.
3. Tap Receiving Off.
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 297,260 times.
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FAQs
On your iPhone or iPad: Open Settings > General > AirDrop > Receiving Off. On your Mac: Open Finder > select AirDrop from sidebar > Allow me to be discovered by > No One. AirDrop® is a handy way to transfer photos, videos, and other files between you and people you trust on Apple® devices.
How do I turn off AirDrop completely? ›
How to Turn Off AirDrop on iPhone and iPad
- Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center. ...
- Tap and hold the Network Settings tile (top-left title with Airplane Mode, Bluetooth, and more). ...
- Tap and hold the AirDrop icon.
- Select Receiving Off.
Mac: In Control Center, click AirDrop to turn it off. Alternatively on a Mac, open the Finder and click "AirDrop" → "Allow me to be discovered by" → "No One".
How do I cancel an AirDrop in progress? ›
How to stop AirDrop transfer if you accidentally tap on the wrong person's icon? Just tap the same icon again to quickly cancel the pending AirDrop transfer.
How do I permanently turn on AirDrop on my iPhone? ›
Apple iPhone - Turn AirDrop On / Off
- Open the. Settings app. on your Apple® iPhone®.
- Navigate: General. AirDrop. .
- Select the AirDrop setting: Turning on AirDrop automatically turns on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth®. Receiving Off. Contacts Only. Everyone for 10 Minutes.
Select General: Scroll down and tap on “General.” Tap on AirDrop: Find and select “AirDrop.” Choose Receiving Off: Tap on “Receiving Off” to disable AirDrop completely.
How do I delete AirDrop history on my iPhone? ›
Since there's no separate log or history of AirDrop on iPhones, you don't get the option to delete it.
Should I disable AirDrop? ›
Cybercriminals can send malware or viruses via AirDrop, which can infect devices when the victim accepts the file transfer request. Once the device is infected, it can damage or steal sensitive data, causing significant financial harm to kids and families.
Can parental controls turn off AirDrop? ›
If you want to prevent your child from using AirDrop, you can turn it off in the Settings app by going to General > Restrictions and tapping the button next to AirDrop.
Why does AirDrop stay off? ›
AirDrop relies on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® to transfer files. Make sure both are turned on by going to your phone settings. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open your Control Center. They're off if the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi icons are not illuminated blue.
Some of the common causes of AirDrop stuck on waiting are: Both devices are not close enough to each other to let AirDrop connect them. Your iPhone or Mac is not fulfilling the AirDrop minimum requirements. Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth is turned off on any device or a personal hotspot is enabled.
Can I withdraw my AirDrop? ›
How to Withdraw Airdrop Tokens? Once you have received your airdrop tokens, you will need to find an exchange that supports the token in order to withdraw them. If the airdrop is for an ERC20 token, you can likely withdraw them from any Ethereum-based exchange.
Does AirDrop leave history? ›
AirDrop doesn't keep the history of files being sent or received, so you cannot see what you have sent to other devices, be it an iPhone or Macbook.
How do I completely turn off AirDrop? ›
How to turn off AirDrop on your iPhone or iPad
- Depending on your device, swipe up or down to open the Control Center.
- Tap and hold Network Settings until the menu expands.
- Tap and hold the AirDrop icon.
- Select Receiving Off.
Touch and hold the AirDrop button, then choose one of these options: Receiving Off: you won't receive AirDrop requests. Contacts Only: only your contacts can see your device.
How do I lock AirDrop on my iPhone? ›
You can block AirDrop through Apple's Screen Time feature so a child or someone not authorized to use your device cannot share files. Navigate to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and toggle Content & Privacy Restrictions to on. Then tap Allowed Apps and toggle AirDrop to off.
Why is AirDrop stuck? ›
Some of the common causes of AirDrop stuck on waiting are: Both devices are not close enough to each other to let AirDrop connect them. Your iPhone or Mac is not fulfilling the AirDrop minimum requirements. Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth is turned off on any device or a personal hotspot is enabled.
Why is AirDrop not always on? ›
AirDrop relies on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® to transfer files. Make sure both are turned on by going to your phone settings. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open your Control Center. They're off if the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi icons are not illuminated blue.
How do I block someone from AirDrop? ›
You can block AirDrop through Apple's Screen Time feature so a child or someone not authorized to use your device cannot share files. Navigate to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and toggle Content & Privacy Restrictions to on.
