What Is AirDrop?

With AirDrop, you can wirelessly send documents, photos, videos, websites, map locations, and more to a nearby Mac, iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. It’s essentially a unique way Apple devices in close proximity can share content with one another.

Here’s when you could use AirDrop:

• You have pictures on your iPhone that you need to add to your Keynote presentation. Rather than email them to yourself, AirDrop them.
• You have a video you need to add to your webpage on your Mac, but the video is on your phone. Rather than accessing your iCloud and downloading it, AirDrop it.
• You have a map location on your iPad that you need to send to your iPhone. Instead of sharing it, AirDrop it.
• You’ve been working on your resume in Google Docs on your iPad and want to work on it on your Mac. Instead of logging into Google Docs on your computer, share your resume from Google Docs to AirDrop it and pick up right where you left off. 
• And those are just scenarios where you’re the recipient! AirDrop a photo, video, website, document, and more to others just as easily!

So how?

Open the file you want to send, then either click the Share button in the app window or control-click the file in Finder and select Share from the menu. Choose AirDrop from the sharing options listed. In the AirDrop sheet that displays, choose a recipient!

You can also open an AirDrop window and drag files to the recipient. Visit Apple Support for these steps and for info on using AirDrop on your iPhone or iPad.

If you’re the one receiving the content, you see a notification or message in the AirDrop window when someone nearby attempts to send you files using AirDrop. Click Accept to save the files to your Downloads folder. If you’re on your mobile device, the AirDrop will come through within the same app from which it was sent.

For more info on AirDrop, visit the Library’s YouTube channel to watch our MacBook Pro Basics – AirDrop video. We have several other technology videos available.

Brityni S.
Consumer Tech Specialist