Is AirDrop not working on your iPhone 13 Pro Max? More often than not AirDrop issues that iPhone users encounter can be resolved quite easily. If AirDrop is not working on your iPhone 13 Pro Max, read on to find out how you can troubleshoot the issue.
AirDrop is a neat little feature you can use to quickly and easily transfer files of all kinds between Apple devices. AirDrop allows users to send and receive photos, videos, passwords, contacts, map location, and pretty much anything else that can be transferred from a Share Sheet. The feature uses Bluetooth technology to detect nearby compatible devices and helps you transfer data over Wi-Fi. The entire process isn’t just simple; it’s incredibly secure… when it works.
If AirDrop is not working on your iPhone 13 Pro Max, there are some troubleshooting steps you can try to fix the issue and get you back to transferring files with ease. Here are some steps you can try to troubleshoot many problems with AirDrop if it’s not working on iPhone 13 Pro Max. Lets get started.
How to fix AirDrop not working on iPhone 13 Pro Max
The fixes explained on this article applies to iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max.
1. Make sure AirDrop is On and Visible
Is AirDrop not working on iPhone 13 Pro Max? First, you have to enable AirDrop on your phone and in the receiving device for it to work. On iOS, go to Settings > General > AirDrop to select your discoverability mode.
To control whom you can share content with, use the following AirDrop options:
- Receiving Off — No one can see your device but you can still AirDrop items to others.
- Contacts Only — Only contacts in your address book can see your device as an AirDrop destination. Both devices must be signed in to iCloud and the email address or phone number associated with your Apple ID must be in the Contacts app of the receiving device. This option is good for added privacy as it’ll prevent AirDrop requests coming in from random or unknown users.
- Everyone — All nearby devices using AirDrop can see your device. This is a recommended option for most users.
We suggest using the Everyone option in order to avoid discoverability issues.
2. Check your device’s radios
This is probably the no-brainer step, but one that you should definitely try if AirDrop is not working on iPhone 13 Pro Max. The AirDrop protocol needs Bluetooth to detect if the devices are in close proximity of one another, and Wi-Fi to transfer data.
If Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, or both, are disabled on your device, then AirDrop will not work and you will see a warning message to switch Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on. Therefore, on both the sending and receiving devices, ensure that both these radios are actually turned on. You can check the status for both using the Control Center. If either of the radios was turned off, turn it on and try AirDrop once again.
3. Turn off Airplane Mode
Another common error that causes iPhone 13 Pro Max AirDrop problems is to forget that your device is in Airplane Mode. Airplane Mode shuts down all wireless radios in your iOS device. As mentioned, AirDrop requires that both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi be on. To exit Airplane Mode, deselect the Airplane Mode icon in Control Center, or toggle the switch in Settings → Airplane Mode.
4. Turn off Focus Mode
Focus Mode in iOS devices can prevent AirDrop from working correctly. Focus Mode disables notifications from being delivered. This not only prevents you from seeing any AirDrop request, but it makes your device undiscoverable as well.
You can AirDrop files to others whilst your iPhone 13 Pro Max is in Focus mode. However the opposite isn’t true. That’s because Focus mode suppresses the AirDrop alert and renders the device undiscoverable.
Exit Do Not Disturb mode to make your device discoverable again via AirDrop.
Go ahead and deselect the Focus icon in Control Center or from the Settings app.
- Access the Control Center by swiping down from the top right of the screen,.
- Find the Focus switch and set it to the OFF position.
5. Update iOS
Apple frequently releases new updates to iOS that are designed to fix software bugs. If AirDrop isn’t working on iPhone 13 Pro Max, install the latest updates for your devices as they may fix it.
On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is available, tap download and install.
6. Restart Both Devices
Restarting your devices may seem like a silly suggestion, but it might be all you need to fix AirDrop not working on iPhone 13 Pro Max issue. And it only takes a moment to try it. To restart your iPhone, go to settings > General > shut down.
7. Make sure your devices are within 30 feet of each other
Check the distance between your devices to fix AirDrop not working on iPhone 13 Pro Max issue! AirDrop uses Bluetooth discovery so make sure the device you’re trying to AirDrop to is within 30 feet (9 meters) of yours. If necessary, move the devices closer together to improve Bluetooth reception. Bluetooth is especially prone to physical obstacles such as concrete walls.
8. Turn Off Personal Hotspot on your iPhone
Personal Hotspot clashes with AirDrop because both features require Wi-Fi for themselves. On the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, a message in the AirDrop menu will warn you that “AirDrop is not available when using Personal Hotspot”.
To disable personal hotspot: head over to Settings on your iPhone and toggle the Personal Hotspot switch to Off.
9. Don’t share different file types at once
Does AirDrop greet you with a “Cannot receive all of these items at the same time” message on your iPhone 13 Pro Max? That’s because your are trying to send multiple files which are not of the same type.
AirDrop for iOS can automatically open received items in the appropriate app so it cannot handle different file types in a single session.
Fixing this is as simple as ensuring that only ONE file type is being sent in one AirDrop session. That means you can send and receive multiple files as long as they are all, say, photos, or all PDFs, or all MP3s and so on.
10. Restart Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on Both Devices
A particularly useful solution if AirDrop is not working after iOS 15 update is to disable and re-enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. To do this, launch the Control Center and tap the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth icons to turn them off and on.
11. Disable VPN for AirDrop to Work
Some iPhone 13 Pro Max users found that AirDrop didn’t work until they turned off the VPN on their device. You might need to do this in the VPN app or in your device settings.
On your iPhone, go to Settings and turn off the VPN toggle.
12. Check the Downloads Folder for Missing Files
If AirDrop sent a file to your device but you can’t find it, take a look in the Downloads folder. On an iPhone, open the Files app and look for a Downloads folder in iCloud Drive.
13. Sign Into Your Apple ID Account Again
On your iPhone, head over to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out. Choose the data to keep on your device, then confirm you want to Sign Out. After signing out, return to Settings to sign in to your Apple ID again.
14. Reset the Network Settings on Your iPhone
Resetting network settings can solve a range of problems—especially given that AirDrop uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, both of which are part of network settings. To reset your network settings, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > reset and tap Reset Network Settings. Hopefully, AirDrop starts working again after the reset.
15. If AirDrop Still Isn’t Working on iPhone 13 Pro Max
Sometimes a problem really is a problem. Like any electronics, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios and the various connections to them can have problems. If your device is still under warranty, don’t walk; run to your nearest Apple Store to get it checked out.
Fixed AirDrop not working on iPhone 13 Pro Max
AirDrop is something that we use a lot, as it’s a great way to share files among different Apple devices. Well, these tips should solve your iPhone 13 Pro Max AirDrop issues in most situations.
Did something of important fly under our radar?
We’d like to hear about your approaches to solving iPhone 13 Pro Max AirDrop issues and would appreciate if you shared them in the comment section below. We’ll add any good tip to this article.