What Mac Apps Use Airdrop
Jan 07, 2020 How to AirDrop passwords between nearby iPhone, iPad and Mac; Wrapping it up. AirDrop is a terrific tool for quick transfers. Whether you send or receive items from other people or use it to send things to your other devices, AirDrop makes it easy. Are you going to give AirDrop a try the next time you want to send a photo, file, link, or other. Using it to transmit content from apps like Photos and Safari couldn't be simpler, thanks to its top-level location in the iOS Share Sheet, accessed via the ubiquitous Share icon.
In my opinion, AirDrop is one of the best things that Apple has ever made. It makes sharing pictures, videos, and other files between iPhones, Macs, iPods, and iPads extremely simple. This feature isn’t available on any of the major platforms like Windows and Android. If you are new to macOS and if you don’t even know how to turn on AirDrop on Mac, then don’t worry. By the end of this article, I guarantee that you will be able to make full use of this useful feature.
Today we are going to discuss the pros and cons of AirDrop. We are also going to discuss how to turn on AirDrop on a Mac and the steps involved in sending and receiving files. Ready? Let’s get started.
Contents
- 2 How to Turn on AirDrop on Mac?
- 2.1 How to Send Files Using AirDrop on Macbook?
What is AirDrop?
AirDrop is a feature that was launched in 2011 by Apple. It lets users wirelessly share files between devices that belong to the Apple ecosystem. You can use it to share files of any size and it offers a lot of convenience over physical cables. AirDrop needs Bluetooth and WiFi to function properly. The files that are shared are encrypted and protected from prying eyes. However, since it needs WiFi and Bluetooth to function, AirDrop can only share files with nearby devices.
How to Turn on AirDrop on Mac?
Here are full steps to turn on and use Airdrop on Macbook.
Since it is such a useful and essential feature to the Apple ecosystem, turning on AirDrop is extremely simple. Just follow these steps:
- Click Go on the Menu bar.
- Select AirDrop from the dropdown menu.
- You need to turn on Bluetooth and WiFi for AirDrop to function. If they are not turned on, you will be asked to turn it on.
- You can make your Mac discoverable to everyone near you or just your contacts.
- Other AirDrop users will pop up on the AirDrop Window.
How to Send Files Using AirDrop on Macbook?
There are three methods that you can use to send files to another device using AirDrop.
1. Using the Shortcut Menu
- Open Finder.
- Control-click on the file that you want to share (press Control and click).
- Select Share and then select AirDrop.
- Choose the recipient of the file.
2. Using AirDrop Window
- Open Finder.
- Click on AirDrop from the sidebar.
- Drag the file that you want to send to one of the recipients.
3. Using the Share Button
- Some apps have the share button at the top. For example, in Finder, simply click on the file that you want to send and click the share button.
- Select AirDrop.
- Select the recipient of the file.
How to Receive Files Using AirDrop on Mac?
If someone wants to send you something, you have to give them permission. You will get an AirDrop request. You can either accept or decline the file. The file will be transferred quickly and it will be saved in the Downloads folder.
What to Do If Airdrop Doesn’t Work on Mac?
AirDrop can run into problems from time to time. If you can’t send files over AirDrop anymore, then follow the instructions below:
- Make sure that your Mac is recoverable. In the AirDrop Window, you can change the visibility. Set it to “Everyone” or “Contacts Only”. Both the sender and receiver have to be signed in to iCloud.
- Make sure that the devices are nearby.
- Turn on Bluetooth and WiFi on both the sender and the receiver.
Final Take
Now, I’m sure you know everything about turning on and using AirDrop on the Mac. I hope that you found this article helpful and you can now share files between devices without hassle. If you have any doubts or suggestions, please let me know in the comments section down below and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Wondering if you can AirDrop from your iPhone to a Windows PC?
Well, AirDrop is not compatible with any devices that are outside of Apple’s system. So it won’t work on Windows PC.
Fortunately, there are still lots of third-party apps that can mimic AirDrop, allowing you to transfer files wirelessly from your iPhone to a Windows PC and vice versa.
Airdrop Mac To Ipad
In this article, I will show you my favorite apps for sharing files quickly between my iPhone and my PC.
1. Zapya
Zapya allows you to share all types of files between your devices wirelessly using Wi-Fi tethering or hotspot feature. The developer claims that the transmission speed can be up to 10MB per second, that is even faster than AirDrop.
Zapya is completely free to install and use. On your PC, go to Zapya’s homepage and download and install the version for Windows PC. On your iPhone/iPad, launch App Store, look for the Zapya app and install it.
How to use Zapya
First off, connect your iPhone/iPad and your Windows PC to the same Wi-Fi network or with hotspot, then launch Zapya on both devices. Budget photoshop app for mac computer.
Now on your PC, in the Connect tab, select Join Group. It will scan and list out the Zapya-enabled device.
Click Connect to start connecting two devices. Or you can connect from your iPhone by using the Radar like below.
Once both devices are connected, you can start sending files between them. You can import photos, videos in the Photos app to the PC, or music files and contacts.
Files that are imported from other applications will be shown in the File section.
Just select the files you’d like to transfer and then tap the send button, the files will immediately be transmitted.
On your PC, you can find the files in the Record tab. Click on the folder icon next to each file to open them in the folder window.
001dYou can transfer files from your computer to your iPhone iPad, too. Once you’ve joined both devices, just drag and drop files onto the Zapya window, or click the Send Files button and browse to the files you want to send.
Once the files are transferred to the Zapya app on your iPhone or iPad, you can use the “Open in” feature to share the files to other apps as well.
Zapya is a cross-platform application, it also works Android and Windows Phone. So if you’re wondering if you can use this app to transfer files wirelessly from your iPhone to your friend’s Android phone, the answer is absolutely YES!
2. SHAREit
SHAREit is the major competitor of Zapya. It’s also a free app with ads.
Like Zapya, you will need to install the SHAREit app on both your iPhone/iPad and Windows PC. If you have an Android device and want to connect it to your iPhone, you can use SHAREit too.
After you’ve installed SHAREit on each of your devices, connect two devices to the same Wi-Fi network.
Or you can turn on Personal Hotspot on your iPhone, then connect to the hotspot from your PC. That will create a local Wi-Fi network (Wi-Fi Direct) without a mobile data plan.
Then open the app on your iPhone:
- Select Send, choose a file then select a connected receiving device by tapping on its avatar.
- Select Receive if you want to receive files sent from the computer.
SHAREit & Zapya works based on the same method, using a client application on each of your devices. You can try both of them to see which one provides a better experience.
3. Xender
Xender is another transfer software that using Wi-Fi utility. Unlike Zapya and ShareIt, you don’t have to install any program on your computer to get it working. Xender claims that their software is even easier to use than AirDrop. But I don’t think so 😉 AirDrop is very well-integrated in the system and I’ve never used anything better than that.
However, Xender still can get the job done for Windows users. Below are the steps involved in the process of transferring files between two devices: iPhone and your computer.
1) Download and install Xender on your iPhone. It’s free.
2) Make sure two devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, or your laptop must join the Personal Hotspot created by your iPhone.
2) On your computer, open a web browser, and go to http://web.xender.com. The web page will then show you a QR code.
3) Open Xender on your iPhone, swipe right, tap “Connect PC” on the side menu. Then tap the Scan button, scan the QR code appearing on the computer’s screen. Now both devices should be connected to each other, and the site will reload, giving you control over the files on iPhone.
How To Open Airdrop On Mac
4) Now you can upload files from your computer to the iPhone, or download files from the iPhone via the web browser.
To copy photos & videos from your iPhone, you can hover the mouse over the photo or video and click the Download button under it.
What Mac Apps Use Airdrop Download
Or you can bulk transfer by selecting the items you want to transfer, then click the Download button in the top corner.
Conclusion
AirDrop to PC is pretty simple once you have chosen the right app. Which app do you prefer to use? Or you know another option not covered that even works more effectively? Either way, let me know in the comment below 😀 I’m happy to learn from everyone’s ideas and suggestions to make this post better.
Dan is a web developer, a digital nomad, and a lifelong Apple fan. At iPhonebyte, his job is to help you get the most out of your iOS and Mac devices. Read the story about him and the website here.