AirDrop is a file-sharing feature built into Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, and Mac).
Here’s how it works:
- It uses Bluetooth to find nearby devices and Wi-Fi to transfer files quickly and securely.
- You can send photos, videos, documents, links, contacts, and more without needing email, messaging apps, or an internet connection.
- Transfers are encrypted, so they’re private.
- You can control who can send you files: Everyone, Contacts Only, or Receiving Off.
⚡ Example: If you take a picture on your iPhone, you can instantly AirDrop it to your Mac without cables.
Benefits of AirDrop
- Fast: Much quicker than email, text, or cloud upload/download.
- Private & Secure: Files don’t go through the internet.
- Cross-device: Works between iPhone ↔ iPad ↔ Mac.
- No size limits: You can share huge videos that are too big for messaging apps.
AirDrop Settings
You can choose who can send you files:
- Receiving Off – Nobody can AirDrop you.
- Contacts Only – Only people in your contacts can send you files.
- Everyone (Nearby) – Any nearby Apple device can send you files.
Limitations
- Only works on Apple devices.
- Both devices need Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on.
- You need to be within a short range (about a room away).
AirDrop an Android Smartphone to a Mac
It's possible to replicate Apple's AirDrop functionality between an Android smartphone and a Mac. This allows you to send files wirelessly between your different devices. We'll explain how.
The Apple ecosystem is renowned for its extensive interoperability, and features like AirDrop make life easier for millions of iPhone and Mac users. With just one click and without installing anything, you can transfer files and photos from an iPhone to a Mac and vice versa.
If you've chosen an Android smartphone, however, you have the Quick Share option developed by Google, which does almost the same thing between two Android smartphones.
But if you've chosen an Android smartphone (like the Pixel 10 Pro) and are working on a Mac, we have a solution for replicating AirDrop and Quick Share between these two machines. A small extension allows you to replicate the behavior of AirDrop between an Android smartphone and a Mac.
How to do it?
Install NearDrop on your Mac
- Go to the NearDrop project's GitHub page.
- In the right column, under the Release heading, click on the latest version available. This will start its download.
- Unzip the file by double-clicking it.
- Drag and drop NearDrop into the Applications folder or double-click it.
- Open the application to get an error message (your Mac won't want to install an unverified extension).
- Go to Settings, Security & Privacy, and scroll to the bottom of the panel to allow NearDrop to launch.
- Open NearDrop a second time: the small logo will appear in your menu bar at the top right!
- Allow NearDrop notifications and exit Do Not Disturb mode, otherwise you won't be able to accept the file upload.
On your Android smartphone, for example, take a photo and click Share. Select Quick Share, making sure you're on the same Wi-Fi network as your Mac. You will then receive a notification on your Mac which will offer you the option to accept the file: there you have it, in your downloads!
NearDrop has some limitations, such as the inability to switch it to Contacts Only (you have to close the app to no longer be detected) and the notification must be accepted each time, but it's a great tool for regaining one of the best features of iOS and macOS.
