How to AirDrop from iPhone to Mac
AirDrop from iPhone to Mac is a simple way to send photos, videos and files without a cable or the cloud. It needs Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both devices and a Mac that lets itself be found. This guide shows how to get the Mac ready, how to send, where the files land and what to do if the Mac doesn’t appear in the list.
Get the Mac ready to receive
- Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both the iPhone and the Mac, and keep them within about 10 meters (30 feet) of each other.
- On the Mac, click Control Center in the menu bar, then click the AirDrop icon so it turns blue.
- Click the arrow next to AirDrop and choose Contacts Only or Everyone.
The same choice is in the Finder: click AirDrop in the Finder sidebar and use the Allow me to be discovered by menu at the bottom of the window.
If the iPhone and the Mac are signed in to the same Apple Account, you don’t need to change anything: the Mac accepts the files without asking.
How to AirDrop from iPhone to Mac
- On the iPhone, open the photo, video or file you want to send. To send several photos, tap Select in Photos and choose them.
- Tap the Share button, then tap AirDrop.
- Tap your Mac in the list.
- On the Mac, click Accept in the AirDrop notification. If the Finder’s AirDrop window is open, the request appears there.
Starting with macOS 26.2, a sender who isn’t in your contacts needs an AirDrop code. On the Mac, click Get AirDrop Code and tell the code to the sender, who enters it on the iPhone.
Where AirDrop files go on Mac
Most files go to the Downloads folder. For some, such as photos, the Mac may ask whether to save them or open them in an app like Photos. To see what arrived, open the Finder and click Downloads in the sidebar.
iPhone photos often arrive as HEIC files. If a website or app doesn’t take them, see how to convert HEIC to JPG on Mac. Received files stay in Downloads until you move or delete them, so it’s worth cleaning out Downloads now and then.
If the Mac doesn’t appear in AirDrop
- Check that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on on both devices and that they are close to each other.
- Check that AirDrop is on in the Mac’s Control Center.
- If the Mac is set to Contacts Only and you aren’t in its contacts, switch it to Everyone for the transfer.
- Wake the Mac and keep it awake until the transfer starts.
- Restart the Mac and try again.
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Questions and answers
How do I AirDrop from iPhone to Mac?
Turn on AirDrop in the Mac’s Control Center, then on the iPhone tap Share › AirDrop and tap the Mac. If the devices use different Apple Accounts, click Accept on the Mac.
Where do AirDrop files go on Mac?
To the Downloads folder in your home folder. Some items, like photos, may be offered to open in an app instead.
Why didn’t my Mac ask me to accept the files?
Transfers between devices signed in to the same Apple Account are accepted automatically. Look for the files in Downloads.