How to Fix AirDrop Not Working on iPhone 15 Pro Issue

You won’t be able to use AirDrop on your iPhone 15 Pro and you do not know why. In this article, I explain how you can fix the problem when your iPhone 15 Pro is exhibiting AirDrop problems.

Note: information in this article apply to iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

It appears that various iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are experiencing AirDrop problems. When you experience this problem, you may not be able to send or receive AirDrop files. More specifically, you may experience one or more of the following behaviors:

• AirDrop is not working on iPhone 15 Pro as expected.
• Unable to send or receive a file from an iPhone 15 Pro using AirDrop.
• Unable to detect other devices.
• AirDrop is saying “waiting” then “failed”.
• AirDrop transfers are declined.

AirDrop only works with iPhone, iPad, and Mac. You can use AirDrop to send or receive items on your Apple device. You can share files such as photos, locations, URLs, or documents with people nearby using AirDrop. AirDrop uses Bluetooth to discover the nearby devices and Wi-Fi to wirelessly share and receive the content. When you AirDrop a file to another device, there are three steps: It will first say "Waiting…," then "Sending," and finally "Sent" once the file is successfully sent. Usually, AirDrop file transfers occur almost instantly.

I use AirDrop on my iPhone 15 Pro frequently to share things quickly and it is a great feature when it works. If AirDrop is not working on your iPhone 15 Pro, follow the troubleshooting steps below to fix the problem.

How to fix iPhone 15 Pro AirDrop problem

Please try these troubleshooting steps until your problem is fixed:

1. Check your settings

If the other Apple devices nearby cannot AirDrop to you or if you cannot send files via AirDrop, the first thing to check is to make sure that your settings are correct:

1. The first thing you should check is that your iPhone 15 Pro is discoverable. On your device, go to Settings > General > AirDrop and ensure that ”Receiving Off” is not selected.
2. Make sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your iPhone 15 Pro. Head over to Settings > Bluetooth and check. If you see a button saying ”Allow New Connections”, tap the button to turn on Bluetooth.
3. Make sure that Wi-Fi is turned on. If it is not, switch it on by going to Settings > Wi-Fi.
4. If you or the person you are AirDropping are hosting a Personal Hotspot, turn off Personal Hotspot. Head over to Settings > Personal Hotspot.
5. Ensure that you and the other person you are sending to are** close to each other**; ideally, you and the other person should be within about 33 feet (10 meters). If you are too far apart, AirDrop may not establish a connection, and thus, you should move closer and try again.

2. Basic Airdrop troubleshooting

After checking off your settings, if AirDrop is still working on your iPhone 15 Pro, try these troubleshooting steps in this order. After trying each step, check to see if you can AirDrop files again.

1. Turn off Bluetooth and wait 15 seconds and then turn it on. This is the first thing I do, and almost always fix AirDrop problems on my iPhone 15 Pro. Here’s how you can troubleshoot Bluetooth problems on your iPhone 15 Pro.
2. Turn off Wi-Fi and wait 15 seconds and then enable it again.
3. If one of the devices is using VPN, disable it and then try again.
4. Turn on Airplane Mode and wait 15 seconds and then disable it again.
5. Restart your Wi-Fi router/modem.You can restart it by unplugging and then replugging the power cord.
6. On your iPhone 15 Pro, go to Settings> General > AirDrop. Turn off its switch and then turn it on again.
7. Restart both devices and try again.
8. Ensure that your iPhone 15 Pro is running the latest version of iOS. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to check this.

3. Check your blocked list

If AirDrop is still not working on your iPhone 15 Pro, you may want to check your blocked list. You may unknowingly block a number or contact which may cause this problem. Here is how:

1. On your device, go to Settings > Phone and tap Blocked Contacts.
2. Review your blocked contacts and then check if the person you’re sending to is not blocked. And ensure that the other person has not blocked your number.
3. If blocked, unlock it.

4. iCloud Contacts

It appears that sometimes this issue may occur because your iPhone contacts may not match with your iCloud contacts if the AirDrop setting is set to receive from Contacts Only. You can merge your contacts to fix this issue. Here is how:

• On your iPhone, go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud.
• Turn on Contacts, if it is turned off.
• When you are asked, tap Merge.

If Contacts were already enabled:

• Go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud.
• Turn Contacts off. And select ”Keep on My iPhone”.
• Turn on Contacts and then select Merge.

5. Reset your network settings

If AirDrop is still not working on your iPhone 15 Pro even after trying all of the steps above, you may want to reset your network settings. Please note that this will erase all of your network settings such as your Wi-Fi passwords, Bluetooth connections etc. Here is how:

• On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings. And follow the onscreen instructions.