Learn how to share files using AirDrop on the Mac.
In this lesson for the Mac, I show you how you can share files with AirDrop. When you use AirDrop, you can share files between other Macs, as well as iPads and iPhones wirelessly. Learn how to share files with AirDrop on the Mac.
Video Transcript (video also has closed captions):
Introduction: In this video, we’re going to look at how we can share files with our Mac using AirDrop. Let’s go to My Mac.
Sharing Files between a Mac and iPhone (or iPad): I have a Finder window open to my documents folder. You’re also going to see that I have my iPhone to the right. Now what I’m able to do with AirDrop is share this photo on my iPhone with my Mac. Then I’m also able to share any of these files here on my Mac with my iPhone. How do we do that? Well, let’s first look at how we share a file from another device. In my case, it’s going to be my iPhone. To do that, what we do is we go to the share icon on your other device, in my case, my iPhone. I’m going to tap on the share icon, and then you’re going to see AirDrop.
Now you’ll notice that it discovered my new iMac. This is what I have my iMac called. To transfer this photo, all I have to do is tap on Dan’s new iMac. When I do that, I’m going to get a dialog on my Mac to accept that transfer. Now let’s go and tap on Dan’s new iMac. We can see it as waiting. Now when we go up to the top here, you’re going to see I have a notification. Now what I need to do is I need to accept it. I’m going to go ahead and accept it. I click on accept. I’m going to save it to my downloads folder. Now that file from my iPhone was just transferred to my downloads folder.
Finding Files shared with AirDop: If I go down to my downloads folder here, you’re going to see I have my image. That’s all we have to do to share a file from another device to your Mac. We have to go to the share icon and then tap on AirDrop. Now, if your Mac does not show up on your iPhone, what you may need to do is turn AirDrop on to do that. To do that, what we do is we go over to AirDrop. Now, if you do not see AirDrop in your sidebar, what you’ll need to do is you’ll need to go to your Finder preferences. I’m going to click on Finder, and we go over to preferences, a new window opens up. We need to go to the sidebar, and then we go and make sure that AirDrop is checked.
Restricting AirDrop Access: When I click on AirDrop here, you’re going to see we have some settings down in the bottom. I have it set to allow me, this Mac, to be discovered by everyone. If anyone is within Bluetooth range, you have to have Bluetooth on, what they’re able to do is discover my Mac and transfer any files. Now, what I can do is I can consent this to just contacts only. Now what I do is I click on Everyone, and then we go to contacts only. Then only people that are in my contacts are going to be able to transfer files. This is how you can add a little security to AirDrop. If you leave it on Everyone, when you’re in a coffee shop, anyone that wants to share with you will be able to discover your Mac.
We can also turn it off by turning on No One. I’m going to leave that at Everyone. I’m in my home office. I have different devices here. Sometimes I have my contacts in them. Sometimes I don’t. If I leave it on Everyone, I’m still able to transfer any files to my Mac. Even though I might not have my name in the contacts, I have it set for Everyone. Again, if you take your Mac to a coffee shop or an office environment, what you may want to do is select contacts only. Then only people in your contacts will be able to discover you and transfer files.
Also, if you do leave it on Everyone, you do have to accept the file. I’m going to leave it at Everyone here. Now let’s take a look at how we can transfer files from our Mac over to another device. When your Mac discovers another device, the device is going to show up in this AirDrop folder. What I’m going to do, my phone went to sleep; I’m going to wake up my phone here and watch what happens. I’m just going to type in my code here. You’re going to see we have Dan’s iPhone; it discovered my iPhone. Now all I need to do is drag a file on Dan’s iPhone here, and it’ll transfer it to my iPhone.
Let’s go and select a file. I’m going to open up a new Finder window, drag a file on to Dan’s iPhone here, and then I’ll be able to accept it on my iPhone. Let’s go and do that. I’m going to go and command in for a new window. We’re going to go to My Documents, and let’s say I want it to transfer this beach photo. Now what I do is I make this one, a little smaller. I go to my AirDrop. Why’s my name, not showing up my iPhone went to sleep again. I need to wake it up. Let’s go ahead and wake it up here. There’s my iPhone here.
Now all I need to do is drag the speech on top of my iPhone here. When I do, I can go and accept it on my iPhone. If I hit accept, it’s going to add it to my photos library. Now, what I’m going to do is I’m going to decline this because I already have this photo in my photos library. I’m going to decline it. I tap on decline, and we get an alert here saying that I declined the request. Now, if you cannot find your device in this AirDrop folder, what you may need to do is click on, “Don’t see who you’re looking for” This is primarily for older computers, older Macs. I have an older iMac that doesn’t show up. Usually, what I would need to do is I would need to click on this and then it’ll show up.
That’s how we use AirDrop on the Mac.