We love AirDrop, which allows people to wirelessly share files between their Macs and iOS devices. But, as with Continuity's other features, pre-2012 Macs are feeling a bit left out. Sadly, there's no way to convince an older Mac to share a file with your iPhone or iPad, but you can transfer files between newer Macs and older Macs.
Why can't my older Mac see my iPhone in AirDrop?
If you own a pre-2012 Mac, you probably know that AirDrop isn't a 'new' feature, per say. It actually premiered in OS X Lion back in 2011 as a Mac-only wireless file transfer service. At launch, AirDrop used Bonjour and personal area networking (PAN) to discover and transfer files between Macs.
Apr 23, 2019 The AirDrop is a wireless content transfer of Apple iOS and Mac OS X devices. You can nicely transfer content from iOS to Mac and Mac OS X to iOS devices using AirDrop. If you don’t like to use the third-party app, then AirDrop is an excellent option to share content Such as Videos, Audios, photos in a speedy way. You can use AirDrop to send photos, videos, and documents between different Macs, and between a Mac and iPhone or iPad. It's a great way to quickly send large files from one Apple device to another.
When AirDrop came to iOS 7 in 2013, it came in name only — the protocol itself was significantly different. With no Finder in iOS, AirDrop existed only in the Share sheet. Instead of Bonjour and PAN, it used Bluetooth LE and peer-to-peer Wi-Fi to transfer data. It was an incredibly secure implementation, but it wasn't compatible with the older version present on the Mac.
OS X Yosemite supports both versions of AirDrop — the Bluetooth LE/Wi-Fi protocol and the Bonjour/PAN combo — but it defaults to the former. This allows it to easily connect to iOS devices and other newer Macs, but if you need to share files with a pre-2012 Mac, you can do that too. You just have to change a setting.
How to share via AirDrop from a post-2012 Mac to a pre-2012 Mac
If you have a post-2012 Mac around the house and want to send or receive files with an older model, you need to change your AirDrop settings. You can do that pretty easily by following these steps:
While in compatibility mode, the post-2012 Mac won't show up in AirDrop sharing for any iOS devices, nor will they appear as options on the Mac; to re-enable sharing with post-2012 Macs and iOS devices, click Cancel.
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While you can transfer files and photos from one Mac to another using a USB cable, an easier way would be to transfer them wirelessly using the in-built AirDrop feature, as available on Mac. You can find below the steps to AirDrop Files and Photos From Mac to Mac.
AirDrop Files and Photos From Mac to Mac
You may come across the need to transfer Files/Photos from Mac to Mac, in case you mostly work on an iMac or a Mac Mini at home and carry around your MacBook to work.
In such cases, it is more convenient to transfer files and Photos wirelessly using AirDrop, instead of going through the hassle of connecting the two Mac’s with a USB cable.
In order to be able to transfer Files and Photos using AirDrop, the first requirement is to setup AirDrop on both Mac’s. After this, you will be able to AirDrop Files and Photos From Mac to Mac with effortless ease.
Note: For AirDrop to work between two Mac’s, you need a Mac computer running at least OS X Yosemite or later and both Mac computers need to be within 30 feet of each other.
Setup AirDrop on Both Mac Computers
First, follow the steps below to setup AirDrop properly on both Mac computers.
![]() Can You Airdrop Apps Mac To Mac Download
1. Click on the Happy Face Finder icon from the dock of your Mac.
2. Next, click on the Go option from the top menu bar on your Mac and then click on AirDrop in the drop-down menu. (See image below)
3. On the AirDrop screen, click on Turn On WiFi and Bluetooth button.
Note: In case WiFi is already enabled on your Mac, this option will appear as Turn on Bluetooth. In case, both WiFi and Bluetooth are enabled on your Mac, you will not see any option.
For AirDrop to work, both WiFi and Bluetooth need to be enabled on your Mac.
4. On the next screen, click on Allow me to be Discovered by option and then select Everyone from the drop-down.
Note: You can also select Contacts Only, but we found during our tests that choosing Everyone reduces the chance of errors.
Now, follow the above steps on the other Mac, in order to Setup AirDrop on the other Mac as well.
5. Now you should be able to see the other Mac computer listed on the screen of your Mac.
If you do not see the other Mac (and it is newer than 2012) then it is likely that incoming Connections are blocked on your Mac.
How To Find Airdrop On Mac
To fix this click on the Apple Menu Icon > System Preferences > Security and Privacy > Firewall > Firewall Options and then uncheck the option titled Block all incoming connections.
6. If the other Mac is older than 2012 and you do not see it, then click on ‘Don’t see who you are looking for’ option and then click on Search for an Older Mac button.
![]() AirDrop Photos From Mac to Mac
Now that you have setup AirDrop on both devices, you can follow the steps below to AirDrop Files and Photos from Mac to Mac.
1. Open the Photos App or any other App containing the Photos or Files that you want to AirDrop to the other Mac.
2. Once you are in the Photos App, select the photos that you want to transfer and then click on the Share icon.
3. From the drop-down menu that appears, click on the AirDrop option (See image below).
4. On the pop-up that appears click on the Mac that you want to AirDrop the Photos to.
If you are using a different Apple ID on both devices then you will see a pop-up asking you to Accept the transfer. Click on Accept the transfer option, whenever you are prompted to accept the transfer.
Can You Airdrop Apps Mac To Mac DownloadAirDrop Files From Mac to Mac
In case of Files, it is likely that the File that you want to AirDrop to the other Mac is not located inside an app. In such cases, follow the steps below to AiDrop Files from Mac to Mac.
How Do You Airdrop To A Mac
1. Click on the Happy Face Finder icon from the dock of your Mac.
2. Next, click on the Go tab from the top menu bar on your Mac and then click on AirDrop option in the drop-down menu. (See image below)
3. On the next screen, simply drag and drop the File into the circle of your device (See image below).
4. If you are using a different Apple ID on both devices then you will see a pop-up asking you to Accept the transfer. Click on Accept the transfer option, whenever you are prompted to accept the transfer.
The transferred File will be available in the Downloads Folder of the other Mac.
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