I've fixed this exact problem about forty times this month alone. AirDrop between Macs running Sonoma fails for specific reasons, and most of them take under ten minutes to sort. Here's what actually works.
✅ 85% success rate
📅 Updated April 2026
Key Takeaways
- AirDrop not working Mac to Mac is usually caused by disabled Wi-Fi/Bluetooth or incorrect visibility settings
- Both Macs must be within 9 metres with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled
- Setting AirDrop to 'Everyone' bypasses iCloud contact matching issues
- Personal Hotspot blocks AirDrop connections and must be disabled
- Network resets resolve persistent issues after Sonoma updates
What Causes AirDrop Not Working Mac to Mac?
The main culprit is disabled wireless radios. AirDrop needs both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth running simultaneously to create a peer-to-peer connection. Turn off either one, and the whole thing stops working. Sonoma doesn't always make this obvious in the interface.
Visibility settings trip people up constantly. If AirDrop is set to 'Contacts Only' but your Macs aren't signed into iCloud with matching Apple IDs in each other's contacts, they won't see each other. Simple as that. And if it's set to 'No One' (which sometimes happens after updates), nothing works at all.
Distance matters more than you'd think. AirDrop operates within about 9 metres, but walls, microwaves, and other electronics mess with the signal. I've seen transfers fail because someone had their Mac next to a cordless phone base station.
Personal Hotspot is a sneaky one. When it's enabled, your Mac uses Wi-Fi for the hotspot connection, which blocks the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi that AirDrop needs. You can't run both at once.
According to Apple's official AirDrop documentation, Firewall settings and Focus Mode can also interfere with connections, though these are less common causes.
AirDrop Not Working Mac to Mac Quick Fix
Enable Wireless and Set Visibility Easy
This fixes about 80% of AirDrop not working Mac to Mac cases. Takes five minutes.
- Check Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both Macs
Click Control Centre in the top-right corner. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth icons should be blue (enabled). If either is grey, click it to enable. Both Macs need to be on the same Wi-Fi network, so click the Wi-Fi icon and verify the network name matches. - Open AirDrop settings
In Finder, pressShift+Command+Ror go to Go menu > AirDrop. At the bottom of the window, you'll see a dropdown that says 'Allow me to be discovered by'. Click it. - Set visibility to Everyone
Select 'Everyone for 10 Minutes'. Do this on both Macs. Yeah, it's less private temporarily, but it bypasses all the iCloud contact matching nonsense. You can change it back after testing. - Move the Macs closer
Get them within 5 metres of each other. Remove any obstacles between them. I know this sounds basic, but distance is the problem more often than people expect. - Test the transfer
Right-click any small file (an image works well), select Share > AirDrop. The other Mac should appear in the AirDrop window within a few seconds. Click its icon to send the file.
More AirDrop Not Working Mac to Mac Solutions
Disable Personal Hotspot and Restart Easy
Personal Hotspot blocks AirDrop's peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection. This one catches people who use their Mac as a hotspot for other devices.
- Check Personal Hotspot status
Open System Settings > General > AirDrop & Handoff. If you see Personal Hotspot listed and it's enabled, toggle it off. Check both Macs. - Disable Focus Mode
Click Control Centre. If any Focus mode is active (Do Not Disturb, Work, Sleep), click it and select 'Off'. Focus modes can suppress AirDrop notifications and mess with connections. - Restart both Macs
Click the Apple menu > Restart. Wait for the first Mac to fully restart and reach the login screen before restarting the second one. This clears the network stack and temporary glitches. - Re-enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
After restart, verify both are enabled in Control Centre. Sometimes they don't come back on automatically. - Test AirDrop again
Open Finder > AirDrop on both Macs. Set visibility to 'Everyone' and try transferring a file.
Verify iCloud Sign-In and Disable Firewall Intermediate
If you want to use 'Contacts Only' mode instead of 'Everyone', both Macs need proper iCloud authentication. And sometimes the Firewall blocks AirDrop connections.
- Check iCloud sign-in
Open System Settings and click your name at the top. Verify you're signed in with the same Apple ID on both Macs. If not, click 'Sign In' and enter your credentials. Make sure iCloud Drive is enabled in the iCloud settings. - Add each Mac to Contacts
Open Contacts app. Create a new contact for each Mac using the Apple ID email address. This ensures 'Contacts Only' mode recognises both devices. - Temporarily disable Firewall
Go to System Settings > Network > Firewall. Toggle it to 'Off'. This is temporary for testing only. - Test AirDrop with Contacts Only
Open Finder > AirDrop. Set visibility to 'Contacts Only' (now that iCloud is properly configured). Try transferring a file between Macs. - Re-enable Firewall
Go back to System Settings > Network > Firewall and toggle it back on. If AirDrop worked with Firewall off but fails with it on, you'll need to add AirDrop exceptions in Firewall settings.
Advanced AirDrop Not Working Mac to Mac Fixes
Reset Network Settings Advanced
When AirDrop not working Mac to Mac persists after trying everything else, corrupted network settings are usually to blame. Sonoma updates sometimes mess with these. This will erase all saved Wi-Fi passwords, so have them ready.
- Back up your Mac first
Connect an external drive. Open System Settings > General > Time Machine. Click 'Add Backup Disk', select your drive, and let it complete the backup. This takes 30+ minutes for the first backup but protects you if something goes wrong. - Note down Wi-Fi passwords
You'll need to re-enter them after the reset. Check your password manager or router documentation. - Reset network settings
Hold the Option key and click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar. Select 'Open Network Preferences'. Navigate to System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Confirm the action. Your Mac will restart automatically. - Reconnect to Wi-Fi
After restart, click the Wi-Fi icon and select your network. Enter the password. Enable Bluetooth in Control Centre as well. - Test AirDrop
Open Finder > AirDrop on both Macs. Set visibility to 'Everyone' and try a transfer. If it works, the network reset cleared the corruption.
Boot Safe Mode and Update macOS Advanced
Safe Mode clears system caches and disables third-party extensions that might interfere with AirDrop. And sometimes Sonoma bugs get fixed in point updates.
- Boot into Safe Mode
Restart your Mac and immediately hold the Shift key. Keep holding until you see the login window (it'll say 'Safe Boot' in red text). Log in. This takes longer than a normal boot. - Test AirDrop in Safe Mode
Open Finder > AirDrop. Set visibility to 'Everyone' and try transferring a file to the other Mac. If it works in Safe Mode but not in normal mode, a third-party extension or corrupted cache is the problem. - Restart normally
Click Apple menu > Restart. Let the Mac boot normally (don't hold any keys). - Check for macOS updates
Open System Settings > General > Software Update. If updates are available, click 'Update Now'. This can take 30-60 minutes and requires multiple restarts. Don't interrupt it. - Test AirDrop after updating
Once the update completes, open Finder > AirDrop and test file transfer again. Sonoma point updates often include AirDrop bug fixes.
Still Stuck? Let Us Fix It Remotely
If AirDrop not working Mac to Mac keeps happening even after network resets and updates, there's likely a deeper configuration conflict or profile issue that needs proper diagnosis. I can remote in and check the network stack, privacy settings, and system logs to find what's blocking the connection.
Preventing AirDrop Not Working Mac to Mac
Most important: keep Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled. I know it seems obvious, but people toggle them off to save battery and then wonder why AirDrop doesn't work. Just leave them on.
Install macOS updates when they're released. Apple fixes AirDrop bugs regularly in point updates (14.1, 14.2, etc.). Delaying updates means you're running buggy code longer than necessary.
Test AirDrop monthly by sending a small file between your Macs. Catching problems early means you're not scrambling to fix it when you actually need to transfer something important. Takes thirty seconds.
Don't use Personal Hotspot and AirDrop simultaneously. They conflict at the Wi-Fi level. Turn off hotspot before attempting AirDrop transfers.
Keep both Macs signed into iCloud with the same Apple ID if you prefer 'Contacts Only' mode. Otherwise, just use 'Everyone for 10 Minutes' when you need to transfer files. The privacy difference is minimal if you're in a private space.
Position Macs within 5 metres during transfers. Yeah, AirDrop theoretically works up to 9 metres, but signal strength drops significantly beyond 5. Closer is better.
Disable VPNs temporarily when using AirDrop. Some VPN configurations route all traffic through the VPN tunnel, which breaks the local peer-to-peer connection AirDrop needs. Not all VPNs cause this, but if you're having trouble, try disconnecting the VPN first.
AirDrop Not Working Mac to Mac Summary
AirDrop not working Mac to Mac usually comes down to disabled Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, wrong visibility settings, or devices being too far apart. The quick fix (enable wireless radios, set visibility to 'Everyone', move closer) works 80% of the time and takes under ten minutes.
For persistent issues, restart both Macs, verify iCloud sign-in, and disable Personal Hotspot. If that doesn't work, reset network settings (after backing up) or boot into Safe Mode to clear caches and test without third-party interference.
Sonoma updates sometimes corrupt network preferences, which is why network resets fix problems that simpler solutions don't touch. And keeping macOS updated prevents known AirDrop bugs from affecting you in the first place.
The key is working through solutions systematically. Start with the quick stuff, then move to intermediate fixes, then advanced options. Most people never need the advanced solutions, but they're there if you do.
