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vipdrummer

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 14, 2018
29
7
Edmonton,Alberta,Canada
I am trying to export a pdf file from my Mac to my iPhone using Airdrop. How to I add my iPhone to my Airdrop list of recipients? I have searched and have come up empty.
 

usagora

macrumors 601
Nov 17, 2017
4,869
4,456
I am trying to export a pdf file from my Mac to my iPhone using Airdrop. How to I add my iPhone to my Airdrop list of recipients? I have searched and have come up empty.

Read the section entitled "If you can't see the other device in AirDrop"
Screen Shot 2021-09-21 at 1.55.13 PM.png
 

icanhazmac

Contributor
Apr 11, 2018
2,910
11,188
Read the section entitled "If you can't see the other device in AirDrop"
View attachment 1838751

With Personal Hotspot turned off?!?!?! WTF? I guess this might be why my attempts to share files between my phone and mbp have been spotty at best! Normally my phone sees the mbp but won't send a file to it.

Thanks for that @usagora
 
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usagora

macrumors 601
Nov 17, 2017
4,869
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With Personal Hotspot turned off?!?!?! WTF? I guess this might be why my attempts to share files between my phone and mbp have been spotty at best! Normally my phone sees the mbp but won't send a file to it.

Thanks for that @usagora

Yeah, I'm actually not sure exactly what they mean there. Do they mean be sure your phone isn't being actively used as a hotspot by another device? I don't see any option to "turn off" the Personal Hotspot option under Settings > Personal Hotspot. Only toggle switch there is "Allow Others to Join"
 

icanhazmac

Contributor
Apr 11, 2018
2,910
11,188
Well I just tried it 3 ways and the airdrop gods are smiling upon me today as they all worked.
Personal hotspot off
Personal hotspot on (no connections)
Personal hotspot on (ipad connected)

When it fails for me the phone sees the mbp but when you tap it you see "waiting..." forever until it just fails.
 

usagora

macrumors 601
Nov 17, 2017
4,869
4,456
Personal hotspot off

So what does that mean to you? There is no "on/off" toggle for it - only an "Allow Others to Join" option (i.e. people not signed in on your Apple ID). Is that the toggle you're using to "turn it off" (even though it doesn't use that verbiage)? But even if that option is off, couldn't one of your devices signed into your Apple ID still connect to the Personal Hotspot? I'm so confused, LOL!
 

icanhazmac

Contributor
Apr 11, 2018
2,910
11,188
So what does that mean to you? There is no "on/off" toggle for it - only an "Allow Others to Join" option (i.e. people not signed in on your Apple ID). Is that the toggle you're using to "turn it off" (even though it doesn't use that verbiage)? But even if that option is off, couldn't one of your devices signed into your Apple ID still connect to the Personal Hotspot? I'm so confused, LOL!

As I understood it "allow others to join" was the on/off switch, but as you indicated my devices can still connect to the hotspot even with that toggled off, I had never tried that before today.
 
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usagora

macrumors 601
Nov 17, 2017
4,869
4,456
As I understood it "allow others to join" was the on/off switch, but as you indicated my devices can still connect to the hotspot even with that toggled off, I had never tried that before today.

Yeah, mine has always been on, and AirDrop has never failed me. Sometimes there's a delay before it transfers, but it never outright fails.
 
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