Some iPhone 14 Owners Unable to Use AirDrop With Contacts

AirDrop is not functioning as intended on some iPhone 14 models, according to numerous reports on the MacRumors forums and from MacRumors readers about the issue. When attempting to send a file from an ‌iPhone 14‌ to the iPhone of a contact, affected users are not able to get the transfer to complete.

airdrop bug iphone 14
A file sent to a contact shows a “Waiting” message indefinitely, with the person on the other end not receiving a message to accept the AirDrop transfer. From MacRumors forum member Bexx:

Yes! Having the exact same issue. Tried to send my husband a photo earlier and it said it was connecting but his iPhone X did nothing. But if I enable “everyone” so he shows up as just anyone, it lets me send no problem. I can, however, Airdrop to my own devices. Just not contacts.

The problem appears to be with the ‌iPhone 14‌ models rather than iOS 16, but it is possible that some people running ‌iOS 16‌ could also be experiencing issues. At the current time, we’ve only heard reports from ‌iPhone 14‌ owners.

As noted on the forums, there is a partial workaround that can be used. To send a file to a contact, AirDrop settings must be changed to “Everyone” rather than “Contacts.” AirDrop settings can be accessed by opening up the Control Center and long pressing on the top left block. Tap on “AirDrop” and then choose the “Everyone” option.

Unfortunately, this workaround is not compatible with password sharing, as sending a password to another person requires both participants to have each other’s contact information saved in the ‌iPhone‌. From MacRumors reader Patrick:

Contacted Apple today through support as Airdrop not working between the two new 14 PM. They has me reset carrier settings change to everyone instead of contacts and finally got it to work. The odd thing is the normal airdrop person emoji I would use doesn’t work, I have to be on “everyone” and then I can see my spouse’s phone under “other”. I tried sharing a password through Apple passwords and get a message stating the person isn’t in my contacts. I assume iCloud contacts are not matching possibly?

Apple is aware of the issue, according to multiple readers who contacted Apple Support, so a fix is likely going to be coming in the near future.

Popular Stories

Apollo App Adds ‘Pixel Pals’ to the iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

Popular Reddit app Apollo was today updated with support for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, and Apollo developer Christian Selig decided to implement a fun little feature — a “tamagotchi” for the Dynamic Island.
The app update adds a small little creature into the area above the Dynamic Island on the new iPhone models. It can be customized into a cat, dog, hedgehog, fox, or axolotl, and the …

Apple Confirms iOS 16 Bug Impacting New Device Activation as iPhone 14 Orders Begin to Arrive

Thursday September 15, 2022 7:27 pm PDT by

Apple has confirmed that customers activating new iPhones may encounter an issue where device activation during initial setup doesn’t go through on Wi-Fi, saying the problem is “under investigation.”
In a memo seen by MacRumors, Apple says that “there is a known issue for iOS 16 that may impact device activations on open Wi-Fi networks.” To resolve the issue, Apple says customers should…

Warning: iOS 16.1 Beta Breaking GPS on iPhone 14 Pro Models

iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max owners should be aware that the iOS 16.1 beta is preventing the GPS from working properly on the devices for many users. Anyone who relies on location tracking should avoid the beta for now.
Bugs are common with beta software, but this issue affects a core function of the iPhone, prompting us to share this warning. iPhone 14 Pro users who already installed …

10 Settings to Check Out on iPhone 14 Pro

iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max have started to arrive to customers around the world. For those who have upgraded to one of the devices, we have put together a list of 10 useful settings that are worth checking out below.
Some of the settings are exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro models, while others were introduced in iOS 16 for a wider range of iPhones.
New Settings for iPhone 14 Pro…

Apple Repeatedly Showing iPhone 14 Pro Design With No Dynamic Island

Apple is repeatedly depicting the iPhone 14 Pro’s rumored “pill and hole-punch” display cutout design with no Dynamic Island, despite this not being an option on the device. Apple Support document showing the rumored “pill and hole-punch” cutout design. In a new support document titled “Use Always-On display with your iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max” that was published yesterday, Apple…

16 Hidden iOS 16 Features You Didn’t Know About

Tuesday September 13, 2022 11:55 am PDT by

Apple this week released iOS 16, the latest version of iOS with a new customizable Lock Screen, major new additions to Messages, and enhancements to Mail, Maps, and more. Other than the headlining features, there are a number of quality-of-life changes, improvements, and new capabilities baked into iOS 16 that help improve the iPhone experience. We’ve listed 16 hidden features and changes…

Getting the iPhone 14 Pro? Five Major Features to Check Out First

Thursday September 15, 2022 8:46 am PDT by

The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max officially begin arriving to customers on Friday. Apple’s latest high-end phones sport major new features, changes, and design updates that make them an attractive choice for customers still using older models.
If you’re getting a new iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max tomorrow, you may be slightly overwhelmed or simply interested in what new…

iOS 16 Causing Battery Drain? Three Possible Reasons Why and How to Fix

Wednesday September 14, 2022 3:33 am PDT by

If you updated to iOS 16 this week, you might notice your iPhone’s battery draining faster than you remember before you got Apple’s latest update.
While you may be quick to point a finger at the update itself as the culprit, there are several reasons why you may notice your battery draining a bit faster in the days after the update. We’ve listed some reasons below and how you can address…

Check Out the iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island in Action

The new Dynamic Island is arguably one of the iPhone 14 Pro’s most interesting features, so with the new iPhones now in the hands of customers, we thought we’d take a deeper look at the Dynamic Island, how it works, and what it does.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. During the iPhone 14 rumor cycle, we knew that Apple was working on an alternative to the notch that…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *