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.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

10 Products Still Coming From Apple in 2025

Friday April 11, 2025 4:14 pm PDT by
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then. We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025. iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Foldable iPhone Resolutions Leak With Under-Screen Camera Tipped

Monday April 14, 2025 3:12 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold") will feature two screens as part of its book-style design, and a Chinese leaker claims to know the resolutions for both of them. According to the Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station, the inner display, which is approximately 7.76 inches, will use a 2,713 x 1,920 resolution and feature "under-screen camera technology." Meanwhile, the...
iPad Pro iPadOS

iPadOS 19 Will Be 'More Like macOS' in Three Ways

Sunday April 13, 2025 6:43 am PDT by
A common complaint about the iPad Pro is that the iPadOS software platform fails to fully take advantage of the device's powerful hardware. That could soon change. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS." Gurman said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like a Mac" in three ways:Improved productivity Improved multitasking Improved app window management...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

Waiting for the Perfect MacBook Pro? 2026 Might Be the Year

Thursday April 10, 2025 4:19 am PDT by
Apple in October 2024 overhauled its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display changes, and more. That's quite a lot of updates in one go, but if you think this means a further major refresh for the MacBook Pro is now several years away, think again. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects only a small...
Apple Vision Pro with battery Feature Blue Magenta

Vision Pro 2 Rumored to Have Two Key Advantages Over Current Model

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:15 am PDT by
Apple is working on a new version of the Vision Pro with two key advantages over the current model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Specifically, in his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said Apple is developing a new headset that is both lighter and less expensive than the current Vision Pro, which starts at $3,499 in the U.S. and weighs up to 1.5 pounds. Gurman said Apple is also...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: New iOS 19, iPhone 17, and Apple Watch Ultra 3 Leaks

Friday April 11, 2025 7:13 am PDT by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we catch up on the latest iOS 19 and watchOS 12 rumors, upcoming devices, and more. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Detailed new renders from leaker Jon Prosser claim to provide the best look yet at the complete redesign rumored to arrive in iOS 19, showing more rounded elements, lighting effects, translucency, and...
top stories 2025 04 12

Top Stories: iOS 19 and iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, Siri Revamp Turmoil, and More

Saturday April 12, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
It was a big week for leaks and rumors in the Apple world, with fresh claims about iOS 19, the iPhone 17 Pro, and even the 20th anniversary iPhone coming a couple of years from now. Sources also spilled the tea on the inner turmoil at Apple around the Apple Intelligence-driven Siri revamp that has seen significant delays, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iOS ...
iPhone 16e Feature

iPhones, Macs, and Other Apple Devices Exempted From Trump Tariffs

Saturday April 12, 2025 9:44 am PDT by
Apple and other electronics manufacturers have received a break from Trump's reciprocal tariffs, with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency sharing a long list of products excluded from the levies last night. iPhones, Macs, iPads, Apple Watch, and other Apple devices will not be subject to the 125 percent tariffs that have been put in place on imported Chinese goods, nor will Apple...

Top Rated Comments

antiprotest Avatar
34 months ago
This is only an issue if you have friends. :(
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Adithya007 Avatar
34 months ago
what a release apple!
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
F23 Avatar
34 months ago
what the hell is going on with all these issues from hardware to software
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bigchrisfgb Avatar
34 months ago

iOS 16 is turning into an absolute disaster, what was the point of the betas again if it's released in this crap state.
The problem is too many people have access to Beta’s who don’t actually report bugs and only want it so that they receive the new version of iOS before anyone else.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WestonHarvey1 Avatar
34 months ago
Airdrop is fun on airplanes.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Radeon85 Avatar
34 months ago
iOS 16 is turning into an absolute disaster, what was the point of the betas again if it's released in this crap state.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)