AirDrop is not working on devices running Tahoe and iOS 26

baguscakti wrote:

Has anyone tried sharing files using AirDrop between devices running macOS Tahoe and iOS 26? Neither my phone nor my laptop can detect each other via AirDrop. I only noticed the issue just now after updating to the latest OS versions yesterday.

Many people are reporting the same issue so don't feel alone. I see (37) me too and counting on your post alone.

ref: Use Continuity to work across Apple devices - Apple Support

if your OS and iOS are current, for Continuity issue I would try signing out of your AppleID/Account and back in again to sort the issue.

Sign out of your Apple ID/Account /iCloud on the Mac and back in again and compare your results

Sign in to or out of your Apple Account on Mac - Apple Support

Yes I think it has been resolved. Also make sure that your firewall is either turned off or add exception for airplay & universal control.

I have the same issue after updating both my MacBook and My iPad M4 13" to Tahoe and IOS 26. I can't send files between them but can receive files on the iPad using someone else's iPad on a different account. Using my friends iPad, I cannot even see my MacBook listed in menu. Something is definitely off with the MacBook Tahoe airdrop feature. Also, universal control is acting up between my MacBook and iPad since updating the operating systems.

Although Airdrop is not working at all between MacStudio Tahoe and MBPro Sequoia, it has been sort of working between my MacStudio Tahoe and my iOS26 iPhone 16... operative words being "sort of" as it is very slow (sometimes taking 30 seconds to start sending a simple ics file) but sometimes it just hangs and doesn't do anything - no error message, no nothing. By comparison, prior to "upgrading" to Tahoe, it work very fast (the moment I clicked "send" and consistently.

So, not sure I can say "it's working" as I don't consider "painfully slow" and "inconsistently" to mean "working." But for analysis purposes, it says something different that it works in some way sometimes, rather than, in the case of the MacStudio Tahoe and MBPro Sequoia, that it doesn't work at all. If anything, it points to there not being some firewall or some other settings as a cause, since if that were the case, it shouldn't work at all.

FWIW, I have an iPhone 14 Pro on iOS 26.0.1, an M4 Pro MBP on 26.0.1 and an M1 Pro MBP on 15.7.1. I can AirDrop files normally in both directions between any pair of those and the transfer is fast (I’m usually moving photos, or between the Macs Word/PowerPoint docs). So there’s definitely not a universal issue with Tahoe and AirDrop.

No idea what the issue might be with your system(s), though. You don’t state what troubleshooting steps you’ve tried, if any.

25-12-01 UPDATE: With this last 26.1 Tahoe update, Airdrop is now working between MacStudio and MBPro as it used to with Sequoia and previous OS versions. It is also now working between MacStudio and iPhone 16 Pro (iOs 18.7.1) BUT now the airdrop to iPhone is very slow, like 25-30 seconds! Previously, it was almost instantaneous, like 1-2 seconds after clicking "send"... So, whatever is going on, Tahoe is still funky...

I just updated both my iPad and MacBook to Tahoe 26.0.1 yesterday. Airdrop is still not receiving on the MacBook but I can receive on the iPad (between the two devices). However, universal control is still not working properly between the laptop and iPad. It worked for about 10 minutes then stopped. Reboots on both devices and logging out and back in iCloud acc does not fix issue.

I don't think the problem has been resolved. I have the same problem.

(I started another thread on this same topic but will use this one instead as it's older and longer. )

I was forced to upgrade from Sequoia by Apple tech support working on another issue (they wouldn't help me unless I had the "latest version") so I had to update to 26.0.1 on a MacStudio. Forced against my better judgement about using v.xx.0.x of any software, I upgraded. Now although using "share" for files allows me to select my MBPro (on Sequoia), and clicking "share" starts "sending" it, AirDrop times out with a red "declined" or sometimes, inconsistently, the more ridiculous "no people found" message. Never did that before! Also, for the record, these computers are hard wired together with a USB cable. No VPNs, wifi issues, etc., etc. Also, I can drag and drop files between computers, no problem. It's just AirDrop that's not functioning. Someone in another thread suggested booting up in safe mode, checking it out, and then checking and updating every 3rd party application I have as something maybe causing interference with AirDrop... No, I didn't do that.

Clearly there's a problem with AirDrop and Tahoe and I think Apple engineers should spend their time working to identify it and fix it, not me. I'm glad for some people that it's working but that doesn't mean there isn't a problem. Not every Chevy Bolt battery blew up. For some people, their cars ran just fine. That didn't mean that other people didn't have a problem or that it was their fault and there was nothing to resolve by Chevy... y'know?

Your analogy was clear, but the point is that those two Bolt owners have no real control over their car's hardware whereas Mac owners have lots of control over what software they choose to install, and there are hundreds of developers responsible for ensuring their software is compatible with new versions of macOS.

These forums are full or people reporting problems, like the guy who visited a website, followed the prompts to copy and paste a command into Terminal then give it permission to run by ignoring the warning from macOS's Gatekeeper. Was it Apple's fault that he hosed his system and his personal data were sent off to some malicious actor?

Incidentally, booting in Safe Mode does more than just disable 3rd party extensions. It performs checks and clears many system caches, including the kernel and user services caches. It removes enough 'chaff' that Apple recommends it as a way to temporarily free up storage space on your drive, e.g., to perform a macOS update. Many users with various problems have reported that a Safe Mode boot followed by a normal reboot fixes their various issues. But you knew that, I'm sure, which is why you are certain that trying it is futile and not at all worth the serious effort of holding down a button for a few seconds, followed by a keypress, a click and some patience.

Apple will only take note of a problem if people report it using the Feedback Form. They don't monitor or peruse these forums. But they also have to be able to reproduce the problem. You might consider contacting Official Apple Support, since like the feedback form but unlike posting in these forums, that's also a way to make Apple aware of problems. I repeat, good luck.

AirDrop works between my M3 iMac & M1 MBA running Tahoe 26.0.1 and my 3rd Generation iPhone SE running iOS 26.0.1, without any issues, any direction.

October 19th and this has been happening for me as well, since the updates to Tahoe and iOS 26. This is pretty bad, Apple. The "ecosystem" being broke is one reason for people to move out of your devices. Do better. What happened to "it just works"?

My iPhone is now on 26.0.1 like one of my Macs, still working fine. Also working with my Mac still on Sequoia. So this is something specific to a relatively small number of people, who can either try to troubleshoot (e.g., safe mode) or not.

GMak wrote:

I'm glad for some people that it's working but that doesn't mean there isn't a problem. Not every Chevy Bolt battery blew up. For some people, their cars ran just fine. That didn't mean that other people didn't have a problem or that it was their fault and there was nothing to resolve by Chevy... y'know?

Out of curiosity, how much 3rd party software can owners install on their Chevy Bolts? The situations aren’t all that analogous. But good luck sorting it out. Safe Mode would be a start. Or live with it and plan on hoping 26.1 fixes it. I heard hope is a great plan, but maybe I heard wrong.

Let's go down a rabbit hole, why don't we? One Bolt owner saying he didn't have a problem with his car didn't mean that there wasn't a problem with other cars blowing up...that was the point, not whether a Bolt has how many pieces of software. Sorry, I thought that was obvious. My apologies for being obtuse.

Booting in safe mode doesn't solve anything. It MAY tell you that in a stripped down mode that you'll never use, it now works. Great. And we'll use that how? Strip all 3rd party programs off my computer? Is that a solution really? Go one by one to the hundred-plus pieces of software and apps one has on one's computer and test them all out? That's ridiculous.

The point is that Apple users are reporting this problem. Hopefully Apple takes note, or, someone comes up with an actual usable, practical solution in this forum...

Working for me, either direction.