Can't AirDrop to or from Mac mini to either MBP or iPad Air

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Can't AirDrop to or from Mac mini to either MBP or iPad Air

Can't AirDrop to or from M4 mini. I have a MBP and an iPad Air sitting on the desk near each other. The MBP can see and AirDrop to the iPad, but it can't see the mini. The mini cannot see either the MBP or the iPad in AirDrop. All the devices are on the same Apple ID; they are all on the same Wifi network, and all have Bluetooth on.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to kick this into action. At the moment I've having to resort to sneaker net, but I would really like this to work.

Thanks very much.

Mac mini, macOS 26.2

Posted on Nov 22, 2025 9:53 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 23, 2025 6:11 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Occasionally I have to reboot either device for the AirDrop to work. Usually I reboot both devices and after that it has always started to work again.

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Answer 2

Nov 22, 2025 10:19 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Feedback Assistant App. https://beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram/submitting

verify your software is up to date—

The current stable release of Tahoe including bug fixes, security updates is macOS 26.1

Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support

we can not support beta here in the ASC

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

try changing Settings to Everyone and compare your results

>System Settings>Airdrop

if shutting down and restarting does not sort the issue...

I would Sign out of your Apple ID/Account /iCloud on the Mac and back in again to sort sync issue between devices, and compare your results

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

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Answer 3

Tom Wolsky Author

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Nov 22, 2025 10:41 AM in response to leroydouglas

Thanks Leroy for the detailed information. I will check through it all.

Is this a new "feature" in the community? It's guess that's going to exclude me for the foreseeable future.

For what it's worth, I had the same problem when running the release build of 26.1.

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Answer 4

Nov 23, 2025 3:49 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

I never saw these details being pulled from System Information, but rather being from the user profile here in the forum. I wonder how this post will be identified. FWIW, I am posting this from my iPhone.

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Answer 5

Tom Wolsky Author

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Nov 23, 2025 6:38 AM in response to dialabrain

I'm running the most recent OS versions on all the devices. The MBP can AirDrop to the iPad, but it doesn't see the phone. (I was testing with a PDF file.) The phone sees the MBP and the iPad. The iPad sees the MBP but not the phone. None of these devices sees the mini. The mini shows No People Found.

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Answer 6

Nov 22, 2025 11:34 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Nothing new.

ref: Apple Beta — Terms

ref: Beta | Apple Developer Forums

ref: Apple Beta — FAQ

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Answer 7

Tom Wolsky Author

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Nov 22, 2025 11:28 AM in response to leroydouglas

I just meant the display of the OS version that it’s pulling off system info. Wonder what else they can pull off there.

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Answer 8

Tom Wolsky Author

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Nov 23, 2025 5:33 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Hi Luis. I'd certainly never put a 26.2 or any beta build number in my profile. It probably only does the system info for the original post.

Take care.

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Answer 9

Tom Wolsky Author

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Nov 23, 2025 5:36 AM in response to leroydouglas

I just want to add that I did NOT post information that the system was a beta. That disclosure was wholly a process of Apple's software and never my intent.

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Answer 10

Tom Wolsky Author

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Nov 23, 2025 6:39 AM in response to Matti Haveri

Thanks Matti. I'll try that. The mini is processing a lot of media that will probably go into the night.

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Answer 11

dialabrain

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Nov 23, 2025 6:42 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Matti may be on to something. Personally I haven't had the issue but I rarely AirDrop anything.

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Answer 12

dialabrain

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Nov 23, 2025 5:53 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

What versions of the OS are you running on the MBP & iPad? I'm not sure it matters but my M3 iMac running Tahoe can see my iPhone and iPads. Also my iMac Pro running Sequoia. Basically, they can all see each other.

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