AirDrop Not Working on iPhone XR? Here’s How to Fix It

If AirDrop isn’t working on your iPhone XR—files not sending, devices not showing up, or transfers randomly failing—don’t worry. AirDrop issues are usually caused by network glitches, settings misconfigurations, or temporary system bugs. Here’s how to fix them.

Check the Basics First

Before diving into fixes, make sure:

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both ON.
The receiving device is nearby and awake.
AirDrop is set to receive from Everyone or Contacts Only.
Personal Hotspot is OFF—it can block AirDrop.
You’re not in Do Not Disturb mode (check Control Center).

To quickly adjust AirDrop settings:

Open Control Center.
Long press on the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth block.
Tap AirDrop and select Everyone to test.

1. Soft Reset Your iPhone

This clears out minor bugs or network hiccups:

Press and hold the Side button + Volume Up or Down.
Slide to power off.
After 30 seconds, hold the Side button again to restart.

After rebooting, try AirDrop again.

2. Toggle Airplane Mode (The Classic Trick)

This refreshes your wireless radios:

Go to Settings > Airplane Mode, toggle it ON.
Restart your iPhone.
Go back and turn Airplane Mode OFF.

Try AirDrop right after the reboot.

3. Sign Out and Back Into iCloud

Sometimes AirDrop issues are linked to your Apple ID:

Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out.
Restart your iPhone.
Sign back in using your Apple ID.

Then test AirDrop again.

4. Reset Network Settings

This clears out faulty configurations that might be blocking AirDrop:

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Tap Reset > Reset Network Settings.
Enter your passcode and confirm.

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and VPN settings will be reset, so you’ll need to reconnect to Wi-Fi afterward.

5. Update iOS

If your AirDrop stopped working after an update—or hasn’t worked in a while—it may be a software bug:

Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
If an update is available, tap Download and Install.

After updating, restart your phone and retry AirDrop.

Still Not Working?

If none of the above fixes help, it could be:

A hardware issue with Wi-Fi/Bluetooth antennas.
Compatibility limits (AirDrop only works with Apple devices).
A bug in the iOS version you’re using.

You can also try AirDrop to/from another Apple device to isolate the issue.