AirDrop is a feature of Apple operating systems. Both iOS, on mobile phones or tablets, and OS X, on computers, have this method that allows you to allows file sharing between devices locally. We could already use it between iOS and Mac, in previous versions of their operating systems, but it is with the latest versions (iOS8 and Yosemite) when it has reached its best performance so far known. It allows you to easily transfer files from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac, and vice versa.

To transfer between two Macs or between a Mac and an iOS device, we need one of the following models Mac with OS X Lion or later operating system.

• MacBook Pro (late 2008 and newer)
• MacBook Air (late 2010 and newer)
• MacBook (late 2008 and newer)
• iMac (early 2009 and newer)
• Mac Mini (mid 2010 and newer)
• Mac Pro (early 2009 with AirPort Extreme card or mid 2010)

* The MacBook Pro (17 ”Late 2008) and White MacBook (Late 2008) do not support AirDrop. We also need to have a minimum of iOS7 to be able to transfer files between two iOS devices or between an iOS device and a Mac.

Mac

To send files

1. Open Finder and select AirDrop in the Finder sidebar.
2. Here you will see all the compatible AirDrop devices that you have nearby. Drag the files you want to share and release them about the target device avatar
3. Chop on Send.

Likewise, if you have a file open with an application that allows sharing, you simply have to click share and choose airdrop. A window will appear with the list of nearby devices and you just have to choose the one you want to send the file.

To receive files

If we are receiving files from a device that is linked to the same iCloud account, you do not have to do anything. The file is automatically accepted and added to the folder Downloads.

If on the contrary, the file is received from a device that is linked to a different iCloud account to ours, then we will have to interact to receive the file and choose if we want look at him, save it and open it o reject the transfer from the file. When you save it, or save and open it, the file is also hosted in the Downloads.

iOS

To send files

The process of sending files from your iOS device to a Mac does not differ much from how it is done between two iOS devices. You just have to note that, in addition to iOS devices, you will also see your Mac in the list of nearby devices:

• You can share files using AirDrop from the share panel. This means that any app that we use on our iPhone or iPad and has the menu or the option to share content, will allow us to do so through AirDrop.
• If there is any device with AirDrop activated by, this will come out automatically in the dashboard Share. If it is a contact, it will come out with the photo we have on it and you just have to touch it to share the file.

• When We received a file using AirDrop, a alert en screen with a preview image of the photo or video that you are trying to transfer to us, as well as the options to accept or reject the shipment. If, for example, what we are accepting is a photo, after the submission is completed, the Photos application will automatically open. The progress of receiving the file is shown with a circular animation during the transfer process.

When Bluetooth is activated, AirDrop is visible by default for the contacts in our phonebook. We can change the AirDrop settings so that our device is visible to everyone, only to contacts, or it is completely disabled.