How To Fix AirDrop ‘Bringing Devices Together’ Not Working on iPhone in 2025

Troubleshooting AirDrop When Devices Won’t Connect

If you’ve ever tried to send a file via AirDrop and nothing happens, you know how frustrating this can be. It’s a classic case of “everything looks right, but they just won’t talk.” Usually, it’s something small—maybe a weird setting or a hiccup in the software—but sometimes, it takes a bit of trial and error. Here’s what finally worked for me, after way too many hours of messing around.

Make Sure Your Internet Connection is Solid

First off: don’t skip checking your internet. Seems obvious, but it’s surprisingly common to overlook. AirDrop runs on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, so both need to be enabled and working well. I went into Settings > Wi-Fi and Settings > Bluetooth, made sure both were toggled on, and checked I was connected to a good Wi-Fi network—because flaky Wi-Fi can mess up your Bluetooth too. Quick way to verify: open Control Center (Swipe down from top-right or Swipe up from bottom, depending on your device), and toggle both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth just to see if they respond. Sometimes, a quick toggle clears up the weirdness.

Play with Control Center and AirDrop Settings

This one’s a classic: go into the Control Center and toggle AirDrop off then back on—like, multiple times. I found that doing it three or four times helped reboot whatever tiny glitch was hanging around. If it’s not directly there, check Settings > General > AirDrop. Make sure it’s set to “Everyone” or “Contacts Only,” depending on what you need. If it’s stuck in a weird mode or greyed out, that could be your issue. Sometimes, I even put my device into Airplane Mode for a few seconds, then turn it back off—this resets the radios without restarting the whole device. This trick helped me more than once. Do this a couple of times if needed (Settings > Airplane Mode or via Control Center).

Update the Software — Sometimes, That’s the Fix

If nothing’s working, the next thing I checked was my iOS version. Head over to Settings > General > Software Update. For me, being on an old iOS version was a known culprit—bugs still in the system. If you’re not on the latest one (like iOS 16.6.1 or whatever is current), try updating. Just connect to Wi-Fi, tap Download and Install, and wait. Sometimes, after installing, a quick reboot fixes lingering weirdness. Also, make sure your device’s date and time are right: Settings > General > Date & Time, then toggle Set Automatically. This might sound trivial, but I once got stuck because my clock was way off, messing with network protocols.

Reset All Settings — A Good Ol’ Reset

Still no luck? Consider resetting all settings. It’s not data-wiping (so no worries about losing your photos or apps), but it resets Wi-Fi passwords, Bluetooth pairings, and other preferences that might be screwing things up. To do this, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings. Yes, it’s a bit of a pain because you have to re-enter Wi-Fi passwords afterward, but honestly, this saved my neck a couple of times. After the reset, check your AirDrop settings again—make sure it’s set to “Everyone” if you want to share freely. Sometimes, simply toggling the “Receiving” switch in AirDrop fixes the visibility stuff.

Double-Check Your AirDrop Visibility & Receiving Options

This is a biggie—sometimes AirDrop appears to be working, but your device isn’t visible because of how it’s set up. Go back to Settings > General > AirDrop or use the Control Center toggle. Set it explicitly to “Everyone” or “Contacts Only” depending on what you’re comfortable with. And in the Control Center, when you press and hold the AirDrop icon (the concentric rings), ensure the options pop up properly. Also, check the toggle for Receiving; if it’s off, others won’t see you. Turning it off and on again can clear up lingering visibility issues. Confirm Bluetooth is working fine too—sometimes, just toggling Bluetooth off and back on does wonders.

Use Apple Support if Nothing Else Works

If you still find yourself stuck, open the Apple Support app—you know, the one Apple made for troubleshooting. Sometimes, just opening it kicks something in the background. They have a section dedicated to AirDrop and general connectivity issues. Or, check their support page. If you’re desperate, calling Apple Support can get you deeper diagnostics, especially if it’s a hardware hiccup like a faulty Bluetooth chip. Also, if you’re using a Mac, tools like Disk Utility or System Report (via About This Mac) can help you spot hardware issues that may be affecting Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections.

Final Tips and Nitty-Gritty

This whole mess can be a real pain, and honestly, sometimes it’s just a matter of hanging in there and trying a few different things. Don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t work right away—devices can be stubborn. Double-check the basics: are Bluetooth and Wi-Fi working on both devices? Is AirDrop set to “Everyone”? Are both devices on the same Wi-Fi network, and is Bluetooth enabled? Did you update iOS recently? Sometimes, a reboot after an update solves the problem. And if all else fails, a full restore (via DFU mode) might be needed, but I’d try everything else first. It’s a hassle, but usually, these steps will get you sorted without too much headache.

Hope this helped — it took me way too long to figure it out myself. Anyway, good luck, and may your AirDrop files flow smoothly from now on!