Stand close, with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on for both of you. If either phone has Personal Hotspot on, disconnect it. If both are on iOS 17 or later, you can also try holding them together.
The receiver changes a setting; the sender doesn't.
Receiver
- Open Control Center.
- Touch and hold the connectivity controls, tap AirDrop, and tap Everyone for 10 Minutes.
Sender
- Open the thing you're sharing, tap Share, then AirDrop.
- Tap the other person's name under People.
If both phones run iOS 26.2 or later, the receiver is prompted to use an AirDrop code. The receiver taps Get AirDrop Code and reads it out, and the sender types it in. The sender's phone then adds the receiver to its Other Known List in Contacts for 30 days. The sender can mark them as unknown in the Contacts app sooner.
Why it switched back
From iOS 16.2 on, the setting changes after 10 minutes. If the receiver is signed in to an Apple Account it goes to Contacts Only. If they aren't, it goes to Receiving Off. If a transfer doesn't show up later, check whether it has switched back.
Sources
- Apple Support — How to use AirDrop on your iPhone or iPad (checked Nov 9, 2026)