Why macOS AirDrop Stopped Working Between iPhone and MacBook and the Firewall Profile Reset That Fixed Discovery

There’s no denying that AirDrop has become an indispensable tool for Apple users. The convenience of quickly transferring files wirelessly between devices—especially between an iPhone and a MacBook—has made workflows more fluid. But when this seamless feature suddenly stops working, it can leave users confused and frustrated, especially when there appears to be no obvious reason. One such glitch was widely reported by Mac users running recent versions of macOS when pairing their iPhones with their MacBooks for AirDrop. After extensive troubleshooting, a seemingly unrelated system feature—the Mac’s firewall settings—emerged as the root cause.

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)

AirDrop between iPhone and MacBook occasionally fails due to issues with system discovery, especially when the firewall is incorrectly configured or its profile becomes corrupted. Users have noticed that even when both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are on, their devices fail to detect each other. After resetting the macOS firewall profile, AirDrop functionality was restored. This workaround has proven to be a reliable fix in multiple use cases.

Understanding AirDrop and Its Dependencies

AirDrop relies on multiple system features working in tandem. For effective operation, the following elements must be functioning properly:

• Bluetooth – used to initiate device discovery
• Wi-Fi – facilitates the actual file transfer
• Proximity – devices typically need to be within 30 feet of each other
• Firewall – if misconfigured, it can block discovery protocols

It’s often assumed that if both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are enabled, AirDrop should work. However, the macOS firewall operates in the background and can silently disrupt AirDrop if ports required for discovery and communication are being blocked.

When AirDrop Breaks: Symptoms and First Signs

Users typically notice that their iPhone doesn’t appear in the MacBook’s sharing sheet or vice versa. The connection attempt may hang indefinitely or show an error message like “Unable to connect“. In more puzzling scenarios, both devices appear to be fully functional and discoverable, but the devices still fail to detect each other.

Common Troubleshooting Approaches

Before ultimately discovering the firewall’s role in this issue, many users went through an exhaustive checklist of potential fixes:

1. Restarting both devices – a standard go-to action that rarely resolves deeper networking issues.
2. Turning Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off and on again – temporarily helpful but often yields no long-term results.
3. Ensuring both devices are signed in to iCloud – necessary for enhanced visibility between Apple IDs.
4. Setting AirDrop to “Everyone” temporarily – to bypass contact filtering.
5. Resetting Network Settings on iPhone – a nuclear option that can fix some underlying issues but erases all networks and passwords.

Despite these sincere attempts, AirDrop still failed in many cases. This pointed toward a systemic issue beyond simple settings changes—bringing firewall configuration into focus.

The Firewall: An Overlooked Culprit

The macOS firewall is designed to block unwanted incoming traffic while allowing trusted processes. But occasionally, corruption or misconfiguration of its rules can cause it to block legitimate services—including AirDrop’s Bonjour service, which is responsible for device discovery.

What happens in such scenarios is that your Mac is running both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth properly, and the UI reflects everything is normal. But behind the scenes, discovery traffic gets suppressed by the firewall, preventing the iPhone from detecting the MacBook and vice versa.

The Fix: Resetting the macOS Firewall Profile

Fortunately, a reset of the macOS firewall profile restores default behaviors and allows standard services like AirDrop to function correctly once again. The reset is simple yet powerful:

Steps to Reset macOS Firewall Profile

1. Open System Settings and navigate to Network.
2. Click on Firewall in the sidebar.
3. Turn the firewall Off.
4. Next, locate the system configuration files. Using Finder, go to:
   /Library/Preferences/com.apple.alf.plist
5. Delete this file. You may need admin privileges to do so.
6. Restart your MacBook.
7. Re-enable the firewall from System Settings.

This process deletes the firewall profile and forces macOS to regenerate a clean copy. After this reset, users found that their AirDrop functionality was restored immediately.

Why This Happens

The exact reason the firewall profile becomes corrupted is not fully understood. It may be related to system upgrades, invalid entries made by third-party applications, or even changes in network environment configurations. What’s clear is that once corruption sets in, AirDrop discovery can become blocked even if no visible firewall warning appears to the user.

Preventing Future Issues With AirDrop

While it’s unfortunate that AirDrop issues can result from firewall settings, there are several things users can proactively do to avoid repeated problems:

• Maintain macOS and iOS systems up-to-date to benefit from bug fixes
• Avoid installing questionable third-party network or security apps
• Periodically check your firewall settings, especially after major updates
• Place devices close together when initiating AirDrop

Impact on Workflows and Productivity

For professionals and students alike, AirDrop is more than a convenience—it’s a daily necessity. Losing access to a tool like this can significantly impact file-sharing workflows, especially in environments without convenient USB or cloud alternatives. Understanding how to restore it quickly can save shooters, editors, and mobile professionals hours of troubleshooting.

Conclusion

AirDrop is designed to work effortlessly, but under certain hidden conditions—especially those involving the macOS firewall—things can go awry. While this issue might be obscure, the solution is refreshingly straightforward. Resetting your Mac’s firewall profile can restore the AirDrop magic that Apple users count on daily. Sharing files across devices should remain seamless, and now you know how to make sure it stays that way.

FAQ: macOS AirDrop Not Working Between iPhone and MacBook

• Q: Why did AirDrop stop working suddenly?
  A: It could be due to a misconfigured or corrupted firewall profile on macOS blocking discovery traffic necessary for AirDrop.
• Q: Do I need to reset the firewall every time AirDrop fails?
  A: Not necessarily. Try basic troubleshooting first (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth resets). If those fail repeatedly, resetting the firewall is a good next step.
• Q: Does resetting the firewall profile delete my other settings?
  A: It only resets the firewall configuration. Other system configurations and user files remain intact.
• Q: Is this fix safe to perform?
  A: Yes, firewall profile resets are safe and restore default behavior. Just be sure to re-enable the firewall afterward to maintain system security.
• Q: Are there tools that can automate this fix?
  A: Currently, there are no Apple-supported tools that automate firewall profile resets, but power users can create scripts to simplify the process.