How to Secure AirDrop on macOS

Enhance your privacy on macOS by restricting AirDrop visibility. Learn how to configure settings to prevent unauthorized file requests.

  1. Open Control Center settings. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen. Select System Settings from the dropdown menu and navigate to the Control Center tab in the sidebar.
  2. Access AirDrop settings. Scroll down the list of Control Center modules until you reach the AirDrop section. Verify that the Allow me to be discovered by option is visible.
  3. Restrict discovery settings. Click the dropdown menu next to AirDrop. Select Contacts Only instead of Everyone to ensure only recognized users can send you files.
  4. Check Finder integration. Open a Finder window and click AirDrop in the sidebar. Confirm that the status message at the bottom of the window displays 'Allow me to be discovered by: Contacts Only'.
  5. Disable automatic downloads. macOS does not automatically save files from unknown sources, but always ensure that you manually decline any unexpected prompts. If an AirDrop notification appears from an unrecognized user, click Decline immediately to prevent the file from reaching your Downloads folder.

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