Where Do AirDrop Files Go on Mac? Here’s How to Find Them

If you don’t already know, AirDrop is a feature available exclusively on Apple devices like the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac. It basically allows users to wirelessly transfer photos, videos, documents, and more between Apple devices. It uses two types of technology that you may already be familiar with: Bluetooth to detect nearby devices and Wi-Fi to actually transfer the data.

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Because it uses Wi-Fi to send a file to a compatible device, AirDrop is generally considered to be faster than sending something over Bluetooth, especially for larger files. Provided you’ve updated your iOS device to at least iOS 17.1, the file transfer also doesn’t stop if you leave Bluetooth or Wi-Fi range after starting an AirDrop exchange — as long as both the sending and receiving Apple devices are signed in to iCloud, the transfer will simply continue using the internet connection.

If you AirDrop a file from your iPhone to your Mac or another Apple device—again, as long as you’re signed into iCloud on both gadgets with the same Apple ID—the item can be automatically saved to your computer without you having to accept it. If the transfer is between two Apple users, the Finder icon on the receiving Mac will visually jump to signal an incoming AirDrop file that you need to accept. But where does the file go after you accept it?

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Any AirDrop files you receive on your Mac are automatically saved to your Downloads folder. There are two ways to find this location. The first is through the Finder. Simply click the Finder icon (represented by a smiley face) in the Dock or in the navigation bar at the bottom of your Mac screen. You can also use Spotlight Search to search for “Finder” using the Mac keyboard shortcut “Command + Space.” Once you’re in the Finder, select Go from the top navigation menu and choose Downloads.

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Another way is to directly click the Downloads folder icon in the Dock, usually located next to the Trash icon, which is located in the rightmost slot. The Downloads icon may appear as a blue folder with a down arrow or as a stack of files. Clicking the Downloads folder will show some of your most recently saved files, including those you received with AirDop. To see the entire contents of the folder, click “(X) More in Finder.”

Using either method will open your Downloads folder in a new Finder window. That’s where all the AirDrop files you’ve recently accepted and saved should be.

If for some reason you’re having trouble starting AirDrop and can’t see the files you want to transfer to your Mac, check that both devices are AirDrop-compatible—such as your iPhone, iPad, or Mac—and that each has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on. It’s also worth checking the AirDrop settings on your Mac to make sure it’s set up properly to receive files:

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1. Click on Spotlight Search (magnifying glass icon) in the upper right corner of the screen or launch the application by pressing the keyboard shortcut “Command + Space”.
2. Search for AirDrop and select the appropriate search result.
3. Once the AirDrop window is active, click the “Allow me to be discovered by” drop-down menu.
4. From the available options, select Everyone or Contacts Only.

Once properly set up, try sending an AirDrop file to your Mac again. If AirDrop still isn’t working properly, try restarting both Apple devices and trying again. In the worst case, consider contacting Apple Support for additional guidance.

Note that if you set AirDrop on your Mac to receive files from Everyone, it is recommended to go through the steps again and select No One or Contacts Only after the AirDrop exchange is complete. This way, you won’t accidentally accept AirDrop files from random Apple users who are in your immediate vicinity.