AirDrop comes first to mind if you want to share files with a friend or family member owning an Apple gadget. If the other device is nearby, you can send videos, contacts, pictures, and additional information within seconds. Some concerns from users are whether AirDrop works without Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and mobile data.
So, does AirDrop use Wi-Fi? AirDrop needs Wi-Fi technology to help send files faster and securely, hence the need to turn it on even when you don’t have internet. The adapters facilitate the link to enable wireless transmission thanks to peer-to-peer connections. Similarly, Bluetooth must be on to help locate the nearby Apple devices and allow the transfer.
AirDrop is one of the most efficient ways to transfer data wirelessly between devices, but not many know how it works. AirDrop does not need active Wi-Fi or cellular data to work and will not deplete your internet.
Apple launched AirDrop in iOS gadgets and Macs as a practical and convenient way to send all your data from one iDevice to the other within seconds. If you are using it for the first time and the instructions tell you to turn on Wi-Fi, you may be worried that you don’t have internet.
You can use AirDrop without a Wi-Fi network, but you should turn it on your Apple device. By turning on Wi-Fi, the adapters link the gadgets; otherwise, the system will lack the necessary tools to operate.
AirDrop uses the Wi-Fi principles and technologies for data transfer to ensure that the files travel fast wirelessly between the two gadgets. Since it does not use the internet or your Wi-Fi network, turning on Bluetooth is the only way to discover the other device.
AirDrop is an excellent way to connect your systems without using cables or waiting long for transfers. It uses the concepts of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to link them, and many find it the most effective transmission channel.
Luckily, you don’t need a Wi-Fi network for it to work, and you don’t need to be alarmed if you don’t have internet. The program only uses Wi-Fi technology to run and doesn’t necessarily need the network.
Instead, it utilizes the peer-to-peer expertise from Wi-Fi and the tech in its adapters to establish a stable and rapid data transfer method. The radio makes the gadgets in use communicate directly and will not deplete your internet.
As a result, you enjoy the perks of Wi-Fi’s transfer speeds even without internet or a router. Additionally, using Wi-Fi tech allows you to send as many files as possible based on your hardware’s efficiency.
Therefore, not turning on Wi-Fi makes it impossible for AirDrop to work. Besides Wi-Fi tech, AirDrop utilizes Bluetooth to transfer data and locate nearby devices safely. Bluetooth is the best way to link wirelessly, and AirDrop needs it to help discover whether the Apple gadgets are around. While you don’t need a Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth is necessary because otherwise, the software will not identify which device will receive the data.
Whenever you turn on AirDrop, it will automatically trigger Bluetooth for discovery reasons. This technology can serve Apple devices ten meters apart, and the closer they are, the faster and more effective the transfer.
If this is your first-time using AirDrop, you will appreciate how straightforward it is to set up without Wi-Fi; you only have to enable Bluetooth location from the Control Center.
Press the top left where you find the Airplane mode, cellular and Bluetooth, click AirDrop to activate it, and choose “Everyone”. If you use a Mac and don’t have Wi-Fi, you can link your handset using the Finder for execution.
Run the application, navigate to AirDrop or click Command +Shift +R, and a window displays all the available devices. Afterward, drag the file you want to send over the icons.
An alert will show on the Mac and any other Apple device you send to, allowing you to click “Accept”. Due to the complex nature of the AirDrop performance, you will notice that only the latest gadgets support it since they run on the most advanced firmware. Otherwise, you will deal with failures, slow speeds, and reduced file quality.
If AirDrop is still not working for you since you are using older gadget models, you may have to use third-party applications. They may not be as convenient as AirDrop, which most Apple users prefer, but sometimes they have the advantage of sending hundreds and thousands of files simultaneously. They work for various data types, transfer them within seconds, and are user-friendly.
Mobile Data
One of the conventional ways to send data to another Apple user is through online apps where you need a Wi-Fi network or cellular data. As expected, new users question whether AirDrop works the same way. So, can you use it offline, or do you need a SIM card with cellular data?
AirDrop doesn’t use your mobile data to transfer files to other Apple devices. It only needs Bluetooth for location and Wi-Fi for the wireless fast-speed data transfer technologies. Turning on Wi-Fi doesn’t mean using your cellular data since it is only for a point-to-point connection between the gadgets.
Therefore, AirDrop will still run even when you don’t have active data on your phone, and it is not mandatory to have a SIM card inside your iPhone.
Although other transfer methods like online applications use Wi-Fi and data, AirDrop uses the principles of Bluetooth and wireless Wi-Fi principles. Conventionally, using Bluetooth independently doesn’t need internet; the only rule is that the devices in question should activate the feature and stay close to each other within ten meters. The case is different for direct Wi-Fi using sharing apps because everything happens online.
While Bluetooth must always stay active for AirDrop to work, Wi-Fi is only a technology that the system uses for fast and wireless file transfer. Therefore, the software doesn’t use Wi-Fi or mobile data to send files between Mac and iOS devices. You will only have to activate Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to establish a connection. Remember that turning on the network doesn’t mean you need the internet.
AirDrop will require it for peer-to-peer connection, not for active internet use. The technology ensures that the link is stable, and the data transfer is fast and consistent. Consequently, AirDrop has become the most reliable wireless handover mode like radio and infrared transmission.
If you have cellular data, you don’t have to worry about AirDrop depleting it, but there is no harm if there is an active Wi-Fi network because the software will not use it anyway.
Some users may ask then, what is the point of turning on Wi-Fi on your iDevice? Bluetooth may be mandatory for AirDrop, but it is not enough to operate. Activating Wi-Fi even without cellular data gives the channel an advantage of fast and wireless transmission using Wi-Fi technologies. You can rest easy knowing that you don’t need to subscribe to a data plan on your handset since it will not cost you a dime.
Apple designed AirDrop to work wirelessly and from any location, and it makes sense that it can run offline. It creates an Ad Hoc network between the iDevices connected, hence you don’t have to use it online. Many users also often ask whether they need a SIM card for AirDrop. Again, if there were a SIM requirement for the system to work, it would beat the purpose of a wireless and convenient transfer.
You don’t need to insert a SIM in your handset before transferring, provided Bluetooth and Wi-Fi stay on. However, without the card, you cannot send SIM contacts to another device. Thus, setting the system to receive data using “Contacts Only” when they are saved on the SIM will make it impossible to connect with unsaved numbers. You can change this on the AirDrop settings to receive data from any number by adjusting it to “Everyone.”
Bluetooth
AirDrop simplified the transfer of files from one iDevice to the other without requiring cables and USBs and waiting minutes for the process. The files transmit at the highest speeds, in the original quality, and it is the most secure way to share with your loved ones. Since it is a wireless channel, you may ask whether it requires Bluetooth.
AirDrop uses Bluetooth to help you locate other iDevices with which you want to share files. Once you turn on the software, it immediately triggers the wireless connection on your gadget to search for other AirDrop-enabled gadgets.
The pairing will work best when the devices are within the conventional Bluetooth range of about ten meters or thirty feet. However, the closer you place them, the stronger the link, and your transfers are likely to move rapidly.
Bluetooth is essential whenever you think about Airdropping images, videos, or any other file to your other Apple products or a friend’s. Once the devices link via Bluetooth, AirDrop will require Wi-Fi to transfer the files faster. The connection is called Wi-Fi Direct, which is peer-to-peer and doesn’t need a router or internet connection. It can work even in the most remote parts of the country.
It is what determines the speed of your data transfer between the devices. AirDrop cannot function without Bluetooth and Wi-Fi because both of them link with other receivers and share files at incredible speeds and at the same time.
The Bluetooth will pair with the intended iDevice, and after a successful link, it will pave the way for Wi-Fi direct to transfer the data securely and faster. Neither of the two connectivity methods can work independently with AirDrop.
Without Bluetooth running, you cannot connect to the recipient, making it the initial step when you want to use AirDrop. Bluetooth is known for its power-efficient features, and you can use it for hours without impacting your iDevice’s battery.
Since it is energy conscious, it integrates well with Wi-Fi to offer you the best of both worlds. The perks are battery conservation, impressive speeds, and the ability to locate nearby gadgets to share multiple files at a go.
If you solely activate Bluetooth when using AirDrop without turning on the Wi-Fi Direct, you may still share data, but it will not be efficient. You will deal with low speeds and wait a long time to send simple files, which worsens when dealing with heavy data like massive videos. Ultimately, AirDrop will need a Bluetooth connection and Wi-Fi, although it doesn’t require internet.
The feature has simple working principles. First, it is only available for users with Apple products; hence it will not work when sending files from an Android to an iDevice or the other way around.
If you are sure of compatibility, the initial step is to turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on both gadgets and let them find each other but check that they are within a ten-meter range. Once linked, the Wi-Fi Direct creates a secure connection between the devices.
If you are using a Mac, open the file to send and click on the share button on the screen, then tap AirDrop, and a drop-down menu will appear, allowing you to pick the recipient. AirDrop transfers are usually seamless, but you may experience a few glitches occasionally, although they are easy to troubleshoot.
Sometimes, the two iDevices will fail to link with each other even after turning on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. If that happens, you can switch off the radios and turn them back on to effortlessly solve any bugs causing connection issues.
Also, turning off the hotspot on either of the gadgets and checking that both are of the latest models running on updated software can allow smooth data transfers.
Bluetooth plays a significant role in facilitating the running of AirDrop. The feature cannot function without it since it relies on wireless technology and Wi-Fi for file transfers. However, you can use AirDrop by turning on Bluetooth only, but the system may fail or work too slowly. The best way is to activate Bluetooth and Wi-Fi even when you don’t have an internet connection or cellular data.
Summary
If you are a new AirDrop user, you will be impressed with how effective and efficient the system works to enable the connection between various Apple products. You can instantly send videos, pictures, links, files, and any other data wherever you are.
Another excellent aspect is that it doesn’t use your handset’s cellular data. It only needs a Bluetooth connection to help identify the nearby iDevices and Wi-Fi’s wireless technology for increased speeds.
Although you should turn on Wi-Fi, it doesn’t imply that the system needs the internet, only the point-to-point technology. Therefore, your mobile data is safe, and the best part is that you don’t have to insert a SIM card.
