How to Enable and Use AirDrop Over Internet on iPhone [iOS 17.1]

iOS 17.1 is finally here and it comes with a slew of new features. The first big incremental upgrade for iOS 17, brings numerous useful changes to the iPhone and one of the key feature coming with this update is AirDrop Over Internet.

This means that file sharing will now work seamlessly, even when you go out of the range – it can be shared over the internet. Read on to learn how AirDrop Over Internet functions and how to enable this feature on your iPhone.

AirDrop is Apple’s solution for seamless file sharing between Apple devices, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. This year, with iOS 17, Apple has introduced significant improvements to AirDrop, including the new feature called NameDrop for instant contact sharing. And now the tech giant has released another upgrade to its file sharing service, dubbed, share files using Cellular Data or over the internet.

So, What is AirDrop Over the Internet and How does it work? Let’s find out.

Prior to the release of the new feature, all files were securely shared over WiFi and Bluetooth, but this method only worked within a certain range. If you went out of range, the transfer would stop. Now, with the introduction of this new feature, file transfers can be completed over the Internet. Obviously, the data will get consumed to share files, you can use both cellular data or WiFi to get things done.

If you are sharing a photo and for some reason you go out of range, then the photo will automatically share through the internet, make sure the AirDrop Over Internet is enabled in the Settings. So, let’s check how you can activate the new feature.

How to Turn On AirDrop Over Internet on your iPhone

If you want to get access to the new feature, then your iPhone needs to be running on iOS 17.1. The update is already available to the public, you can check the software update settings if your iPhone is still on older software version.

If you are already on the new software and want to know how to activate the new functionality, you can follow these steps.

How to Enable and Use AirDrop Over Internet on iPhone
  1. Open Settings on your iPhone running on iOS 17.1.
  2. Scroll down and select General.
  3. Now tap AirDrop.
  4. First things first, check if AirDrop is activated or not, you can activate by selecting Contacts Only or Everyone for 10 minutes option.
  5. Next, turn the toggle on for Use Cellular Data option to transfer files over the internet.
  6. That’s it.

If for some reason you want to deactivate the new feature, you can turn the toggle off for Use Cellular Data in the AirDrop Settings.

Now whenever you go out of range, you will see Using Mobile Data option on the AirDrop’s file sharing popup on your iPhone 15’s Dynamic Island or the same on older iPhones. Obviously, the files sharing over cellular data will take some time to get completed depending on the speed of data you’re getting in real-time. Both you and the recipient will be able to monitor the progress on the screen.

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    Haneet Singh

    Haneet is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of YTECHB. He has a huge passion for tinkering with latest smartphones, wearables, smart home devices, smart TVs, and more. As an avid Apple Ecosystem user, he loves customizing his iPhone and iPad to suit his needs. For tips, you can connect Haneet at haneetsingh@outlook.com In 2019, Haneet and the YTECHB team exclusively shared the wallpapers of iPhone 11 right before the launch event. In 2020, Haneet alongside his team members shared exclusive renders and official photos of two Samsung Galaxy smartphones - the Galaxy M11, and Galaxy M21. Later, the YTECHB team leaks information about Motorola's feature phones and Razr 3. In the last few months, our team shared Galaxy S24 Ultra leaks and more. You may come across with our work getting mentioned in The Times of India, India Today, Hindustan Times, NDTV, TechRadar, Digital Trends, Yahoo News, GSMArena, Android Authority, Android Central, Android Headlines, SamMobile, XDA, 9to5Google, and many other publications. He works across news, updates, features, guides, and more. If YTECHB writes about it, you can expect him to be involved in some way.

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