You found a page on your iPhone and want to keep working with it on your Mac or iPad. Safari's Share sheet hands the link to a nearby Apple device over AirDrop, and the page opens in that device's default browser.
If the transfer stalls, check the AirDrop setting in Control Center and confirm Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are on. The steps below cover the route itself, the Apple Account auto-accept shortcut, the iOS 26.2 code, and what to do when a device never shows up.
In this guide, I have covered:
Contents
Send a Safari Link to Another Apple Device with AirDrop
You’re reading something on your iPhone and you want it on your Mac. AirDrop sits inside Safari’s Share sheet, the same place you’d go to save an image from Safari to your iPhone or iPad, so the page goes straight to a nearby Mac, iPhone, or iPad with no third-party app involved.
Both devices need Bluetooth and Wi-Fi switched on, and the receiving device has to be awake. A Mac with the lid shut won’t answer.
- Open Safari on your iPhone or iPad and load the page you want to send.
- Tap the Share
icon. - In the Share sheet, tap AirDrop.
- Look under the Devices heading for a nearby Mac, iPhone, or iPad that supports AirDrop.
- Tap the receiving device. The link starts moving immediately.
- On the receiving device, tap on the AirDrop banner, or let auto-accept handle it.
You’ll know it worked when the page opens on the other device in its default browser. If the default browser is set to Chrome, the URL opens in Chrome, not Safari.
AirDrop is one option in that Share sheet, not the only one. To send the link to a non-Apple app, use our guide on sharing Safari links externally.
Skip the Accept Prompt with Your Apple Account
Tapping Accept every single time gets old, especially when the device on the other end is your own. AirDrop doesn’t need the same Apple Account on both ends, but sharing one changes how the transfer behaves.
The sign-in is now called Apple Account. Apple renamed “Apple ID” to “Apple Account” in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 Sequoia.
When sender and recipient share an Apple Account, the link lands in the recipient’s Downloads folder and opens in the default browser with no banner to tap. That auto-accept is the real reason to sign in with the same Apple Account across your own devices.
Sending to someone else’s Mac, iPhone, or iPad? Keep the accounts separate and let them tap Accept on the banner.
Open AirDrop to People Outside Your Contacts
The Mac is sitting right next to you, but it never appears in the AirDrop list. AirDrop defaults to Contacts Only, which hides your device from anyone who isn’t in your address book.
Switch AirDrop to Everyone for 10 Minutes on both devices and try again.
- Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center on the iPhone or iPad.
- Touch and hold the connectivity block, which contains Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and AirDrop.
- Tap AirDrop at the bottom of the expanded panel.
- Choose Everyone for 10 Minutes.
TIP: AirDrop returns to Contacts Only on its own when the 10 minutes run out, so you don’t have to remember to switch it back.
On iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, and macOS 26.2 or later, AirDrop also asks for a one-time code when the recipient isn’t in your contacts. Both people see a short string.
The sender reads it aloud or shares it over Messages, and the transfer completes once the recipient types it in. Sends between your own signed-in devices skip the code entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn’t my Mac, iPhone, or iPad showing up in the AirDrop list?
The most common cause is AirDrop set to Contacts Only on the other device. Switch both devices to Everyone for 10 Minutes from Control Center, and confirm Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are on. A sleeping laptop with the lid closed won’t receive AirDrop until it wakes.
Do I need the same Apple Account on both devices?
No. AirDrop works between any nearby Apple devices with or without a shared Apple Account. Signing in to the same Apple Account on both only turns on auto-accept, so you don’t have to tap Accept on the recipient.
Will the link open in Safari or the default browser on the receiving device?
The link opens in whatever browser the recipient set as their default. If they made Chrome the default, the URL opens in Chrome. AirDrop doesn’t override that choice.
What is the one-time AirDrop code that appears on iOS 26.2?
It’s a confirmation Apple added in iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, and macOS 26.2 for sends between people who aren’t contacts. Both people see the same short code. The sender reads it out, the recipient types it, and the transfer completes. Sends between your own signed-in devices skip the code.
Can I send a Safari link to a Windows PC or Android phone?
AirDrop only works between Apple devices. For Windows or Android, use the regular Share sheet to send the URL through Messages, Mail, or a third-party app like WhatsApp.
