How long do I have to receive an AirDrop transfer?

Trying to receive an AirDrop transfer from someone who is not in your contacts? The iPhone automatically restricts this function to increase AirDrop privacy. AirDrop can be configured to allow transfers from everyone under Settings -> General -> AirDrop.

10-minute window to receive via AirDrop

Setting AirDrop to share from everyone expires in 10 minutes. Prior to 2023 this setting did not change automatically. If your iPhone software is not up to date, be sure to check your AirDrop privacy settings manually.

The safest settings for AirDrop are typically Contacts Only or Receiving Off. With receiving off, AirDrop can be manually enabled only when needed.