AirDrop has long been a cornerstone of the Apple ecosystem, a seamless way to transfer files between devices. It’s a daily convenience for many, surpassing the limitations of email, the compression of chat apps, and the storage constraints of cloud services.
However, sharing with those *not* in your contacts presented a challenge. Early versions offered an “Everyone” setting, incredibly convenient but also a potential security risk – anyone nearby could send files. The shift to “Everyone for 10 Minutes” improved security, but introduced a frustrating cycle of re-enabling the setting.
Imagine being at a conference, exchanging presentations and notes. Constantly toggling AirDrop visibility every ten minutes disrupts the flow and feels needlessly cumbersome. Apple recognized this friction and sought a solution that balanced convenience with privacy.
The answer arrived with a recent software update: AirDrop codes. This innovative feature introduces a layer of security and streamlines the process of sharing with new contacts. It eliminates the need for immediate contact saving, while still allowing for repeated transfers.
Here’s how it works. When someone attempts to AirDrop to you while you have “Everyone for 10 Minutes” enabled, you’ll receive a request with a “Continue” option. This reveals a unique, one-time use code on your device.
Share this code with the sender, and they can enter it on their end. Once verified, the file transfers as usual, and a temporary contact is created, granting AirDrop access for the next 30 days. No more constant toggling.
This temporary contact isn’t a permanent addition to your address book. After 30 days, it automatically disappears, keeping your contacts clean and organized. You also have the option to manually remove these temporary contacts at any time.
To manage these temporary connections, navigate to the Contacts app, then to Lists, and finally select “Other Known.” Here, you’ll find a list of contacts created through AirDrop codes, ready for deletion before the 30-day expiration.
AirDrop codes represent a thoughtful evolution of a beloved feature. They address a genuine user pain point, offering a secure and efficient way to share files with anyone, anywhere, without compromising your privacy or cluttering your contacts.
