How to Turn off Cellular Data for Airdrop: The AirDrop feature on iPhones has been improved by Apple in iOS 17.1. You can now send and receive files over a wireless network even when you are out of range for AirDrop. In order for this feature to work, you need to have Cellular Data turned on in AirDrop settings and a data plan that can be used to send files over the internet.
If you don’t want to use cellular data for AirDrop or your current plan doesn’t give you enough data, you should turn off cellular data for AirDrop right away to avoid extra fees.
How to turn off AirDrop’s cell data
When moving big files between Apple devices, AirDrop over Cellular Data can be useful because you don’t have to be in range of the other device to use it. You might want to turn this feature off, though, so that your cell phone company doesn’t charge you extra for data or so that you don’t have to pay international fees when you travel.
Start up the Settings app on your iPhone and then tap on General. This will turn off cellular data for AirDrop.
Then, go to the next screen and uncheck the box next to “Use Cellular Data” when you are “Out of Range.”
Your iPhone will no longer be able to use AirDrop over Cellular Data.
How to use AirDrop to transfer files on iOS and macOS
What happens if you turn off Cellular Data for AirDrop?
If you turn off Cellular Data for AirDrop, it will only use Wi-Fi to send files from your iPhone to other Apple devices. You can stop an ongoing AirDrop transfer as soon as you leave the range of the other device if this feature is turned off. The same thing will happen when the other device moves out of range of your iPhone’s AirDrop.
This means that both devices involved in an AirDrop transfer need to be close to each other for the transfer to go through. Your iPhone and the other Apple device should have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on at this time so that the data sharing goes smoothly.
There you have it. Now you can use AirDrop without Cellular Data on your iPhone.
