Setting AirDrop to Contacts Only limits discoverability so your iPhone is intended to receive AirDrop requests from people recognized through your contacts rather than everyone nearby. On an iPhone SE, the location of the control depends on the iOS version installed.
Set AirDrop to Contacts Only
- Open Settings.
- Select General.
- Tap AirDrop.
- Choose Contacts Only.
You can also access AirDrop controls from Control Center on supported iOS versions by opening the connectivity controls and selecting AirDrop.
Contacts Only requires identity matching
For Contacts Only to work reliably, both people should be signed in appropriately to their Apple Accounts, and the sender’s Apple Account email address or phone number should be present in the recipient’s contact information as required by Apple’s current AirDrop behavior.
If a trusted person cannot see your iPhone
Confirm that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are enabled, Personal Hotspot is not interfering, the devices are close enough, and both devices are awake. Temporarily using the time-limited Everyone option can help determine whether the problem is contact recognition rather than AirDrop itself.
Return to the more private setting afterward
If you temporarily broaden discoverability for troubleshooting, switch back to Contacts Only or Receiving Off when finished. Avoid accepting unexpected files or contact requests from people you do not recognize.
There have been multiple generations of iPhone SE. Newer models can run much newer iOS versions than the original SE, so screenshots and Control Center gestures may differ. The Settings > General > AirDrop route is generally the clearest place to verify the current receiving preference.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.