Apple recently dropped iOS 17, and there are many new features offered to the users, with one of them being Name Drop. Today, we will show you how to fix the iOS 17 Name Drop not working problem in a couple of simple steps.
While this feature is nothing short of spectacular, folks on the internet have been sounding off about Name Drop not doing its job on their iPhones. Although there’s no clear-cut reason for this hiccup, worry not because we’ve got the best solutions for you to try if you are facing the iOS 17 Name Drop not working problem!
How to fix the iOS 17 Name Drop not working issue
The Name Drop feature on iPhone is one of the standout features of iOS 17, making sharing contacts a breeze for fellow iPhone users through AirDrop. Using this feature is a piece of cake – hold the top part of two iPhones close together, and voila! A unique animation pops up, and your Contact Poster and other important info get shared in a jiffy.
Below, you will find a couple of fixes you can try if you face the iOS 17 Name Drop not working issue. Let’s cut to the chase and start with the first one!
Use the gesture correctly
Now, here’s the real deal – the most common reason Name Drop doesn’t work on iPhones running iOS 17 is improper gesture action. The Name Drop feature depends on bringing the top sections of two iPhones close together to make the contact card swap via AirDrop happen. This magic is all thanks to the NFC chips lurking in the top section of your iPhone.
To work this out, ensure that the top sections (where you spot the earpiece and front camera) of both iPhones make contact with each other, or place one iPhone on top of the other. It is understandable, as the feature is very new, and it might take time for you to get used to it. You can check YouTube videos.
iOS 17: How to use Apple NameDrop feature
Enable “bringing devices together”
Remember when the Name Drop feature first strutted onto the scene, and folks were sweating bullets about their contact info going AWOL? Apple, ever the guardian of data security, threw in an extra layer of protection for Name Drop. They added a nifty toggle in the AirDrop settings, letting you decide whether to let your contact info roam free when two iPhones cozy up together. If your Name Drop is acting up, you may have inadvertently hit the brakes on the “Bringing Devices Together” setting. Here’s what to do:
- Go to Settings on your iPhone.
- Open the “General” section.
- Tap “AirDrop.”
- Toggle the “Bringing Devices Together” switch to “ON.”
Name Drop compatibility
Sometimes, the easiest solution stands right before our eyes, but we still can’t see it. Have you tried checking if your iPhone supports the feature? That might be the reason behind your iOS 17 Name Drop not working issue. During WWDC 2023, Apple laid out straight that the iPhone X and its predecessors won’t be getting the iOS 17 update.
Here are all the new iOS 17 features
So, if you’re attempting Name Drop on an iPhone X or an older model, it’s a no-go. Similarly, if your buddy on the other end doesn’t have iOS 17 on their iPhone, they won’t be able to scoop up your contact info via Name Drop. Here’s the complete lowdown on iPhones that support iOS 17:
- iPhone 14, 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 13, 13 Mini
- iPhone 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12, 12 Mini
- iPhone 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone XS, XS Max
- iPhone SE (2020 & 2022)
Contact Apple
If you’ve tried it all and still can’t get Name Drop to play nice, it might be time to drop a line to Apple. Their tech wizards are usually aces at solving these iPhone puzzles. Don’t fret; there’s always a solution to tech troubles, and with a little patience and these steps, you’ll have Name Drop working like a charm in no time!
Featured image credit: Sebastian Bednarek/Unsplash