The Apple AirDrop Policy allows administrators to control AirDrop usage and related sharing features on managed Apple devices running macOS, iOS, or iPadOS.
AirDrop enables wireless file sharing between Apple devices, which is convenient but can pose data security risks in enterprise environments.
With this policy, IT teams can enforce secure AirDrop behavior, disable file sharing entirely, or restrict the device’s drop target classification.
Overview
AirDrop provides fast and easy peer-to-peer file sharing using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
This policy lets organizations decide whether to allow AirDrop, prevent password sharing via AirDrop, or restrict a device’s AirDrop availability to unmanaged Apple devices only.
The policy is especially useful for organizations with strict data handling rules, such as healthcare, education, finance, or high-security industries.
Requirements
macOS 10.13+
iOS 7+
iPadOS 7+
Device must be enrolled via Swif.ai MDM
Some settings require device supervision (iOS/iPadOS)
Configurable Settings
Allow AirDrop
Controls whether the AirDrop feature is available on the device.
Setting | Description | Minimum Requirement |
True | AirDrop is allowed and remains available to users. | macOS 10.13+, iOS 7+, iPadOS 7+ |
False | Disables AirDrop entirely. Requires a supervised device on iOS/iPadOS. | macOS 10.13+, iOS 7+ (supervised), iPadOS 7+ (supervised) |
This setting helps prevent unauthorized file transfers or data exfiltration.
Allow Password Sharing
Controls whether users can share Wi-Fi passwords via AirDrop.
Setting | Description | Minimum Requirement |
True | Allows users to share Wi-Fi passwords using AirDrop. | macOS 10.14+, iOS 12+, iPadOS 12+ |
False | Disables password sharing via AirDrop. Requires supervised iOS/iPadOS. | macOS 10.14+, iOS 12+ (supervised), iPadOS 12+ (supervised) |
This limits accidental or intentional sharing of network credentials.
Force AirDrop Unmanaged
Configures whether a device should appear as an “unmanaged” drop target when receiving files.
Setting | Description | Minimum Requirement |
True | Forces the device to be treated as an unmanaged AirDrop target, even if supervised. | iOS 9+, iPadOS 9+ |
False | Standard AirDrop behavior applies based on device supervision and settings. | iOS 9+, iPadOS 9+ |
This is useful when organizations want devices to avoid being grouped with managed peers or to prevent automatic trust assumptions.
Best Practices
Disable AirDrop on devices handling sensitive or regulated information.
Disable Password Sharing to prevent users from sharing enterprise Wi-Fi credentials.
Use Force AirDrop Unmanaged when you want to reduce peer discovery or avoid devices being recognized as managed by others.
Combine this policy with the Apple Security Policy and Apple Application Policy for comprehensive data protection.
How to Configure
Go to Swif Admin Console → Policies → Create New Policy.
Select Apple AirDrop Policy.
Set values for:
Allow AirDrop
Allow Password Sharing
Force AirDrop Unmanaged
Click Continue to assign the policy to devices or device groups.
Review and confirm to apply the policy.
Changes will be applied automatically the next time the device syncs with Swif MDM.
Compliance Benefits
Reduces risk of unauthorized file sharing
Helps enforce data loss prevention (DLP) policies
Supports compliance with frameworks such as SOC 2, HIPAA, and ISO 27001
Ensures consistent device behavior across macOS, iOS, and iPadOS environments