Apple has introduced a new feature in the latest iOS version that allows AirDrop transfers to continue even when devices are not nearby. With iOS 17.1, AirDrop can now transfer files over a cellular network, meaning users can go outside of AirDrop range and still have the transfer continue. But if you’ve been wondering why you can’t initiate an AirDrop transfer over cellular data, here’s everything you need to know.

Apple devices have the AirDrop feature to transfer data instantly and wirelessly. As convenient as this feature was, there was one limitation to AirDrop: the devices between which data was transferred had to be in close proximity to each other. This meant that you had to be near the other person (or their device) for the entire time the transfer process was active, which would take too long for large files.

To address this issue, Apple made some changes to AirDrop in iOS 17.1. With the latest iOS version, you can now continue an AirDrop transfer even when you leave AirDrop range of the other device. This means that the AirDrop transfer will continue when Wi-Fi is unavailable, because your iPhone will continue to send or receive files via AirDrop over a cellular network.

Although your iPhone will continue the AirDrop transfer using cellular data when you leave the other device's AirDrop range, you still need to initiate the AirDrop transfer over Wi-Fi in order to continue the process using cellular data. So you can't initiate an AirDrop transfer without turning on Wi-Fi or being near the other device.