---
title: "Apple restricts AirDrop file sharing on Chinese devices"  
description: "In the upcoming year, Apple stated it wants to universally implement the new AirDrop setting with the goal of reducing unwanted file sharing."  
author: "Muskan Singh"  
published: 2022-11-12  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/news/2335/apple-restricts-airdrop-file-sharing-on-chinese-devices  
category: "apple"  
tags: ["apple", "technology", "business", "technology news"]  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# Apple restricts AirDrop file sharing on Chinese devices

```
Next year, Apple intends to globally implement the new AirDrop setting.China is struggling more and more to address social unrest. In 2013's iOS 7, AirDrop made its iPhone debut.
```

**Apple** has limited the use of the AirDrop wireless file-sharing feature on iPhones in China after demonstrators took use of the system to share photos with other [iPhone users](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/110685/how-to-proportion-area-on-google-maps-with-iphone-users-with-out-app-download). **AirDrop enables rapid file transfers between Apple devices**, including those involving images, documents, and movies.\

When the 10-minute time limit expires, the system reverts to the previous setting, where contacts are the only ones who can send files. As a result, consumers won't be able to accept an AirDrop transfer from a stranger unless they recently expressly turned on the capability.

It makes it more [challenging](https://www.mindstick.com/news/2240/in-a-u-s-lawsuit-challenging-facebook-s-virtual-reality-agreement-mark-zuckerberg-will-testify) for those who want to [share content](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/93336/can-we-share-content-with-my-sponsored-profile-at-mindstick) discreetly and interact with people. **Apple** altered the AirDrop capability on iPhones sold in China. The modification was made as a result of protesters' use of the site to distribute **anti-Xi Jinping and anti-Chinese government posters.**

The usage of AirDrop to get over China's strict web [restrictions](https://www.mindstick.com/news/2343/a-handbook-for-social-media-parental-restrictions) has been well-documented for the past three years, and it has recently attracted new interest. **Apple refused to provide an [explanation](https://answers.mindstick.com/blog/94/neural-network-simple-explanation-with-real-life-examples)** for why the change was made in China but stated that it plans to roll out the new AirDrop setting globally in the coming year.

The aim, according to the company, is to lessen uninvited file sharing. The [tech](https://www.mindstick.com/services/technologies) company with headquarters in California has faced criticism in the past for altering iPhone features to placate the Chinese government.

As an illustration, the [maker of the iPhone](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/31207/who-is-the-maker-of-the-iphone) received criticism in 2019 for denying access to the Taiwanese flag emoji to customers in Hong Kong or Macau. The **VPN programmes** that were previously utilised to circumvent the country's internet firewall were also removed.

China is finding it more and more difficult to deal with societal turmoil. Anti-government shouts began to spread in places like Beijing before a big [communist party](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/41154/in-1950-approximately-how-many-americans-were-members-of-the-communist-party-including-those-who-were-undercover-fbi-agents) session last month. Over the weekend, **China vowed to uphold its strict Covid Zero policy,** dashed hopes that Beijing would loosen the restrictions after its party congress.

---

Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/news/2335/apple-restricts-airdrop-file-sharing-on-chinese-devices

Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.