Enabling Bluetooth File Transfer on Mac OS X Leopard

By default, file sharing over Bluetooth connection is disabled in Mac OS X Leopard. Even though scanning process from cellphone shows Mac in the list, when you try to send file to Mac, you get error like “file can not be sent”.

So to enable file sending follow this…

  • Go to System Preferences >> Internet & Network >> Sharing. (see screenshot)
  • Just tick Bluetooth Sharing option. Note that, although you are getting file sharing related error, file sharing option have nothing to do with it.

Sharig System Prefences on Mac Leopard-2.jpg

Thats it! Do not waste your time on mobile forums. I already did! πŸ˜‰

26 Comments

Ederic July 15, 2008

I’ve been searching for a solution for this, too. Thanks for your post, which has specific instructions. πŸ™‚

Rahul Bansal July 20, 2008

@Ederic
Your welcome buddy… πŸ™‚

nathali. July 29, 2008

THANK YOU VERY, VERY, VERY MUCH.

Rahul Bansal July 31, 2008

@Nathali
Your welcome buddy… πŸ™‚

LobsK September 27, 2008

thanks a lot…i was so frustrated abt it and now everything is fixed!!!!!!

=)

Rahul Bansal September 27, 2008

@LobsK
Welcome buddy… πŸ™‚
Welcome To Devils Workshop! πŸ˜‰

LobsK September 28, 2008

hey guys, do you know how can i webcam using mac msn?
million thx

Rahul Bansal October 1, 2008

@LobsK
Which messenger you are using for MSN. It may not work form Adium so you need to use MSN messenger from Microsoft.

meowmeow September 23, 2010

you can download a version call amsn to use webcam on Mac! good luck

Sridatta November 24, 2008

Thanks a lot.. I was not able to figure our this, and searched for this content..

Rahul Bansal November 25, 2008

@Sridatta
Your welcome buddy…. πŸ™‚
Welcome To Devils Workshop… πŸ˜‰

Eoin Kennedy August 6, 2009

That just saved me a heap of time and from buying an expensive and confusing piece of software

Jon October 14, 2009

Thankyou so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! been scrathing my head for days on this one….

Erin Wilke October 31, 2009

Thanks sooo much! Spent all morning trying to figure out why I could send files to my phone but not receive them from the phone… now all is well!!! Cheers!

mynona January 3, 2010

Excellent! Thank you.

Sam February 28, 2010

Thanks – very helpful!

Mindy March 27, 2010

Ok, I love you. Just spent 2 hours trying to figure this out, downloading applications that didn’t work, reading through forums that say it’s not possible, looking for cables, messing with the SD card…. and all it took was clicking one little box. You are my hero.

jimmy May 22, 2010

Hey , i tried this but still doese’nt work , any suggestions to any other alternatives . Just bought the new mac book pro 13″ and this problem is kind of freaking me out . Please do help me out .
It says activate file sharing when i try to transfer to another mac , but its already switched on !!

Lizz August 28, 2010

OHMYGOD… youre so right. I got so confused with all the forums and different anwers. At Last! someone with a clear and simple answer. I am a newbie in MAC and have been finding it difficult to adapt. Thank goodness for you.

Nikola Stanic September 1, 2010

Thank youuu veryy muchhhh πŸ˜€

cork September 17, 2010

I got a g4 power book, my sharing screen doesn’t have anything about bluetooth

ethan g November 28, 2010

for me it says check status of sending device plese help

Dani December 5, 2010

I can see why this would be disabled by default. Someone who doesn’t have a reason to turn it on, or know what they’re doing with it, could be opening themselves up to a host of possible problems from malevolent types (possibly).

I just found this, too, just before finding this page. I had the same feeling when I found it – whoa, what’s this doing here, and why is it buried, and why isn’t it more obvious/discussed on forums? Much better than adding more and more software that won’t work anyway…

Good job for publishing this solution!

Dani

Rodrigo October 18, 2011

Thank you very much, right to the point, where all other blogs, just miss the check option bluetooth sharing. I was soo frustrated, now works just fine πŸ™‚

Sarah March 26, 2012

GAH! i LOVE you!

Darren April 29, 2012

Thanks! simple when you know how, thanks for saying how!