I have imac desktop and new ipad.
I have a folder on the desktop I'd like to get over to the ipad.

The ipad shows up on the desktop (airdrop), but then what? Nothing happens with the ipad. Stumped. Thanks!

1. If you have problems with Airdrop setup, make sure your Mac can actually use Airdrop by checking to see if 'Airdrop’ is listed under the Finder’s Go menu. I take it your iPad/iOS is new enough to be Airdrop capable.

2. Check out Use AirDrop to send content from your Mac for the proper procedure to follow.

3. If (2) went initially OK, but now it doesn’t work anymore, check out Apple Pay, AirDrop, and Han...k again.

I have only used Airdrop with Photos images and those are placed in Photos on the receiving device. That works the same going from desktop to iPad/iPhone and vice versa.

My normal procedure for data files and folders is to move them to my iCloud account where they are available to my desktop, iPad, and iPhone.

When an iPad or iPhone app is directed to store files on iCloud they go into folders named for the creating application, for example Pages files will be in a folder labeled Pages and Keynote files will be in a folder names Keynote, etc. so I tend to follow the same pattern even though it is unnecessary on the desktop.

The Files app that is part of iOS 11 has iCloud file management functions similar to Finder on your desktop, but unlike Finder it does not identify files by extension and instead used the App's folder.

Excellent Joe thanks.
Thanks A, yeah I read that article 3 times before posting, did not help.

Joe: I'm going with you: Airdrop does not work well for folders and ipads.

Ok. putting the folder in icloud on desktop, and I'm pretty sure it'll come up in in the ipads icloud section.. Will report back any issue. Thanks!