Continuity is the blanket term for a set of features in High Sierra and iOS 8 or newer that allow you to seamlessly move between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
- Requirements For Handoff Macos Download
- Requirements For Handoff Macos For Windows
- Requirements For Handoff Macos 10
At present, four features provide Continuity:
Jun 06, 2017 Debugging Handoff. There are a couple things that might be helpful to know if this doesn’t work for you. First, as mentioned before, the macOS app must be signed. Second, Handoff makes sure the devices are close by each other so keep the devices close. There are also a few requirements for your device’s set up. Sidecar is macOS Catalina feature which allows you to connect an iPad to act as a second display for your Mac.In typical Apple fashion, it just works. You can drag your calendar, say, off your Mac. Jun 06, 2017 Debugging Handoff. There are a couple things that might be helpful to know if this doesn’t work for you. First, as mentioned before, the macOS app must be signed. Second, Handoff makes sure the devices are close by each other so keep the devices close. There are also a few requirements. Basic Continuity requirements are met (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, same Apple ID) Strong connection between devices (largely outside user control) If all those conditions are met, you’ll see the icon representing Handoff to the left of your Mac’s Dock (or on top, if you positioned the Dock vertically). Handoff is a great new feature of Apple's forthcoming operating system, Yosemite. Not all Macs will support it, though. Here's how to check if yours will.
- Handoff: Start working on an email or document on one device (your Mac, for example), and pick up where you left off on another Apple device such as an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
- Instant hotspot: Use your iDevice’s cellular Internet connection to connect your Mac to the Internet.
- Phone calling: Use your Mac, iPad, or iPod touch to make and receive phone calls using your iPhone.
- SMS: Use your Mac, iPad, or iPod touch to send and receive SMS and MMS messages (text messages) using your Mac, iPad, or iPod touch.
They’re a useful little quartet, but they work only with relatively new Apple devices. So before you get too excited, peruse the system requirements for each feature.
Intro and system requirements
Handoff and Instant Hotspot are supported by the following Mac models and require Yosemite, macOS Sierra, or macOS High Sierra:
- MacBook (2015)
- MacBook Air (Mid 2012 and later)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 and later)
- Mac (Late 2012 and later)
- Mac mini (Late 2012 and later)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013)
Instant Hotspot requires one of these iDevices with cellular connectivity and Personal Hotspot service through your wireless carrier:
- iPhone 5 or later
- iPhone 4s (sharing iPhone calls only)
- iPad (4th generation), iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad Pro
- iPad mini, iPad mini with Retina display, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 4
- iPod touch (5th generation and later)
Phone Calling requires an iPhone with at least iOS 8 and an activated carrier plan, and works with any iOS device that supports iOS 8 and any Mac that supports Sierra or High Sierra.
SMS requires an iPhone with at least iOS 8.1 and an activated carrier plan, and works with any iOS device with iOS 8.1 and any Mac that supports Sierra or High Sierra.
If your gear isn’t listed, Continuity isn’t going to work for you. So, assuming you have at least two or more devices that meet those requirements, here is how to put these useful features to work for you.
How to use Handoff
Handoff lets you start a document, email, or message on one Apple device and pick up where you left off on another. It works with Apple apps including Mail, Safari, Maps, Messages, Reminders, Calendar, Contacts, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote as well as some third-party apps.
To use Handoff, do the following:
- Sign in to the same iCloud account on all of your devices.
- Turn on Bluetooth on all the devices you want to use. Make sure your devices are near each other.In this case, near means, in the same room, preferably within a few feet of each other.
- Connect all your devices to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Use one of the aforementioned apps on one of your devices.For the sake of this example, start a new presentation in Keynote on the Mac. When Keynote is open on your Mac, you’ll see a tiny Keynote icon on your iDevice’s Lock screen.
- Swipe up from the bottom-left edge of the Lock screen, where you see the icon.Keynote launches on your iPhone, and you see the presentation you started on your Mac, ready for you to continue working on it.
Another way to open an app available for Handoff on your iDevice is to double-click the Home button and then tap the app (Keynote in this example) in the multitasking display.
Going the other direction, if you had started the presentation on your iDevice, you’d see a Keynote icon on the left side of your dock, as shown. Click the icon to launch Keynote, which will open the presentation that’s currently open on your iDevice.
You can also use High Sierra’s app switcher (Command-Tab) to open an app that’s displaying a Handoff icon in your dock.
If you decide you want to disable Handoff:
- On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: Tap Settings→General→Handoff & Suggested Apps, and turn off Handoff.
- On your Mac: Open System Preferences, click the General icon, and uncheck Allow Handoff.
Try using Handoff with Safari. If you start reading a web page on one device, as long as you don’t quit Safari you can pick up reading it on any of your other devices. You might find that you use Handoff more with Safari than with documents, messages, and mail combined. Bottom line: Handoff is a sweet feature when it works.
Handoff still isn’t robust for some users, with reports of inconsistent or nonexistent behavior with Handoff appearing a year after its introduction. I’m sure Apple will get it sorted out in an iOS or High Sierra update. Meanwhile, if it stops working (or never started working) for you, you might have some luck by disabling Handoff, logging out of iCloud on all devices, restarting all the devices, and then reenabling Handoff. It’s a pain but it works more often than not (assuming all of your gear meets the requirements).
How to use Personal Hotspot
Another Continuity feature allows you to use the Personal Hotspot on your iPhone or cellular iPad to provide instant Internet access to other iDevices.
Some cellular operators and data plans don’t include Personal Hotspot. If you don’t see a Personal Hotspot in Settings→Cellular Data on your iDevice, contact your wireless operator.
The first thing to do is enable the hotspot on your cellular device by tapping Settings→Cellular Data and enabling the Personal Hotspot switch.
Now, to get Internet access on your (non-cellular) device:
- Sign into iCloud using the same Apple ID used on the cellular iDevice.
- Tap Settings→Wi-Fi and select the name of the iPhone or iPad with the Personal Hotspot.
To get Internet access on your Mac:
- Click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar.
- In the menu that appears, select the name of your iPhone or iPad with the cellular connection.
And that’s all there is to it!
The data consumed by the non-cellular devices comes from the cellular device with the Personal Hotspot’s data plan. If your data plan is unlimited, you’re golden. For those who pay for data by the gigabyte: Keep an eye on your cellular data usage to avoid unpleasant surprises on your next bill.
How to make phone calls with Continuity
With Continuity, you can make and receive cellular phone calls from your iPad, iPod touch, or Mac when your iPhone is on the same Wi-Fi network.
To make and receive phone calls on your Mac, iPad, or iPod touch:
- Sign in to the same iCloud account on all your devices, including your Mac.
- Make sure all devices are on the same Wi-Fi network.
- Make sure all devices are signed in to FaceTime using the same iCloud account.This means that any device using this Apple ID for FaceTime will receive your phone calls. See the instructions for turning off iPhone cellular calling later in this section to disable phone calls on a device.
- Tap Settings→Phone. If you see Wi-Fi Calling, turn it off.
Now that you have everything configured, here are some details on making a call from your Mac, iPad, or iPod touch:
- Tap or click a phone number in Contacts, Calendar, or Safari, or tap a phone number from a recent contact in the multitasking display of iDevices.
- To answer a call on your iPad or iPod touch, just swipe to answer.
- On a Mac you’ll see a notification when you receive a call on your iPhone. You can then click to answer the call, send it to voicemail, or send the caller a message.
- To disable iPhone cellular calls on your iPad or iPod touch, tap Settings→FaceTime→Calls from iPhone and then tap the switch to disable it.
SMS and Continuity
With Continuity, all SMS and MMS text messages that you send and receive on your iPhone appear on your Mac, iPad, and iPod touch, even if the person on the other end is less fortunate and doesn’t use an iPhone or a Mac.
Furthermore, you can reply from whichever device is closest to you, including your iPad, iPod touch, or Mac.
To use Continuity for SMS and MMS with your iPhone and your Mac, iPad, or iPod touch, all of your iDevices need iOS 8.1 or higher and your Macs need macOS 10.10 Yosemite or higher. And all devices need to sign in to iMessage using the same Apple ID.
Now enable SMS on your iPhone by taping Settings→Messages→Send & Receive→You Can Be Reached by iMessage At and enable the check boxes for both your phone number and your email address.
Finally, tap Settings→Messages→Text Message Forwarding and enable the devices you would like this iPhone to forward SMS messages to.
Each device you enable will display a code; just enter the code on your iPhone to verify the SMS feature and you’re done.
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by Anna SherryUpdated on 2020-03-29 / Update for Mac OS
“I was excited to get the new Apple watch but after purchasing it got pretty disappointing on the very first day. The handoff isn’t working, not even with my iMac and iPhone X. What do I do?” From Apple Discussion.
Being one of the most important communication features, the handoff is very important for Apple users. The feature enables the users, to transfer app data between devices, seamlessly. The feature works with numerous built-in apps, but the device has to use the same iCloud account and has to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Most of the users who possess more than one Apple device are acquainted with this feature. So, it will be very disappointing for the users, if handoff not working. But there are ways to fix the issue, just take a look at the article below.
Part 1: How Does Handoff Works
The Handoff feature basically connects all the Apple-based devices, like the Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
On Mac
On your Mac, run the Maps app and get the directions for a particular address. Then, open the multitasking screen.
Now, on your iPhone look for the same app and it will open with the directions.
On iPhone
On your iPhone, suppose you have written an email but there is an attachment that you need to get from your Mac. So, after filling most part of the email, leave it. Then, on the Mac doc, you will see the Mail icon with an iPhone icon on it.
Click on it and complete the email.
On Apple Watch
On the Apple Watch, the handoff icon shows on the lower left of the lock screen. Unlock the device and the app will be launched. You will be able to pick up, right where you left on the watch. It is very useful when you are on a call.
Part 2: How to Fix Handoff Not Working Between iOS 13.2/13.1/13, macOS Catilina and watchOS
There are multiple ways to fix Apple handoff not working, we have listed them below in detail. These are very effective fixes, read them carefully:
Solution 1: Make Sure the System Requirements
Before you take any drastic step, check the system requirements. Although, both macOS and iOS support the said feature but not all the devices are supported. Let’s have a look.
Macs
- MacBook Air (mid-2012 and later)
- MacBook Pro (mid-2012 and later)
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, early 2015)
- iMac (late 2012 and later)
- Mac Mini (late 2012 and later)
- Mac Pro (late 2013)
iOS Devices
- iPhone 5 or later
- iPad Pro
- iPad fourth-generation
- iPad Air or later
- iPad mini or later
- iPod touch fifth generation or later
So, just check this list and find out if you are using a supported device. If your device is among the list, then use the following solutions for troubleshooting steps.
Solution 2: Enable Handoff on iPhone/iPad/Apple Watch and Mac
After checking the system requirements, you should enable handoff on all the different devices. This is the first step if handoff not working on Mac or on the iOS devices, including new iPhone 11/11 Pro(Max), Apple Watch.
Requirements For Handoff Macos Download
Enabling handoff is pretty simple on both Mac, iOS and also on Apple Watch. Just check the steps below
For Mac
Step 1: Open your Mac, go to “Apple Menu” then, navigate to “System Preferences”.
Step 2: Afterward, navigate to “General”.
Step 3: Now, just simply uncheck the box beside “Allow Handoff between this Mac and Your iCloud devices”.
Step 4: Now, just restart Mac and then check the box beside Handoff again.
For iPhone
Step 1: On your iOS device, navigate to “General” under “Settings”.
Step 2: After that, tap on “Handoff” and enable it.
Now, just restart the said iOS device.
For Apple Watch
Step 1: Launch “Apple Watch” on your iPhone.
Step 2: Then, navigate to “General” and turn off Handoff.
Now, just restart the Apple Watch and then turn on handoff again.
Solution 3: Enable the Wi-Fi on Your Mac and iDevice
The issue could have occurred due to a disabled Wi-Fi network. So, you need to enable Wi-Fi on both Mac and iDevice.
For Mac
So, if handoff not working Sierra, then open your Mac. Click on the “Wi-Fi” icon and turn it on. It is pretty simple. Afterwards, restart the Mac.
For iPhone
Step 1: Go to the “Settings” of your iPhone and tap on “Wi-Fi”.
Step 2: Tap on it and turn it off. Then, wait a few seconds before turning it on.
You are required to restart the iPhone after completing the procedure.
For Apple Watch
On your Apple Watch, you will be able to enable Wi-Fi from the watch’s settings.
Solution 4: Enable the Bluetooth on Mac and iDevice
Handoff is also connected to Bluetooth on the devices. So, enable Bluetooth on both all the devices, then check if it is working.
For Mac
On your Mac, just click on the “Bluetooth” ico0n on screen and enable the feature. Afterwards, you are required to restart the device.
For iPhone
If the iPhone handoff not working, then you also need to do the same.
Step 1: Go to the “Settings” of your iPhone and tap on “Bluetooth”.
Step 2: Turn off the Bluetooth and then after waiting a few seconds turn it on.
You are required to restart the iPhone after completing the procedure.
For Apple Watch
On your Apple Watch, you will be able to enable Bluetooth from the watch’s settings.
Solution 5: Check your iCloud Account to Fix Handoff Not Working
Handoff won’t work if all the devices are not connected to the same iCloud account. So, check if they are.
Simply, sign out and then sign out from your iCloud account, individually from all the connected devices.
Solution 6: Reset the Network on Your Mac and iDevices
You can also try resetting the network on all the devices, it may probably workout.
For Mac
If Mac Catalina handoff not working, then one of the tricks to fix the issue; is to reset the network. Here are the steps;
Step 1: Go to “System Preferences” and click on “Network”.
Step 2: Click on “Wi-Fi and click on the “minus” button below.
Doing this will get rid of the existing configuration.
For iPhone
Step 1: Go to “Settings” and tap on “General”.
Step 2: Then, just scroll down and tap on “Reset”. Then tap on “Reset Network Settings”.
For Apple Watch
Resetting Network on Apple Watch is the same as the iPhone. The steps are the same, you will be able to do it from the Settings.
Solution 7: Check Your Device Whether the System is the Latest
As we have mentioned earlier, the handoff feature is not available on all the models of Mac, iPhone and Apple Watch.
So, you need to check which models of the respective devices, you are using. And then, figure out if those models, support the handoff feature. But if the devices are newly purchased, then it should support the said feature.
Solution 8: Restart All the Devices to Repair Apple Handoff Not Working
It can all be a minor glitch in the system; so, you can obviously try restarting the devices.
For Mac
If Mac handoff not working, then simply press the “Power” button and restart the device.
For iPhone
Step 1: Press and hold any of the Volume buttons and the Side button together.
Step 2: As soon as the Power Slider appears on the screen, drag it to the end of the screen. The iPhone will be turned off.
Now, just wait a few seconds and turn on the iPhone.
For Apple Watch
Well, for Apple Watch; just press and hold the Power button until the Slider appears on the screen.
Drag the Slider to the end of the screen and turn off the watch. Then after waiting a minute, turn of the Watch.
Solution 9: Re-install the System on All the Devices
It is possible that re-installing the Operating Systems on the respective device, will fix the handoff issue.
For iPhone
On your iPhone, it will be better to use a 3rd party professional software like Tenorshare ReiBoot to install the iOS again successfully, if handoff not working iOS 13.
The steps for Tenorshare ReiBoot are pretty simple:
Step 1: You need to download and install ReiBoot on the computer and connect the iPhone to it.
Step 2: After that, run ReiBoot and click on the ‘Repair Operating System’ from the program interface.
Step 3: Then, click on ‘Fix Now’ and proceed.
Step 4: After that, you will be forwarded to the firmware page. After choosing the associated firmware, click “Browse” to choose a path and then click “Download”.
Step 5: Lastly, click ‘Start Repair’ and the program will start installing the firmware. It will be finished soon.
Tenorshare ReiBoot is the most effective way to re-install iOS on the iPhone.
For Mac
Step 1: Open your Mac and go to ‘System Preferences’. Click on ‘Software Update’.
Step 2: Mac will search for the update. After it finds it, click on ‘More Info’.
Step 3: Then, click ‘Update Now’ and you are ready to update. You will be asked to restart the device. You can choose between ‘Not Now’ and ‘Restart’.
For Apple Watch
Updating the Apple WatchOS is also pretty simple;
Step 1: Connect it to a Wi-Fi network.
Step 2: Then, from “Settings” go to “General” and tap on “Software Update”
If you find an update, then tap “Install”.
Solution 10: Check Some Unsupported Apps to Solve Handoff Not Working iOS 13/Mac/watchOS
Requirements For Handoff Macos For Windows
There may have been one or a few particular applications that are interfering with handoff. It is one of the particular reasons, iMessage handoff not working.
But if there are any such apps or there are apps installed from an unapproved vendor, then quite possible they are the reason behind this issue. So, check for those unsupported apps and remove them.
Solution 11: Unpair Apple Watch with iPhone/Mac and Re-pair Again
Requirements For Handoff Macos 10
Last but not least, you should unpair the Apple Watch from both iPhone and Mac and then re-pair it after a few seconds.
Wrap It Up
Therefore, you will be able to fix the handoff issue with your iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch effectively. It may not be easy but you can use the procedures detailed in the article. They are very effective. For any iOS system related issue, you can use Tenorshare ReiBoot. Very effective and easy to use iOS system repair tool!