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On an iPhone, open Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity (or AirPlay & Handoff) and switch Handoff. On a Mac running macOS Ventura 13 or later, choose Apple menu > System Settings > General > AirDrop & Continuity (also labeled AirDrop & Handoff) and change Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices. On macOS 12.5 or earlier, use Apple menu > System Preferences > General and select or clear the same option.
Handoff is enabled by default, but the switch is separate on every device. If an activity does not appear, check both switches, the Apple Account, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, distance, app support, software versions, and any VPN that blocks local networking.
What Handoff does
Handoff lets you start a supported activity on one nearby Apple device and continue it on another device signed in to the same Apple Account. For example, you can begin reading a webpage on an iPhone and open the same activity on a Mac, or start editing a document on a Mac and continue on an iPhone. Apple describes it as starting work on one Apple device, switching to another nearby device, and picking up where you left off. See Apple’s Handoff support article for the feature overview.
The setting is independent on every participating device. Turning Handoff on for an iPhone does not automatically enable it on a Mac, iPad, or Apple Watch. Each device must meet the connection, account, software, and app requirements before an activity can appear.
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Handoff does not copy every file or mirror an entire screen. It passes an app’s current, Handoff-enabled activity to another device. A Safari page, Mail draft, note, route in Maps, or document in Pages or Keynote can qualify; an app that is simply open without a Handoff implementation will not create a Handoff icon.
Requirements before you change the switch
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: Both devices should have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on. Handoff uses the nearby connection rather than requiring you to send a file manually.
- One Apple Account: Sign in to iCloud with the same Apple Account on each device. A personal and work account, or two different family members’ accounts, will not establish Handoff between those devices.
- Proximity: Keep the devices near one another. Apple’s Mac guidance specifies a maximum distance of 10 metres (30 feet), although walls, radio interference, and local network conditions can reduce the practical range. The distance requirement is documented in Apple’s Mac Handoff guide.
- Compatible software and hardware: The devices need operating-system versions that support Handoff. Older devices can have different Continuity limits, so check the compatibility section below if a toggle is missing or a feature such as FaceTime handoff does not work.
- A Handoff-capable app: The activity must come from an app that implements Handoff. Apple lists Calendar, Contacts, FaceTime, Freeform, Keynote, Mail, Maps, News, Notes, Numbers, Pages, Reminders, Safari, Stocks, and supported third-party apps. The third-party list can change and is not exhaustive.
These conditions apply to each pair of devices you want to use. A correctly configured iPhone can still fail to hand off to a Mac whose switch is off, whose account differs, or whose software does not support the activity.
Find the Handoff setting at a glance
| Device and software | Menu path | Control |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone (current iOS wording) | Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity | Handoff |
| iPhone (alternate wording) | Settings > General > AirPlay & Handoff | Handoff |
| Mac, macOS Ventura 13 or later | Apple menu > System Settings > General > AirDrop & Continuity | Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices |
| Mac, alternate current label | Apple menu > System Settings > General > AirDrop & Handoff | Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices |
| Mac, macOS 12.5 or earlier | Apple menu > System Preferences > General | Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices |
Apple’s current labels vary slightly by operating-system release and region. The wording may say “AirPlay & Continuity” on iPhone and “AirDrop & Continuity” or “AirDrop & Handoff” on Mac; these are the same settings areas described in Apple’s iPhone guide and Mac AirDrop and Continuity settings guide.
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- Open the Settings app.
- Tap General.
- Tap AirPlay & Continuity. If your iPhone uses the older label, tap AirPlay & Handoff instead.
- Tap the Handoff switch. A green switch means Handoff is enabled; a gray switch means it is disabled.
This changes only the iPhone’s participation. If you want to continue activities between that iPhone and a Mac, check the Mac’s separate Handoff control as well. Apple says Handoff is normally enabled by default, but it can be changed at any time.
If the menu is not visible
First confirm that you are in Settings > General, not in the separate AirDrop controls. Install the latest iOS version available for the iPhone, then restart the phone and look again. If the device is managed by an organization, a configuration profile can restrict Continuity settings; an administrator may need to remove or change that restriction.
Do not confuse Handoff with AirDrop. AirDrop sends selected files or content; Handoff exposes an active, supported task. They share a settings area on current operating systems, but changing AirDrop discovery options is not the same as changing the Handoff switch.
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Turn Handoff on or off on a Mac running macOS Ventura 13 or later
- Click the Apple menu in the upper-left corner.
- Choose System Settings.
- Select General in the sidebar.
- Open AirDrop & Continuity. Some releases show AirDrop & Handoff instead.
- Find Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices.
- Turn the switch on to allow Handoff or off to disable it.
There is no additional “pair” button. After the switch is enabled, the Mac can advertise supported activities to nearby devices that use the same Apple Account. The exact sidebar position can move slightly as Apple changes System Settings, but the control remains under General.
To verify the Mac account, open the Apple Account area in System Settings and check the account shown there. Compare it with the account on the iPhone rather than relying only on the fact that both devices use the same wireless network.
Turn Handoff on or off on macOS 12.5 or earlier
- Click the Apple menu.
- Choose System Preferences, not System Settings.
- Open General.
- Select Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices to enable it, or clear the checkbox to disable it.
System Preferences is the decisive clue that this is the older procedure. Selecting the box on this Mac still does not enable Handoff on an iPhone or another Mac; repeat the relevant procedure on every device you want to use.
How to start a Handoff activity
From iPhone to Mac
Use a supported app on the iPhone and leave the activity open. When the Mac detects it, the app’s Handoff icon appears in the Dock, usually at the end near the separator. Click that icon to open the activity on the Mac. You can also press Command-Tab; the Handoff activity can appear in the Mac App Switcher alongside normal open apps.
If the Dock icon is not obvious, look at the end of the Dock rather than among the app icons you launched manually. The Handoff item represents the activity on the other device, so it may appear only while that activity remains open and available.
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Leave the supported activity open on the Mac, then unlock the iPhone. Open the iPhone App Switcher by swiping up from the bottom and pausing, or by double-clicking the Home button on models that have one. A banner for the Mac activity appears at the bottom of the App Switcher. Tap the banner to continue in the iPhone app.
The banner is not a permanent app shortcut. It appears when the nearby Mac is offering a supported activity and disappears when the activity is closed, the devices move out of range, or a required setting is disabled.
What counts as a supported activity
Handoff transfers an app’s current activity, not every piece of data on the device. A Safari page, a Mail draft, a document in Pages or Keynote, a Maps route, or a note can usually expose a Handoff activity when the app supports it. An app that is merely open but has no Handoff implementation will not produce an icon. Third-party developers must add Apple’s Handoff support, so two apps with similar purposes can behave differently.
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Compatibility and version limits
Apple’s Continuity requirements page lists Handoff support beginning with iOS 8 or later and OS X Yosemite 10.10 or later for the applicable device families. Hardware compatibility still matters: an operating system cannot add Handoff to a model that Apple excludes from that release. Review the model-specific requirements in Apple’s Continuity features and requirements.
| Capability | Minimum software stated by Apple | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| General Handoff | iOS 8 or later; OS X Yosemite 10.10 or later | Applies to supported device families and hardware; not every older model can run every listed system. |
| Handing off FaceTime calls | iOS 16 or iPadOS 16; macOS Ventura 13 | FaceTime handoff has newer minimums than general Handoff. |
If a current iPhone and Mac meet the software minimums but still do not show an activity, the problem is more likely to be a switch, account, connection, distance, app, or VPN condition than the basic version requirement.
Do not use general Handoff support as proof that every Continuity feature works. FaceTime call handoff has its own newer minimums, and individual device families can have model-specific limits. Check the exact iPhone, Mac, iPad, or Apple Watch model when an individual feature fails.
Troubleshoot Handoff when the switch is on but nothing appears
Work through these checks in order. After each change, leave a supported activity open for a few seconds and look for the Handoff icon.
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- Confirm both device switches. On the iPhone, return to Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity or AirPlay & Handoff. On the Mac, check the appropriate General pane. Handoff must be enabled on both ends of the transfer.
- Verify the Apple Account. Open the iCloud or Apple Account area on each device and compare the signed-in account. If the addresses differ, sign in with the same account before testing again. Do not assume that being on the same Wi-Fi network makes two accounts equivalent.
- Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both devices. Check the controls in Control Center on iPhone and the menu bar or System Settings on Mac. If either radio was recently switched off, turn it back on and wait briefly for the devices to rediscover one another.
- Move the devices closer. Keep them within Apple’s stated 10-metre (30-foot) maximum, ideally in the same room while diagnosing the problem. Remove unnecessary distance and test again before changing other settings.
- Test a known Handoff-capable app. Use Safari, Mail, Notes, Calendar, Maps, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, or another app from Apple’s supported list. If one app works and another does not, the second app may not implement Handoff or may have an app-specific issue.
- Check operating-system and hardware support. Compare each device with Apple’s Continuity requirements. FaceTime calls require the newer iOS 16/iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura 13 minimums even when ordinary Handoff works on older supported systems.
- Inspect VPN behavior. Apple warns that a VPN configuration which blocks local networking can interfere with some Continuity features. Temporarily disconnect the VPN, if permitted by your organization, and test again. If Handoff returns, review the VPN’s local-network or split-tunneling policy rather than leaving the VPN unprotected permanently.
- Restart both devices. Close the test activity, restart the iPhone and Mac, turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth back on, and repeat the test. This refreshes discovery without deleting documents or changing the Handoff setting.
Interpreting the symptom
- No Handoff icon on either device: Recheck both switches, the Apple Account, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and distance first.
- The icon appears for one app only: The other app probably lacks Handoff support or has not exposed its current activity.
- Mac-to-iPhone works but iPhone-to-Mac does not: Check the Mac’s “Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices” control and the Mac’s signed-in account.
- Ordinary Handoff works but a FaceTime call does not: Verify the newer FaceTime software minimums and that the devices are supported.
- Handoff fails only when a VPN is connected: Investigate the VPN’s local-network blocking rule.
- The setting is present but stays unavailable: Check whether an organization manages the device with a configuration profile. Managed settings can restrict Continuity controls and may require an administrator.
A quick two-device diagnostic
For the fastest controlled test, place the iPhone and Mac in the same room, enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, confirm the same Apple Account, and enable Handoff on both. Open a Safari page on the iPhone and wait briefly. If the Mac shows the Safari Handoff icon, the basic connection works; test the app that originally failed. If no icon appears, repeat the account and switch checks before investigating app behavior.
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Turn Handoff off deliberately
To stop a device from offering or receiving Handoff activities, turn off its local switch using the same menu path. On iPhone, that is Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity (or AirPlay & Handoff). On newer Macs, it is under System Settings > General > AirDrop & Continuity or AirDrop & Handoff. On macOS 12.5 or earlier, clear the checkbox in System Preferences > General.
Because the control is per device, disabling it on the Mac leaves Handoff enabled on the iPhone until you change the iPhone’s switch separately. Re-enable the setting whenever you want that device to participate again; Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, the same Apple Account, proximity, compatible software, and a supported app are still required.
Turning off Handoff does not uninstall apps, erase documents, sign you out of iCloud, or disable ordinary Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or AirDrop use. It only prevents that device from participating in Handoff activities. If you are troubleshooting, you can disable and re-enable the switch without deleting the activity or changing your account.
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- Use Handoff to continue tasks on your other Apple devices (Apple Support, published June 10, 2026)
- Hand off tasks between your iPhone and your other devices (Apple iPhone User Guide)
- Continuity features and requirements for Apple devices (Apple Support)
- Change AirDrop & Continuity settings on Mac (Mac User Guide)
- Hand off tasks between Apple devices (Mac User Guide)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Handoff turned on by default?
Apple says Handoff is turned on by default on each device, but each iPhone, Mac, iPad, or Apple Watch has its own switch. Enabling it on one device does not enable it elsewhere.
Why can’t I find Handoff on my iPhone?
Open Settings, tap General, then look for AirPlay & Continuity or AirPlay & Handoff. Update iOS and restart the iPhone if the pane is missing. A device-management profile can also restrict Continuity settings.
Where is Handoff in Mac System Settings?
On macOS Ventura 13 or later, open Apple menu > System Settings > General > AirDrop & Continuity or AirDrop & Handoff. Turn on Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices.
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What if my Mac uses System Preferences?
On macOS 12.5 or earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences > General, then select or clear Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices.
How close do my iPhone and Mac need to be?
Apple’s Mac guide specifies a maximum distance of 10 metres (30 feet). Keep the devices in the same room while testing because walls and interference can reduce the practical range.
Why does Handoff work for Safari but not another app?
Handoff requires app support. Apple lists apps such as Safari, Mail, Notes, Calendar, Maps, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and supported third-party apps, but not every app implements Handoff or exposes every activity.
Do I need the same Apple Account on both devices?
Yes. Both devices must be signed in to iCloud with the same Apple Account. Sharing a Wi-Fi network is not enough.
Why does a VPN stop Handoff?
Apple warns that a VPN configuration blocking local networking can interfere with Continuity features. Temporarily disconnect the VPN if permitted, then review its local-network policy if Handoff returns.
The Bottom Line
Enable Handoff separately on both devices: Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity (or AirPlay & Handoff) on iPhone, and System Settings > General > AirDrop & Continuity (or AirDrop & Handoff) on newer Macs. Older Macs use System Preferences > General. For a Handoff icon to appear, use the same Apple Account, keep Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on, stay within 10 metres, use a supported app, and meet Apple’s software and hardware requirements.
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