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Handoff lets you start a supported task on an iPhone and continue it on a nearby Mac, or start on the Mac and pick it up on the iPhone. Turn on Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, and Handoff on both devices, sign in to the same Apple Account, then use the Handoff app icon in the Mac Dock or App Switcher banner on iPhone. No separate Handoff app is required.
What Handoff does—and what it does not do
Handoff is a built-in Apple continuity feature for moving an active app task between your own nearby devices. For example, you can open a webpage in Safari on your iPhone, then continue viewing that page on your Mac. You can also move an unfinished email, note, calendar item, map route, presentation, spreadsheet, or document when the app supports Handoff.
The feature transfers the task context rather than acting as a general file-transfer tool. Universal Clipboard is the separate Continuity feature for copying and pasting content between devices. AirDrop is used to send files and other items. Handoff is the option to resume an in-progress app activity.
Handoff is built into supported versions of iOS and macOS. Apple states that no additional app needs to be installed for Continuity. The setting is described as being turned on by default, but checking it on both devices is the quickest way to avoid an unexpected failure.
Requirements before you begin
Handoff depends on the two devices recognizing one another as your devices and maintaining a nearby wireless connection. Have these conditions in place before testing:
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- Wi‑Fi is turned on for both the iPhone and the Mac.
- Bluetooth is turned on for both devices.
- Both devices are signed in to the same Apple Account.
- Handoff is enabled on both devices.
- The app you are using supports Handoff, and that app is installed on the receiving device.
- The source device is unlocked, nearby, and still displaying the task you want to continue.
- The devices are within about 10 metres (30 feet), the proximity check Apple gives for Handoff behavior.
Handoff support varies by app. Apple lists Calendar, Clock, Contacts, FaceTime, Freeform, Keynote, Mail, Maps, News, Notes, Numbers, Pages, Reminders, Safari, and Stocks among the apps that can use it. Some third-party apps support Handoff as well. If an app does not implement Handoff, no setting change can make its task appear on the other device.
If you are using an older iPhone or Mac, consult Apple’s current Handoff system-requirements reference for the supported hardware and operating-system combinations. Do not assume that support cutoffs for another Continuity feature are the same as Handoff’s.
Turn on Handoff on both devices
On an iPhone
- Open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap AirPlay & Continuity. Depending on your iOS version or language, this may be labeled AirPlay & Handoff.
- Turn on Handoff.
While you are in Settings, confirm that Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth are enabled. They do not have to be connected to the same manually selected network for you to reach the setting, but both radios must be available for the nearby-device relationship Handoff uses.
On a Mac running macOS Ventura 13 or later
- Choose the Apple menu in the top-left corner.
- Open System Settings.
- Select General, then AirDrop & Continuity. Some versions or locales show AirDrop & Handoff.
- Turn on Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices.
Also verify Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth in System Settings and make sure the Apple Account shown on the Mac is the same one used on the iPhone.
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On an earlier version of macOS
- Choose the Apple menu, then open System Preferences.
- Click General.
- Select Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices.
The wording and location of the controls can change with a system update. If you see a slightly different AirDrop or Handoff label, use the control that explicitly mentions allowing Handoff between the Mac and iCloud devices.
Continue an iPhone task on your Mac
Start the task on iPhone
- Unlock the iPhone and open a Handoff-compatible app, such as Safari, Mail, Notes, Maps, Pages, or another supported app.
- Begin the activity you want to resume. In Safari, leave the webpage open; in Mail, leave the draft visible; in Notes or Pages, keep the document on screen.
- Keep the app open and in front on the iPhone. Locking the phone or switching away from the task can remove the handoff context.
- Leave the iPhone close to the Mac while you move to the other device.
Find the Handoff control on Mac
Look in the Mac’s Dock for the icon of the app you were using on the iPhone. The Handoff version of the icon appears at the end of the Dock; depending on whether your Dock is positioned at the bottom, left, or right of the screen, its exact placement changes. Click that icon to open the task on the Mac.
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The receiving Mac must have the corresponding app installed. For example, an iPhone task that requires Pages will not be useful on a Mac where Pages is absent, even if both devices otherwise meet the Handoff requirements.
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Continue a Mac task on your iPhone
Start and leave the task visible on Mac
- Open a supported app on the Mac and begin the task, such as browsing in Safari, writing in Mail, or editing a note or document.
- Keep the app window open and in front so macOS has an active task to offer.
- Unlock the iPhone and keep it close to the Mac.
Open the Handoff activity on iPhone
- Open the iPhone’s App Switcher. On an iPhone with Face ID, swipe up from the bottom edge and pause; on an iPhone with a Home button, double-click the Home button.
- Look at the bottom of the App Switcher for the banner showing the Mac app and its Handoff activity.
- Tap the banner. The iPhone opens the corresponding app and resumes the task where the app can provide that context.
The banner is not a separate app icon on the Home Screen. It appears in the App Switcher while the Mac is offering an active Handoff task, so opening the App Switcher is the correct way to look for it.
Common Handoff-capable tasks
These examples show the type of activity Handoff is designed to resume. Availability depends on the app version and whether the app has implemented Handoff.
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| Task | Start on | Continue on | Where to select it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safari webpage | iPhone or Mac | Mac or iPhone | Mac Dock or Command-Tab; iPhone App Switcher banner |
| Unfinished Mail message | iPhone or Mac | Mac or iPhone | Mac Dock or Command-Tab; iPhone App Switcher banner |
| Notes entry | iPhone or Mac | Mac or iPhone | Mac Dock or Command-Tab; iPhone App Switcher banner |
| Maps route or place | iPhone or Mac | Mac or iPhone | Mac Dock or Command-Tab; iPhone App Switcher banner |
| Pages, Numbers, or Keynote document | iPhone or Mac | Mac or iPhone | Mac Dock or Command-Tab; iPhone App Switcher banner |
| Calendar, Reminders, Contacts, FaceTime, Freeform, News, Stocks, or Clock activity | iPhone or Mac | Mac or iPhone | Mac Dock or Command-Tab; iPhone App Switcher banner |
Some third-party apps also expose Handoff. If an app is missing from the list offered by the other device, first confirm that the same app is installed there and then check the app maker’s documentation for Handoff support.
Where is the Handoff icon on a Mac?
When an iPhone is offering a task, the Mac normally shows the app’s Handoff icon at the end of the Dock. “End” means the end nearest the edge of the screen where the Dock is placed, so it will not always be in the same visual position on every Mac. A Dock set to auto-hide can make the icon easy to miss; move the pointer to the Dock edge to reveal it.
Command-Tab provides a second route. Hold Command and press Tab to open the App Switcher, then choose the Handoff app icon. If neither location shows the activity, treat that as a diagnostic signal rather than repeatedly clicking ordinary app icons: one of the Handoff conditions is not currently satisfied, or the source app is not offering a supported task.
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Why Handoff is not working: an ordered checklist
Work through these checks in order. Each step eliminates a different cause, so testing in sequence is faster than changing several settings at once.
1. Confirm the distance and the source state
Put the iPhone and Mac next to one another, within approximately 10 metres (30 feet). Apple gives that distance as the operational proximity check. Unlock the source device, return to the supported app, and leave the exact webpage, draft, note, route, or document visible. A task that was closed, hidden, or replaced by another app may no longer be offered.
2. Check Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth on both devices
Open the iPhone’s Settings and the Mac’s system controls and make sure both Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth are on. If either radio was disabled to save power or for travel, Handoff cannot establish the nearby-device connection. Turn the radio back on before testing again.
3. Verify the Apple Account
Compare the Apple Account shown in the iPhone’s Apple Account settings with the account shown in the Mac’s System Settings or System Preferences. Handoff is intended for your devices under the same account; two different accounts can prevent the offer from appearing even when the radios are working.
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4. Recheck Handoff’s two switches
On iPhone, revisit Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity (or AirPlay & Handoff) and confirm Handoff is on. On macOS Ventura 13 or later, revisit Apple menu > System Settings > General > AirDrop & Continuity (or AirDrop & Handoff) and confirm Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices. On earlier macOS, check the same option under System Preferences > General.
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Use a first-party app named in Apple’s Handoff list, such as Safari, Mail, Notes, Maps, Pages, Numbers, or Keynote. Make sure the receiving device has that app installed and open it once if it has never been used there. If the test works in a supported Apple app but not in a third-party app, the third-party app may not provide Handoff for that task.
6. Make sure the source app is still active
Return to the source app and leave it in the foreground. On iPhone, keep the phone unlocked and do not switch to another app. On Mac, keep the relevant window open and active. Start a fresh, simple test—such as one Safari page—if an old draft or document does not appear.
7. Check whether a VPN is blocking local networking
Apple notes that an active VPN can interfere with Continuity when it blocks local networking. Temporarily disconnect the VPN, if your security policy permits, and test Handoff again. If that resolves the problem, adjust the VPN’s local-network or LAN handling rather than assuming Handoff itself is defective. Restore your normal VPN protection after testing.
8. Restart only after the configuration checks
Restart the iPhone and Mac after the preceding checks have passed. Restarting can clear a temporary Continuity state, but it is a general troubleshooting step, not a guaranteed Handoff fix. After both devices restart, confirm the account, radios, and Handoff switches once more and run the short Safari test.
How to make a reliable two-device routine
- Start with a task that has an obvious active state, such as a Safari page or a Mail draft, instead of testing with an app that is merely open.
- Keep the source device unlocked and showing the task until you select the Handoff offer.
- Use the Dock or Command-Tab on Mac and the App Switcher on iPhone; searching the Home Screen for a “Handoff” app will not work because no such standalone app exists.
- When troubleshooting, change one condition at a time so you know which correction restored the handoff.
- For an older Mac or iPhone, verify Handoff-specific system requirements rather than borrowing compatibility information from AirDrop, Universal Clipboard, or another Continuity feature.
What to expect when Handoff succeeds
A successful handoff opens the corresponding app on the receiving device and presents the activity that was active on the source. It does not create a duplicate Handoff application, require a cable, or require you to send a file manually. The exact resume behavior belongs to the app: a browser can reopen the page, while a document app can return to the open document or editing context it supports.
If the receiving device opens the app but not the expected activity, repeat the test with the source app in front, verify that both devices are close, and confirm that the same app is installed and signed in as required by that app. Handoff can only resume context the app makes available.
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