What Handoff is and how it works between iPhone and Mac

Handoff is an Apple Continuity feature that lets you start something on one device and continue it on another nearby device signed in to the same Apple Account. Begin an email on your iPhone, sit down at your Mac, and open the same draft from the Dock.

It sounds small, and that is the point. Work moves between a phone in a parking lot, an iPad on a sofa and a Mac at a desk many times a day. Handoff removes the step of finding the same thing again on the next screen, as long as the apps involved support it.

What Handoff needs

Requirement	Why it matters
The same Apple Account on both devices	Handoff connects devices that belong to the same person
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on	Devices find each other over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
Devices near each other	Handoff is meant for the device in front of you, not one in another building
Handoff turned on	Each device has its own setting, and it can be switched off
A supporting app on both devices	The receiving device opens the same app, or a web page when its developer provides one

How to turn Handoff on

1. On a Mac. Open System Settings, then General, then AirDrop & Continuity (AirDrop & Handoff in some versions), and turn on the option to allow Handoff between the Mac and your iCloud devices.
2. On iPhone or iPad. Open Settings, then General, then AirPlay & Continuity (called AirPlay & Handoff in some earlier versions), and turn on Handoff.
3. Check the basics. Make sure both devices use the same Apple Account and have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on.

How to use it

• From iPhone or iPad to Mac. Start an activity in a supported app. On the Mac, a Handoff icon for that app appears in the Dock. Click it to continue.
• From Mac to iPhone or iPad. On iPhone, open your App Switcher and tap the banner at the bottom. On iPad, tap the Handoff icon in the Dock.
• Between two Macs or two iPads. The same rules apply: same Apple Account, nearby, Handoff on.

Apple's own apps support Handoff, including Mail, Safari, Maps, Notes, Reminders, Calendar, Contacts, Pages, Numbers and Keynote. Third-party apps support it when their developers build it in.

What Handoff passes, and what it does not

Handoff passes a short description of what you were doing: which email draft, which web page, which record. It generally does not carry the record itself. The receiving app opens that place from its own data, which means the record already has to be there.

That is why Handoff works best in apps that already keep every device in step. If an app syncs through a shared account or server, the other device can open the same customer, document or note as soon as it has caught up. If it does not, Handoff has nothing to open. The guide to keeping business data in sync across iPhone, iPad and Mac covers that part.

Handoff and its Continuity neighbors

Feature	What it does
Handoff	Continues an activity in the same app on another device
Universal Clipboard	Copies text or images on one device and pastes them on another
AirDrop	Sends files to a nearby device or person
Continuity Camera	Uses an iPhone camera with a Mac, for scanning or video

What it means for work apps

For a small team, the useful question is not whether Handoff exists but where it saves time. A few patterns come up often:

• Notes from a visit. Start notes on iPhone at a customer site, then finish them on a Mac with a keyboard. The guide to running work from an iPhone on the road covers the phone side.
• Documents that need a bigger screen. Read a message on the phone, then continue the reply on a Mac where it is easier to attach and check details.
• Several things at once. On a Mac, a record that arrives through Handoff opens next to the others you already have open. See why multiple windows matter on a Mac.

On company devices, think about privacy too. Handoff and Universal Clipboard move information between devices signed in to the same account. Device management can turn Handoff off where that is not wanted, for example on shared devices. Handoff is one of several system features that make a native app feel at home; searching your work with Spotlight is another.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Handoff not working between my iPhone and Mac?

Check the usual causes in order: both devices signed in to the same Apple Account, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on, Handoff turned on in settings on each device, and the devices close together. Also check that whichever app you are using supports Handoff on both devices.

Does Handoff work without Wi-Fi?

Handoff expects Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to be on. The devices find each other over Bluetooth, and the receiving app generally needs a connection to load the data behind the activity.

Is Handoff the same as Universal Clipboard?

No. Both are part of Apple's Continuity features. Handoff continues an activity in an app, while Universal Clipboard moves something you copied so you can paste it on another device.

Can a company turn off Handoff on work devices?

Yes. Device management can restrict Handoff on supervised or managed devices. Teams that handle sensitive customer data sometimes do this on shared devices.