With Handoff enabled, switching from one iDevice to another feels smoother than ever. For example, you can start composing an email on your iPhone, then switch to your nearby Mac and pick up where you left off. This is beautiful, isn’t it? However, this only happens in the ideal scenario with the necessary settings turned on. A number of iDevice owners have taken to various forums recently to report that Handoff is not working on their iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. I did that there, I know what bothered them all. If you’re one of them, these 8 workable tips for solving Handoff not working issues in iOS 15, macOS Monterey, and watchOS 8 have you covered.
Tips to Fix Handoff Not Working on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac
As part of the continuity package, Handoff requires your iDevices to be in perfect sync. Everything from iCloud to Wi-Fi to Bluetooth needs to be enabled between devices to seamlessly transfer events.
If you are still unable to transfer your activities from one device to another, the problem may be due to an occasional glitch (that’s part and parcel of any software) or software bugs that are more common in the Apple ecosystem these days. as usual.
That said, let’s examine all possible culprits and try reliable solutions to fix Handoff issues. It’s worth noting that the tips below also work on previous software versions such as iOS 12/13/14, macOS Catalina/Big Sur, and watchOS 6/7. So try them even if your devices are running older versions of the software.
Driveline Requirements
To get started, the first basic box you should tick is system requirements. While it may seem unnecessary, I think it would be appropriate to take a close look at the Handoff system requirements to keep the incompatibility thing at bay.
The Following iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Models Support Transfer
- iPhone 5 or later
- iPad 4th generation or later
- iPad Pro (all models)
- iPad mini 1 or later
- iPad Air 1 or later
- iPod touch 5th generation or later
Note: To use Handoff, your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch must be running iOS 8 or later.
The Following Mac Models Support Transfer
- MacBook released in 2015 or later
- MacBook Pro released in 2012 or later
- MacBook Air introduced later in 2012
- Mac mini released in 2012 or later
- iMac released in 2012 or later
- iMac Pro (all models)
- Mac Pro released in 2013 or later
Note: Make sure your Mac is running OS X Yosemite or later.
Apple Watch Models That Support Handoff
No prizes to guess, all Apple Watch models are Handoff compatible, from the original Apple Watch released in 2015 to the Apple Watch Series 7 introduced in 2021.
1. Make Sure The Apps Are Compatible With Handoff
Another thing you must do is make sure the app supports Handoff. First-party apps that support Handoff include Mail, Maps, Safari, Reminders, Calendar, Contacts, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.
There are a number of popular third-party apps compatible with Handoff, including weather apps like Airbnb, NYTimes, iA Writer Pro, Pocket, Things 3, Deliveries, CARROT Weather, Fantastical 2, Bear, Yoink, and Drafts.
Even though Handoff made its way back in 2014 with iOS 8, there are plenty of apps that don’t support Handoff. So make sure you don’t mess with the app that hasn’t been on board yet.
2. Switch between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Make sure they are enabled on each of your devices, as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth play a vital role in helping Handoff work consistently. If the problem occurs even after enabling Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, turn them off and on to reset the connections.
On your iOS device: go Settings app -> Wi-Fi/Bluetooth. Alternatively, you can also turn Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on or off from the Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner or swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access the Control Center on your iOS device).
On Mac: Click Wi-Fi and Bluetooth menu and then turn them off/on.
On Apple Watch: get over your head Settings app -> Bluetooth/Wi-Fi. Then turn off/on toggles.
3. Turn Off/Explain Handoff and Then Restart All Your Devices
If you haven’t solved the problem yet, try turning Handoff off and on. Also restart all your devices.
On iPhone, iPad or iPod touch: Set route to Settings -> General -> AirPlay and Streaming and then turn off the switch right next to it Do not touch. After that, restart your iOS device and then turn on Handoff.
On the Face ID equipped iOS device, simultaneously press and hold the volume up/down button and the power button. Then drag the power off slider to turn off your device. For iOS devices with the Home/Touch ID button, press the power button and then drag the power off slider to turn off your device.
On Mac: Click on the Apple menu located in the upper left corner of the screen and select System Preferences. Next, choose General.
After that, deselect “Allow Transfer between this Mac and your iCloud devicesNext, restart your Mac (Apple menu -> Restart) and then enable Handoff.
apple watch: Hungry watch app on your iPhone > general and close Enable Handoff. Now restart your Apple Watch (hold down the side button and then slide the power off slider). After that, enable Handoff on your Apple Watch.
4. Sign Out of iCloud and Sign In Again
For Handoff to work seamlessly across iDevices, you must be signed in to the same iCloud account on all devices. If the problem persists even after syncing your devices with the same account, sign out of iCloud and then sign in again.
On your iOS device: Hungry Settings app on your device -> your profile -> Sign out. Now wait for a while and then sign back into your iCloud account.
On your Mac: get over your head System Preferences -> Apple ID -> Overview -> Sign Out. Then sign in to your account again.
On your Apple Watch: When you sign out of iCloud on the paired iPhone, you’re automatically signed out of iCloud on your Apple Watch.
5. Reset Network Settings
If Handoff still doesn’t work or can’t stream your activities from one iDevice to another, try resetting the network settings. The reason I rely on it to fix Handoff issues is because it has the ability to fix common network related issues. So, if your iOS device is infected with network problems, then resetting network settings is quite likely to save you.
Set route to Settings app On your iOS device -> General -> Reset -> Reset Network Settings. Next, you will need to enter your device’s passcode and hit Reset Network Settings again to confirm. Now, reconnect your device to a Wi-Fi network and check if Handoff is back on track.
6. Reset All Settings
Most of the time, restoring iOS device to factory settings helps to fix both complex and common issues with iOS 15. Considering how reliable this solution has always been, we should not lose sight of it. If you are worried about losing your data, I can assure you that this will only erase the current settings and all your media/data will remain safe.
go Settings app -> General -> Reset -> Reset All Settings. Next, enter the password and tap Reset All Settings again.
7. Erase Your Apple Watch and Pair Again with Your iPhone
If you can’t get your left activity on Apple Watch, erase your Apple Watch and re-pair it with your iPhone. You don’t have to worry about losing any data, as watchOS does the automatic backup behind the scenes itself.
Open Settings app On your Apple Watch -> General -> Reset -> Erase All Content and Settings. Now enter your Apple Watch passcode and confirm the activity.
8. Update the Software on Your Devices
If Handoff issues have forced you to travel so far, it’s possible that the problem was caused by a bug or perhaps the old version of the software is creating the problem. And the best way to get rid of this problem is to update the software on your device. Knowing that Apple almost always bundles the latest software with lots of performance improvements and bug fixes, you’ll most likely fix the problem.
On your iOS device: go Settings app -> General -> Software Update. Now download and install the latest version of iOS/iPadOS on your device.
On Mac: get over your head System Preferences -> Software Update. Now, download and install the latest version of macOS on your Mac.
On Apple Watch: If your smartwatch is running watchOS 6 or later, go to: Settings app -> General -> Software Update. Next, download and install the latest version of watchOS on your Apple Watch. Alternatively, you can launch the Watch app in iPhone -> General -> Software Update and then do the needful.
Pro Tips for Fixing Handoff Issues on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac
That is all! At the end of each troubleshooting guide, I expect you to better understand the problem. And this time is no exception. Would you like to let me know your useful tips for solving Handoff problems? Is it the simple reboot or the software update that saves you? Make sure you post your feedback.
