You have a Mac, and maybe another Apple device like an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch. If you've started a certain task on one device and want to continue on another, you can do that with Handoff.
This feature allows seamless transitions between any of your devices. Start an email, text message, or another item on your Mac, and then resume it on your iPhone. Start a task on your iPhone and continue it on your iPad. You can even start a task on an Apple Watch ($191.99 at Best Buy) and continue it on your iOS device.
Handoff primarily works with Apple apps like Safari, Calendar, Contacts, and Podcasts, but it supports some third-party programs as well. On the operating system front, Handoff requires OS X Yosemite or later on Mac, iOS 8 or later on iPhone or iPad, and watchOS 1.0 or later on Apple Watch. On the hardware end, the feature requires certain model iOS devices and Macs at a minimum but supports any Apple Watch.
In order to use Handoff, each device must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network and be signed into iCloud with the same Apple ID. Here's how to set up and use Handoff.
Enable Handoff on Mac
Handoff is not an app, so there's nothing you need to download from the App Store. Instead, you will have to activate the feature on each device. To set the feature up on your Mac, select the Apple menu icon and click on System Preferences > General. Select the option to "Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices" if it's not already enabled.
Enable Handoff on iOS Devices
The process is simplified on iOS devices, so you can follow the same process for iPhone and iPad. On your iOS device, open Settings > General > Handoff. Turn on the switch for Handoff if it's not already on.
Enable Handoff on Apple Watch
For your Apple Watch, open the Watch app on your iPhone. In the My Watch section, tap General. Turn on the switch to Enable Handoff.
Switching From Desktop to iOS
Let's start by using Handoff to go from the desktop to an iOS device with Safari. Open the web browser and start searching. Now check your iPad and you should see an icon for Safari in the Dock. You can tell this is the Handoff icon because attached to it in the upper-right is a smaller icon that mimics your Mac. Tap this Handoff icon and the same webpage you were viewing on your Mac opens on your iPad in Safari.
Switching From Desktop to iPhone
On an iPhone, you'll need to display the app switcher. On an iPhone X or higher, swipe up from the bottom of the screen. On an older iPhone, double-tap the Home button. You should see a notice for Safari from your Mac. Tap it and you can pick up with the same webpage.
Continuity Between Apps
You can switch between devices using any number of Apple's stock apps, and many of them will maintain continuity between written content. If you open Mail on your desktop and start composing a new message, you can then segue to your iPad or iPhone and open up that same email on your other device. Continue writing the message and then send it.
Other apps like Calendar, Maps, and Messages also work seamlessly with Handoff, allowing you to share important dates, directions, and text messages between different devices without losing your place.
Switching From iOS to Desktop
You can also go in the opposite direction. Again, let's use Safari as an example. Open it on your iOS device and surf to a particular webpage.
On your Mac, the Handoff icon should appear to the left of the Dock. In this case, the icon is for Safari but with the smaller attached icon that looks like an iPhone or iPad. Hover over that icon, and a message pops up that it's for Safari from iPhone or iPad. Click that icon to view the same webpage from your iPad.
Maps, Notes, Reminders, and News
Other apps that will work between macOS and iOS include Maps, Notes, and Reminders (above). Mojave also added the News app to the desktop, so you can start reading on your phone during the commute and pick up at your desk.
Switching From Apple Watch
To share between your Apple Watch and an iOS device, tap the Digital Crown to move to the Home screen. Tap an app, like Messages, Podcasts, News, or Stocks.
Tap the Icon or Notice for Handoff
For Messages, open an existing message or start a new one. On your iPhone or iPad, tap the icon or notice for Handoff, and your message appears on your iOS device. As you can see above, it shows up as a small icon of a watch on the top-right of the Messages app on iPad.
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I've been working for PCMag since early 2016 writing tutorials, how-to pieces, and other articles on consumer technology. Beyond PCMag, I've written news stories and tutorials for a variety of other websites and publications, including CNET, ZDNet, TechRepublic, Macworld,PC World, Time, US News & World Report, and AARP Magazine. I spent seven years writing breaking news for CNET as one of the site’s East Coast reporters.I've also written two books for Wiley & Sons—Windows 8: Five Minutes at a Time and Teach Yourself Visually LinkedIn.
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