For the past few days, Handoff hadn’t been working on my iPhone running iOS 11. Even though the Continuity feature was enabled on the iOS device, I was unable to transfer activities between iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra devices.
Initially, I ignored the issues, as I didn’t have time to give a thorough look at it. But today I thought it’s time to put an end to the problem and make it work again. After trying a few solutions, I was able to fix Handoff not working issue. Take a peek at the solutions that I tried and give them a chance if you are looking for some quick ways to troubleshoot this Continuity feature!
Handoff Not Working Between iOS 11, macOS High Sierra and watchOS 4
Before trying to find the solutions, let’s check out some of the important things:
- Make sure your Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple Watch meet the Continuity system requirements
- Keep your devices near each other
- All of your devices must be signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID
- Be sure Bluetooth is turned on each of your devices
- Ensure that Wi-Fi is turned on all of your devices
- Make sure the app works with Handoff. Following are some the names of supported apps: Mail, Maps, Safari, Reminders, Calendar, Contacts, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Evernote, NYTimes, Airbnb and more
Turn Off/On Handoff on Mac and iDevice
On Mac:
Step #1. Click on Apple menu and select System Preferences.
Step #2. Now, click on General.
Step #3. Now, uncheck the box for “Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices.”
Step #4. Now, restart your Mac. Then, check the box for Handoff again.
On your iOS Devices:
Step #1. Open Settings app → Tap on General.
Step #2. Tap on Handoff, then turn on Handoff.
- Then, restart your device. Simply press the ON/OFF button and then swipe to power off
- On your iPhone 8/8 Plus and iPhone X, press and hold side button and either volume up or down button at once. Then, swipe to power off. Next, return to Handoff and turn it on
On Apple Watch:
Launch Apple Watch app on your iPhone → Tap on General and disable Handoff. Then, restart your smartwatch. Next, turn on Handoff.
Now, open an app on your iOS device and start a task. Next, this app will appear in the Dock on your Mac and in the App Switcher on your iOS device.
Turn Off/On Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on Your Mac
If you are unable to transfer your activity to Mac, refresh the radios and restart the computer.
On your Mac, click on the Wi-Fi icon and select Turn off Wi-Fi. Similarly, click on the Bluetooth icon and turn it off. Next, restart your Mac. Then turn on the radios.
Check out if the problem is fixed. If it has started working, great! If it’s not done, move on to the next tip.
Turn Off/On Wi-Fi Bluetooth on your iOS Devices
Can’t Handoff your activities on iOS devices, refresh the radios.
Open the Settings app and tap on Wi-Fi. Then turn it off.
Next, tap on Bluetooth and turn it off.
Now, restart your iOS devices and then turn on the radios.
Reset Network on Your iOS Devices
If none of the tricks have worked in fixing the problem, it’s time to take a radical decision. Reset the network. It will remove website login details and Wi-Fi passwords. So, get prepared to re-enter them.
Step #1. Open the Settings app on your device → Tap on General.
Step #2. Now, scroll down and tap on Reset → Next, tap on Reset Network Settings and confirm.
Next up, reconnect to the Wi-Fi network.
Unpair Your Apple Watch with iPhone and Re-pair them
Unable to handoff between your iPhone and Apple Watch, unpair these two devices and pair them again.
Don’t worry about losing any of your data on your smartwatch as it’s automatically backed up at the time of unpairing. And you will be able back it up while re-pairing the Watch.
Update OS of Your Devices
Haven’t been able to troubleshoot the problem as yet? It’s time to update them. Software Update is known to fix miscellaneous issues. I hope it’s able to get the job done for you.
To update your Apple Watch:
- Make sure your iPhone is updated to the latest version
- Be sure your Apple Watch is on its charger and is at least 50% charged
- Connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi
- Put your iPhone next to your Apple Watch
Step #1. Put your Apple Watch on its charger until the update is completed. On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app and tap on My Watch tab.
Step #2. Tap General → Tap on Software Update.
Download the update. When prompted for your iPhone passcode or Apple Watch passcode, enter it.
To Update Your iOS Device:
Ensure your iPhone or iPad is at least 50% charged and connected to Wi-Fi.
Step #1. Open the Settings app on the device.
Step #2. Now, tap on General.
Step #3. Next, tap on Software Update. Then, download and install the update.
On Your Mac:
Step #1. Launch App Store On your Mac.
Step #2. Now, tap on Updates.
Step #3. Next, click on the Update button next to the latest software update.
Try using Handoff again on your devices. It should work now.
Wrap up:
In most cases, this issue is resolved by refreshing the radios. I hope you have been able to overcome the problem with ease. So, which one of the above tricks fixed the problem? Let us know your feedback in the comments below.
Catch up with these posts as well:
- How to Check if Your MacBook Supports Handoff?
- Wi-Fi Not Working on iPhone
- Bluetooth Not Working on iPhone
- AirDrop Not Working Between iPhone and iPad
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Jignesh Padhiyar is the co-founder of iGeeksBlog.com, who has a keen eye for news, rumors, and all the unusual stuff around Apple products. During his tight schedule, Jignesh finds some moments of respite to share side-splitting content on social media.
