Handoff works on iPhone 5 or later, iPod touch (5th generation) or later, every iPad Pro, iPad (4th generation) or later, every iPad Air and iPad mini, Macs that meet Apple’s introduction-year cutoffs, and every Apple Watch model. The device must also run the required operating-system version. Ordinary Handoff continues supported app tasks, while handing off a FaceTime call has newer software requirements and separately includes Apple Vision Pro.
Apple describes the feature this way: “Use Handoff to start work on one device, then switch to another nearby device and pick up where you left off.” The compatibility tables below reflect Apple Support pages dated March 30 and June 23, 2026.
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Which Apple devices support ordinary Handoff?
Apple’s minimum hardware and software requirements are different for each device family. A device qualifies only when it meets both columns: the model or introduction year and the operating-system minimum.
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|---|---|---|
| iPhone | iPhone 5 or later | iOS 8 or later |
| iPod touch | iPod touch (5th generation) or later | iOS 8 or later |
| iPad | All iPad Pro models; iPad (4th generation) or later; all iPad Air models; all iPad mini models | iOS 8 or later, or any iPadOS version |
| MacBook | Introduced in 2015 or later | OS X Yosemite 10.10 or later |
| Mac Pro | Introduced in 2013 or later | OS X Yosemite 10.10 or later |
| Other Mac models | Introduced in 2012 or later | OS X Yosemite 10.10 or later |
| Apple Watch | All models | All watchOS versions listed by Apple, subject to the Watch’s normal pairing and setup requirements |
The Mac rule is based on the year Apple introduced the model, not the year you bought it. For example, a MacBook introduced in 2015 remains inside the hardware threshold even if it was purchased later, while an older Mac that happens to be new to you does not become eligible.
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“All models” for Apple Watch does not remove the practical requirements: the watch must be connected to its paired iPhone, and Apple does not make Handoff available on a Watch configured for a family member.
How to interpret the model and operating-system cutoffs
Handoff is not enabled merely because two products carry the Apple logo. Each endpoint has to satisfy the relevant generation or year threshold and be capable of running the required software. An iPhone below the iPhone 5 cutoff, for instance, cannot gain Handoff through a settings change. Conversely, a supported iPhone with an operating system below iOS 8 still does not qualify.
The iPad entry covers several product lines rather than one continuous number sequence. Every iPad Pro, Air and mini is included in Apple’s hardware list; the numbered iPad line starts at the fourth generation. The software wording reflects the transition from iOS to iPadOS: older compatible iPads use iOS 8 or later, while an iPad running any iPadOS release meets the stated software category.
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For Macs, identify the model and its introduction year in Apple menu > About This Mac. The year matters differently by family: MacBook requires 2015 or newer, Mac Pro requires 2013 or newer, and other Mac families require 2012 or newer. The operating-system floor for those Macs is OS X Yosemite 10.10.
FaceTime-call handoff has separate requirements
Moving an active FaceTime call between devices is a narrower capability than handing off an app task. Apple sets higher software minimums for it:
| FaceTime endpoint | Required software | What Apple specifies |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone | iOS 16 or later | FaceTime calls can be handed off to or from a compatible iPhone. |
| iPad | iPadOS 16 or later | FaceTime calls can be handed off to or from a compatible iPad. |
| Mac | macOS Ventura 13 or later | FaceTime calls can be handed off to or from a compatible Mac. |
| Apple Vision Pro | Apple’s cited requirement page confirms handoff to and from Vision Pro; it does not state a separate minimum visionOS version in the listed table. | This is a FaceTime-call exception, not proof of general app-task Handoff support. |
Do not use the FaceTime rules to infer that every device supporting ordinary Handoff can transfer a call. A device may meet the baseline Handoff table yet lack the iOS 16, iPadOS 16 or macOS Ventura 13 software needed for a FaceTime transfer.
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What Handoff needs before it can appear
Once the hardware and software qualify, Apple requires these conditions for ordinary Handoff:
- Wi-Fi is enabled on both devices.
- Bluetooth is enabled on both devices.
- Both devices are signed in to the same Apple Account.
- Handoff is enabled on both devices.
- The app supports Handoff and is installed on both endpoints.
- The task is open and active on the sending device, which should be unlocked and near the receiving device.
Handoff is on by default according to Apple’s setup guidance, but checking the switch is worthwhile after a reset, account change or software update.
How to turn on and use Handoff
- Enable it on an iPhone or iPad. Open Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity. On some releases the same page is labeled AirPlay & Handoff. Turn on Handoff.
- Enable it on a Mac. In macOS Ventura and later, open Apple menu > System Settings > General > AirDrop & Continuity (Apple may display the older label AirDrop & Handoff) and turn on Handoff. On older macOS releases, use System Preferences > General.
- Sign in consistently. Confirm that every device uses the same Apple Account rather than merely sharing a Wi-Fi network.
- Open a compatible app and begin the task. Leave the document, message, page or other activity open in the foreground on the sending device.
- Pick up the task on the destination. On a Mac, the Handoff prompt appears in the Dock. On an iPad it appears in the Dock, and on an iPhone it appears in the App Switcher. Select the prompt to continue at the available state of the task.
Handoff transfers the supported activity, not every piece of an app’s data or every app state. The app must implement Apple’s Handoff support on both platforms, and the two versions may expose different controls.
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Which apps can use Handoff?
Apple lists built-in examples including Calendar, Clock, Contacts, FaceTime, Freeform, Keynote, Mail, Maps, News, Notes, Numbers, Pages, Reminders, Safari and Stocks. Third-party apps can also participate when their developers add Handoff support.
Installing an app on only one device is not enough. For an app task to transfer, the corresponding app must be present on both devices and support the feature on each operating system. A Safari page, note or mail draft that is not currently open and active may not produce a handoff prompt even when the devices themselves are compatible.
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Apple Watch Handoff details
Apple Watch Handoff is intended to move a task from the watch to its paired iPhone, iPad or Mac. The watch must remain connected to that paired iPhone. A Watch configured through Family Setup for another family member cannot use Handoff, even though Apple’s hardware table lists all Watch models.
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- Up to 29 hours video playback. USB-C, Supports USB 3 for up to 20x faster transfers. Face ID
That restriction is about the watch’s configuration, not its case material, size or generation. If a normally paired Watch is not offering a handoff, check the iPhone connection and the Apple Account arrangement before treating the hardware as unsupported.
Does Apple TV support Handoff?
Apple includes Apple TV in broader discussions of Continuity features, but Apple’s Handoff requirements table does not list Apple TV as a general Handoff device. Therefore, do not assume that an iPhone, iPad or Mac task can be handed off to Apple TV, or that an Apple TV can act as a standard Handoff endpoint.
The same caution applies to Apple Vision Pro: Apple explicitly mentions it for handing off FaceTime calls, but the cited general Handoff table does not establish broad app-task Handoff support for Vision Pro.
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Why Handoff is not working
Use this order to isolate the failure without replacing a device unnecessarily:
- Check the model first. Compare the device with the generation and Mac introduction-year table above. A phone older than iPhone 5, an iPod touch older than the fifth generation, an iPad outside the listed lines, or a Mac below its family’s year cutoff cannot be fixed by software settings.
- Check the installed operating system. Confirm the device meets the ordinary Handoff minimum. If the problem is a FaceTime call, use the newer iOS 16, iPadOS 16 or macOS Ventura 13 thresholds instead.
- Check both Handoff switches. Use the current Settings or System Settings paths, noting that Apple has changed “AirPlay & Handoff” and “AirDrop & Handoff” labels between releases.
- Check the account and radios. Both endpoints need the same Apple Account, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled. A Wi-Fi connection to the same router by itself does not substitute for the shared account requirement.
- Check the app pair. Install the same Handoff-capable app on both devices, update it if an update is available, and make sure the activity is still open in the foreground on the sender.
- Check proximity and lock state. Keep the devices nearby and unlock the sender. Then look in the Mac Dock, iPad Dock or iPhone App Switcher for the handoff prompt.
- Check Apple Watch conditions. For a Watch, verify that it is connected to its paired iPhone and is not configured for a family member.
- Restart and retest. Restart both endpoints, reopen the task and test with a built-in app such as Safari, Mail or Notes. If a built-in app works but a third-party app does not, the limitation is likely that app’s implementation rather than the device’s Handoff eligibility.
When should you consider a different device?
An upgrade is relevant only when the current hardware falls below the applicable cutoff or cannot run the required operating system. A supported device does not need a special accessory for Handoff. If ordinary task handoff works but FaceTime-call handoff does not, compare the separate FaceTime software requirements before concluding that the hardware is incompatible.
Apple’s support tables are version-sensitive and can change as new operating systems and products arrive. The criteria here reflect the Apple Support pages dated March 30 and June 23, 2026; recheck Apple’s current requirements after a major platform release or when evaluating a newly introduced model.
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