What Handoff is
Handoff is a feature in Apple's ecosystem that lets a user start an activity on one Apple device and continue it on another. For example, you might begin writing an email on a phone and then pick up exactly where you left off on a computer. Handoff is part of Apple's set of continuity features designed to make its devices work together smoothly, so moving between them feels seamless.
The idea behind it
People often use more than one device and may want to switch between them during a single task. Without a feature like Handoff, moving from one device to another means manually finding your place again. Handoff addresses this by passing the current activity from one device to another, so the task follows you. The goal is to make a collection of devices feel like a connected whole rather than separate tools.
How Handoff works
Handoff relies on the devices being near each other, signed in to the same account, and connected through the right wireless settings. When conditions are met, a device detects that a nearby device is doing a Handoff-capable activity and offers a way to continue it. Accepting brings the activity over to the second device, carrying the current state so you can resume rather than start over.
What can be handed off
Handoff works with apps that support it, which includes many of Apple's own apps and third-party apps built to use the feature. Common examples include continuing to read a webpage, finishing a message or email, or resuming a document. The experience is consistent: the receiving device offers to pick up the same activity, letting you move your work or reading between devices without interruption.
Handoff and continuity
Handoff is one of several continuity features Apple offers to connect its devices. These features share the goal of letting devices cooperate - sharing tasks, content, and connections. Handoff specifically focuses on transferring an in-progress activity. Together with related features, it contributes to the sense that Apple devices form a single, coordinated environment rather than a set of unconnected gadgets.
Why it matters
Handoff is a clear example of devices working together to follow the user rather than forcing the user to adapt to the devices. Understanding what Handoff is - a feature for continuing an activity from one Apple device on another - clarifies how Apple's continuity features aim to make multiple devices feel unified. For anyone using several Apple devices, Handoff is a useful convenience to understand.
Related on Skillo
See also: What is iCloud and how to use it, Apple Silicon explained: why M-series changed laptops.
Sources
Published date reflects the original event date (2023-03-28). This article is original Skillo editorial written from the sources above; facts were verified in September 2026.
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