One of the cooler new features in OS X Yosemite is the ability to share document creation between iPhone, iPad and Mac OS computer with Handoff. Getting it working, however does take a little work.
Handoff allows you to start creation in — for now — Apple’s own apps such as Mail, Safari, Reminders, Pages and Messages and have that work seamlessly transfer to your iOS device on the same Wi-Fi network. Here’s what you need to know to get it working — and why it might not even appear at all.
To enable Handoff on a Mac running Yosemite, open System Preferences, then General, and there should (see below) be a checkbox to “Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices”. Click that, make sure Bluetooth is switched on and you’re good to go on the Mac side of things.
To enable Handoff on an iOS device, make sure it’s signed into the same iCloud account as your Mac, and that you’re running iOS 8. Make sure Bluetooth is running, and then go to Settings>General>Handoff & Suggested Apps, and make sure that Handoff is enabled.
From there, whenever you’re working on a Handoff-suitable app, you should see a small icon appear on the system you’re not working on appear. Click or tap that (as appropriate) and it should launch the relevant app exactly as you left it.
But I can’t see Handoff on my Mac!
Handoff works because of a specific implementation of Bluetooth, and it’s one that slightly older Macs don’t have. Yosemite is smart enough (or, if you’re of a particular mindset, annoying enough) to detect the Bluetooth version on your Mac, and whether it’ll support Handoff.
If it doesn’t, then the option simply won’t appear on your Mac and you won’t be able to use that particular Yosemite feature. Likewise, if you’re on an older iOS device that isn’t iOS 8 suitable, you’re also not going to be able to take advantage of Handoff either.
How Do I? covers the basics, because we’ve all got to start somewhere.