To turn off Apple Handoff on your Mac, access your System Settings and disable the feature.
Handoff is a convenient feature that lets you start work on one Apple device (like your Mac) and instantly switch to another (like your iPhone or iPad) right where you left off. However, if you don't use it or prefer not to have this continuity, you can easily turn it off on each device.
Disabling Handoff on your Mac follows a simple path through the System Settings.
Steps to Turn Off Handoff
Follow these steps on your Mac to disable Handoff:
- Open System Settings: Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen.
- Navigate to General: Choose System Settings from the dropdown menu, then click General in the sidebar.
- Access AirDrop & Handoff: Click AirDrop & Handoff. (You may need to scroll down to find this option).
- Toggle Handoff: Find the option “Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices” and turn the switch off.
Here's a quick overview in a table format:
| Step | Action | Location | Setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Open System Settings | Apple menu > System Settings | |
| 2 | Go to General | Sidebar | General |
| 3 | Select AirDrop & Handoff | Main pane (may require scrolling) | AirDrop & Handoff |
| 4 | Turn Handoff Off | Option within AirDrop & Handoff settings | “Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices” |
Turning this setting off on your Mac will stop it from sending activities to other devices and receiving activities from them via Handoff.
Why Turn Off Handoff?
While Handoff is useful for many, some reasons you might disable it include:
- Privacy Concerns: Limiting the sharing of your current activity across devices.
- Simplification: If you don't use the feature, turning it off removes potential clutter or background processes.
- Troubleshooting: Sometimes disabling Handoff can help resolve connectivity issues between devices.
Remember that turning off Handoff on your Mac only disables it for that specific computer. If you want to disable it across all your Apple devices, you will need to repeat a similar process (though the exact steps may differ slightly) on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch.
Turning off Handoff is a straightforward process within macOS System Settings, giving you control over the continuity features between your devices.
