How to: Use Continuity

1 START WITH AUTO UNLOCK

Ensure your Mac’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are on, then that your Mac and Watch are signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID (go to > System Prefs > iCloud on Mac, and the Watch app > General > Apple ID on phone).

2 MORE AUTO UNLOCK 

If you haven’t already, set up a passcode in the Watch app > Passcode on your iPhone. In > System Prefs > Security & Privacy on your Mac, enable ‘Allow your Apple Watch to unlock...’ and wait for it to activate.

3 SET UP HANDOFF

To use Handoff, a Mac’s Wi-Fi must be turned on, even if it’s using Ethernet for networking. On your Mac, go to > System Prefs > General and turn on ‘Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices’.

4 SWITCH DEVICES

Enable it on iOS in Settings > General > Handoff. To move a task from iOS to Mac, click the Dock icon left of Finder’s. The other way, swipe up from the app icon on the Lock screen, or doubleclick Home and tap bottom tab.

5 SET UP INSTANT HOTSPOT

On your iPhone, go to Settings > Mobile Data and turn on the Personal Hotspot feature. From the Wi-Fi icon on your Mac, choose the name of your iPhone. On another iOS device, tap your iPhone’s name in Settings > Wi-Fi.

6 PHONE CALLS ON DEVICES

Sign in to FaceTime on each device using the Apple ID you use for iCloud. Ensure your iPhone/devices are on the same network. In Settings > Phone > Calls on Other Devices on the iPhone, enable the ‘Allow Calls on...’ setting.

7 CHOOSE DEVICES FOR CALLS

Pick devices on which to make and receive calls. Turn on ‘Calls From iPhone’ in FaceTime’s prefs on your Mac, and in Settings > FaceTime on iOS. Incoming calls show as a notification on a Mac and a call screen on iOS.

8 SMS AND MMS

Your iMessage account in Messages’ prefs (Mac) and Apple ID in Settings > Messages > Send & Receive (iOS) must match. In iPhone’s Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding, enable devices; enter the code they receive.