Apple’s ecosystem relies heavily on a feature called “Handoff.” If you are writing an email on your iPhone or browsing a webpage in Safari on your iPad, and you sit down at your Mac, macOS will automatically detect the activity. An extra icon will instantly pop up on the far right side of your Mac’s Dock, aggressively suggesting that you click it to continue the exact same task on your computer.
While this seamless transition is magical for some, it can be highly annoying for others. If your iPad is just sitting on the couch with a Safari tab open, you don’t necessarily want your Mac’s Dock constantly cluttering itself with bouncing Safari icons suggesting you pick up where you left off.
If you prefer your Apple devices to operate independently of each other, you can completely disable the Handoff feature on your Mac.
How to Turn Off Apple Handoff
You can sever this cross-device connection in the main macOS System Settings.
- Open the System Settings (or System Preferences) via the Apple Logo in the top-left menu bar.
- In the left-hand navigation sidebar, click on General.
- In the right pane, click on AirDrop & Handoff.
- Look for a toggle switch labeled Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices.
- Turn this toggle switch to the Off position.
Instantly, your Mac will stop scanning your local network for activities occurring on your iPhone or iPad. The extra icons will stop appearing in your Dock, and your Mac will operate as a completely standalone machine.