Q: Macbook Air (mid-2012) won't pair with iPhone 6

Lawrence, just wanted to say a big thank you. I was having the exact issues everyone is on about on here. I read your comments and just followed them and bingo, continuity/handoff all working fine. My iPhone and MBP were NOT paired which is what makes it work. I was getting hung up on them having to be paired for it to work. Suprisingly I booked a genius appointment and wasn't told this by the rep. He checked my iPhone 6+ and MBP both connected to a jam box which they did. Then said it must be a software issue and I'd just have to wait for a software update. I now know that this isn't the case. They just connect seamlessly if they both have Bluetooth on. So once again, cheers bud

Great; glad I could be helpful.

Well done Markojan! Your solution worked with me. Thanks a million.

I had the same problem.  I was able to get it to work by turning on Personal Hotspot on my iphone.  It can be found at Settings > Cellular> Personal Hotspot

My understanding is that in order to get the continuity and the handoff features to work all that has to happen is bluetooth on both apple devices. I had to do a clean install of yosemite to get my handoff and continuity to work because I had some aplication conflicts in my inplace version.

You need to have BlueTooth turned on, but NOT PAIRED. Continuity features use a connectionless BlueTooth profile and the pairing is app to app, not device to device. Thus, to use, for example, SMS continuity you must launch Messages on both the Mac and iPhone. You should then be prompted to enter a code on one that was sent by the other. If this doesn't happen quit the Mac Messages app and relaunch it. For call continuity you do the same with Facetime on the Mac.

Tried that too Lawrence. Still no luck. It is a mystery and very frustrating..

Have you gone through all of the steps here: Get help using Continuity with iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite?

Is your logged in iCloud ID the same on your all of the apps on your phone (iCloud, Facetime, Messages, iTunes & App Stores)? Are you logged in to the same Apple ID on your Mac, and also Messages and Facetime on your Mac? Have you checked your iCloud address as one to use on both your Messages apps (Mac and iPhone)?

Yes. Tried all of that too. Have an Apple Store 20 miles away. May have to book an appointment. Thanks for your help though Lawrence. Keep up the good work.

Hi all,

Handoff worked once I succeeded to pair both iPhone and Macbook just once. Since then, "continuity" is being sporadic; works and then stop working for a while then comes back, then works only in one way mac-->iphone and not iphone-->mac.

Apple is really becoming annoying as this is not the first time things are just not working consistently. They are losing all I love about apple i.e. "things just work". Pity.

I followed the advice here and my iPhone 6 connected immediately to my mac book air.  Problem solved at last having tried everything else!

http://www.iphonehacks.com/2014/10/bluetooth-problems-ios-8.html

Iphone 6plus and macbook pro mid 2014 same problem! Pleeeaaassseee fiiiiixxxxxxxxxx

Kayshewa wrote:

 

Iphone 6plus and macbook pro mid 2014 same problem! Pleeeaaassseee fiiiiixxxxxxxxxx

WHAT SAME PROBLEM? There are at least a dozen different problems described in this 10 page thread. And actually READING the thread you posted to probably will solve your problem, whatever it is. And who do you want to Pleeeaaassseee fiiiiixxxxxxxxxx it? If you mean Apple, you're in the wrong place; this is a user-to-user technical support forum, not a way to communicate with Apple. And anyway, I'm willing to bet 10 to 1 that your problem is actually YOUR problem for not learning how to use your device.

One of the reasons Apple 'host' these user to user forums, is so they can jump in with solutions where they can.  Interesting to see they haven't appeared once on this 10 page thread.

I thought I'd solved the problem with my iPhone 6 communicating (by pairing with bluetooth or otherwise) with my MacBook Air, but the problem has returned.  I have now had a 45 min, a 2hour 38 min, and a 28 min call with technical support, and Apple can't cure the problem.  We have tried everything: resetting network settings, completely resetting my iPhone 6, setting up new user accounts on the MacBook Air, setting up new iCloud accounts, trying three different wifi networks, disconnecting ethernet connect connections, logging on and off and on and off FaceTime and Message on all machines in the loop.   And it still doesn't work.

There is something wrong.

simonweldon wrote:

 

One of the reasons Apple 'host' these user to user forums, is so they can jump in with solutions where they can.  Interesting to see they haven't appeared once on this 10 page thread.

 

Wrong. If you read the Terms of Use you will learn that Apple does not read or respond in this forum, with the exception of "Community Specialists" who respond to posts that have not been answered in 24 hours. And all they can do is post links to existing Knowledge Base entries. In the 10 years I have participated there has never been an official post from Apple in response to a message or a thread.

simonweldon wrote:

 

One of the reasons Apple 'host' these user to user forums, is so they can jump in with solutions where they can.  Interesting to see they haven't appeared once on this 10 page thread.

 

I thought I'd solved the problem with my iPhone 6 communicating (by pairing with bluetooth or otherwise) with my MacBook Air, but the problem has returned.

You cannot pair an iPhone with ANY computer, including Macs, except for sharing the phone's Internet connection. This has never been a supported BlueTooth profile. Not for 7 years, since the original iPhone. And the iPhone 6 and iOS 8 does not change that. See: Bluetooth: Why can't I pair my iPhone or iPad with another iOS device or with my computer?