Homepod mini handoff not working

As i said before, litterally nothing works, resetting homepod mini, resetting the phone, and using and older phone (iPhone XR and lower) the fact is that the homepod mini utilizes a U1 Chip embedded inside the system that talks to another U1 chip in your phone (any iPhone 11 and newer model) giving that phone this new feature.

Both my iPhone 11 and iPhone 11Pro won't hand off to my Homepod Mini too after updating all devices to 14.4.

Before updating, they still worked. Are there any additional settings that needs to be done?

masonfromeasthampton, I have an iPhone XS and HomePod mini, and handoff works on them. And the only thing that helped was turning on the motion feature. It stops working from time to time, though, and I need to restart the iPhone to make it work again.

Am I correct in believing that the Handoff feature, which should have been available for quite some time now, is not the same as the updated Handoff feature provided by iOS 14.4 for iPhone 11 and the 12 series with the U1 chip? No handoff feature worked for the longest time on any phone (old or new) until I completely wiped my two phones (deleted all apps, everything) and then set them up manually and still have not put many of my apps back on either phone. Since iOS 14.4, the 12 Pro Max has the updated Handoff feature, the Xs does not. The Xs has the old Handoff feature, but not the new functionality. Two similar functions, but definitely not the same on the older phone. The 11 and 12 series iPhones have the U1 chip. Older phones do not. The new Handoff functionality (as far as I can tell) is not present on the old, larger HomePod - I believe it is only on the HomePod Mini. Am I accurate as far as my understanding of this situation?

Yes. the behaviour for HomePod mini is very different from that with HomePod. For original HomePod this is unchanged, bring the iPhone close and content playing on the phone is transferred to the HomePod, or vice versa. There are a couple of taps of haptic feedback. With the mini there is a rapid tapping that increases in intensity as you get closer to the device. It also brings up a remote control display for the HomePod on the phone.

tt2

hi, there

after update to 14.4 my iphone 11 does not handoff to homepod mini at all.

correct me if Im wrong: there was "old handoff" by NFC before 14.4, but apple switched to "new handoff" by UWB (U1chip), but old NFC method gone.

So, in the country where UWB not applied entire handoff now gone? return to 14.3 on homepod impossible.

if so, " many thanks" to apple((((

PS. Homepod big size and phones earlier 11 dont have U1chip, so the "old handoff" by NFC seems alive for them.

Is this kind of story going on now?

I have found that if I toggle airplane mode AND Bluetooth in my iPhone's control center, handoff starts working again.

I made a shortcut that does this for me. Usually if I run this shortcut, handoff starts working again. https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/baef3acefb23407fbdc37cf177574360

Based on my experience and the above fix, it seems to be an issue with the iPhone software and the UI chip not the HomePod mini.

The handoff feature is GREAT when it works, but it's terribly unreliable. Hopefully Apple gets it together before I forget about the feature entirely.

Thank you, friend. But not helped me. I can tell you handoff worked before on all 14.3. Even with iphone 14.4. worked, but once updated mini to 14.4. it stopped. So I judge the issue occured at mini side.

The Hand Off function worked between my iPhone 12 Pro Max and HomePod Mini (Qty 2) with iOS 14.3.

Once the iOS 14.4 update was performed on both the iPhone 12 Pro Max and HomePod Mini (Qty 2) the Hand Off function is no longer working. A message is displayed the NO CONTROLS are available.

i can connect and listen to music when using AirPlay function.

A lot of people are confusing what Apple said on that. You don’t need an iPhone 11 or up to use Handoff, you just need iPhone 11 or up for a “magical Handoff experience”. That’s fancy talk for: if you have an iPhone 11 or newer, your iPhone will vibrate in your hand and make a cool screen animation while it invokes Handoff. You can use regular Handoff without the vibration of iPhone 6s and later. You and your room mate must both be sharing the same home in the Home app. If you manage the HomeKit accessories for the two of you, go to Home app>[Your Home’s Name]>Home icon in the top left corner>Home settings>Invite People. Then add your room mate.

NFC method is not gone and that’s what older iPhones still use to Handoff to HomePod. It’s just that HomePod mini now supports an “improved” Handoff experience if you have an iPhone 11 or newer. I haven’t been able to get Handoff to work before or after the update with my iPhone 8, which should use NFC to Handoff to HomePod mini. Until Apple addresses the issue, it’s a hit or miss if it works, I think.

OK EVERYONE, SOLUTION PROPOSAL:

I tried this and got it working.

1.) Start a FaceTime Audio call with a family member or friend (normal call should work too, but I used FaceTime Audio, so I wouldn’t know lol) and talk for maybe 30 seconds or so; it shouldn’t matter.

2.) Click the speaker icon and choose your HomePod mini.

3.) Talk for a few seconds on HomePod mini.

4.) Click the speaker icon on your iPhone and switch the audio back to your iPhone’s speaker.

5.) Try using Handoff to transfer the call back to HomePod mini. Don’t click the speaker this time, try holding your phone on top of HomePod mini.

6.) Be patient, your arm might be there for up to 20 seconds.

7.) The call should transfer. Wait a few seconds, talk, and hold iPhone near HomePod mini again to transfer the call back to iPhone.

8.) Tragically separate with your friend forever my ending the call.

9.) Use a media (audio or video, doesn’t matter) app of your choose and do the Handoff motion back and forth a few times, maybe 3 or so.

10.) Handoff should be working smoothly.

11.) I kindly request that you don’t reply with: “Apple needs to fix this”, “this isn’t ok, it shouldn’t be this hard, or “this isn’t very Apple-esque”, because we all feel the same way and there’s already thousands of other people on the Internet who said literally the same thing. Please just relax and know that Apple will fix it as soon as humanly possible just like with every issue before.

12.) Relax, enjoy some music, and have a chocolate vanilla ice cream cone, because what’s not Apple-esque or human is plain vanilla : )

(Just a joke : ) I know people have preferences)

Hope this helps! If it doesn’t, I’m sorry. Please contact Apple’s best-in-class support team over live chat, iMessage, or phone at 1 (800) MY-APPLE, and an agent from Technical Support will do their absolute best to find a solution that’s right for you.

Hi :)

I found another way:

on the Lock Screen, when something is playing (I used Coffitivity in Safari), click on the AirPlay icon on the player's right side. Under SPEAKERS & TVS, choose a scene of your Home Pod mini.

Also, I am not sure that is a reason too but check Wi-Fi visibility. I guess a Home Pod mini experiences troubles when the network is hidden.

I hope you can enjoy your little device in full now :)

Hi there,

probably you’ve just laid your iPhone on to the HomePod. You have to move the phone slowly in the direction of the HomePod, then the iPhone will vibrate and transfer the song (or podcast) to the HomePod.

I hope this will work for you!

hello, thanks for the test - it worked ONLY FOR THE PHONE CALL - that’s one point, the feature works ! BUT not to transfer music from iphone XS to Homepod mini with apple music nor Deezer... tried everything (toggle BT and wifi, reboot, reinstall...) i am stuck there and don’t understand why it would work with facetime audio or phone call but not with music !!! APPLE PLEASE HELP !