Level 2

367 points

Continuity Camera fail - "Device timed out"

Just upgraded to Mojave, and tried Continuity Camera.

Opened a new doc in Pages, right-clicked, and chose "Import from iPhone" and "Take Photo". I took the photo.

A few seconds later, in Pages, I got an error message: "Could not import from iPhone. The device timed out."

So I tried doing this with my iPad, and this time when I took the photo with the iPad, I saw "Use Photo" on the screen. Hit that, and the photo went into Pages.

But with the iPhone, I never get "Use Photo".

What's wrong here?

iMac, macOS Mojave (10.14), null

Posted on Sep 25, 2018 11:33 AM

Top-ranking reply

V.Ulmo

Level 1

8 points

Posted on Oct 14, 2018 9:43 AM

I had the identical problem.

This finally worked: Even though I had connected BlueTooth between my iPhone and laptop, and connected LAN via my wifi system to the same router and LAN network, an ethernet connection between my laptop and the Wifi of the iPhone did not work together even though both were on the same TCP/IP LAN. I had to turn my laptop wifi on, which I connected to the same wifi and LAN as my iPhone, and then for the first time the "Continuity Camera" worked: I did Pages->Insert->Import from iPhone->Take Photo, then I waited for some moments (maybe 4 seconds (everything with Apple is slow)), then the Camera app on my iPhone started, and I took a picture. Then it had a "Use Picture" button, so I pressed that, and then the picture showed up in Pages.

I also had this same problem with Handoff before: I had to turn on the Wifi of my laptop in order to use Handoff with my iPhone. I don't like this since I consider wired more secure than wifi, but at least now I know the operational parameters of these features. It makes sense that if Contuinity Camera is a part of Handoff or uses similar principles that both don't work when using hardwire Ethernet.

I also confirmed the same behavior with my iMac: Continuity Camera works with iMac wifi on, does not work with iMac wifi off, even though hardwired to identical LAN. This time, I had my iPhone in dark (sleep mode, screen not lit), and it woke up and went to the photo app, so that part worked great.

iPhone 6+ with iOS 12.0.1

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015) with macOS Mojave Version 10.14

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014) with macOS Mojave Version 10.14

Wifi: UniFi AP-Pro Version 3.7.5.4969; Router: UniFi Security Gateway 3P 4.3.33.4936086

FEATURE REQUEST TO APPLE: MAKE HANDOFF (and Continuity Camera) WORK WITH WIFI OFF ON THE ETHERNET CONNECTED DEVICES (FOR INSTANCE, I USE ALL MY DEVICES, INCLUDING ETHERNET DEVICES, ON THE SAME LAN).

EVEN BETTER FEATURE REQUEST TO APPLE: MAKE HANDOFF (and Continuity Camera) WORK IF ANY CONNECTION TYPE CAN BE USED AT ALL (SUCH AS BLUETOOTH, LAN, INTERNET, ETC).

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90 replies

Sep 29, 2018 1:48 PM in response to geoffrey k

Totally worked took ages after reset but now it works after rebooting both iPhone and MacBook, making sure they are both connected using bluetooth, Thanks

Oct 4, 2018 12:54 AM in response to Iron5wolf

Restarting the iPhone was the solution for me.

Archies

Level 1

4 points

Oct 4, 2018 10:33 AM in response to Roger Barre

I also had the same issue, i did a hard reboot of my 6s. Tried it again and now its working fine

Oct 13, 2018 3:11 AM in response to Roger Barre

Had the same issue with my iPhoneX and iPad-pro. Both are fixed now after updating to ios 12.0.1 (from 12.0.0)

Oct 16, 2018 6:10 AM in response to Roger Barre

Had the same issue.

I solved the problem like this:

Settings - General – Reset – "Reset Location & Privacy" + "Reset All Settings"

Oct 24, 2018 11:26 AM in response to TucsonTom

By "this" I mean

I solved the problem like this:

Settings - General – Reset – "Reset Location & Privacy" + "Reset All Settings"

Dec 12, 2018 6:18 AM in response to Roger Barre

I had the same problem, I fix it, using the same WiFi Network. ( I had my iMac with Cable RJ45, not with WiFi and now use both connection simultaneously).

Dec 20, 2018 3:57 PM in response to Roger Barre

Had iMac hardwired to network and phone on wifi- no go. Switched iMac wifi back on and it worked. (Mojave and iPhone XS) Max

Oct 11, 2018 9:25 PM in response to Stephen Spark

As I described before, once I paired my mac and my iphone via bluetooth, continuity started working. This morning, I bluetooth-unpaired each other and restart both devices to see what happens. It turned out Continuity still works. So I guess, if you have a Continuity issue, pairing each other *once* via bluetooth can help to resolve the issue.

billames

Level 1

4 points

Nov 5, 2018 2:59 PM in response to Roger Barre

I could not get this to work with my iPhone 6S, even though 2FA was on and the phone was paired via BlueTooth.

I only got this to work when I turned my Mac Pro's WiFi on...it's not even on the same network, but it started working. Very strange. I really don't want WiFi to be on with this machine, but I don't see an alternative.

Ric R

Level 1

13 points

Nov 6, 2018 6:29 PM in response to Ric R

It works!!! Clearing the Bluetooth cache cleared a problem I had been having for months getting my iPhone X to either Chromecast or Bluetooth pair with a Grace digital radio in another part of the house. Totally serendipitous, after seeing that those processes were cleaned up and working, my iPhone X now behaves as well, just as described in the directions for Continuity Camera!

The take away from this, I suggest, is that the intercommunication between all the Bluetooth devices in range is significant, perhaps, even, the major source of the mysterious malfunctions of the Continuity Camera!

rjonk

Level 1

5 points

Dec 29, 2018 6:29 AM in response to braeburn8

Resetting the bluetooth fixed it for me thanks

Sep 29, 2018 1:40 AM in response to b3brett

My sympathies with your attempt not working.

If the bluetooth cache is corrupt there is little prospect of any further progress, so no harm in trying.

Resetting the bluetooth cache is not a first, (nor the only) action that may be required.

At a minimum pairing you Mac and iPhone following a bluetooth cache reset is a needed step.

Signing-out and resigning-in from iCloud may also be needed. (Not for the feint hearted, nor those in a rush. Make a backup of all iCould data before signing out, if you value your data).

I wish you better luck with any next attempt you might make to get the feature functioning.

Oct 5, 2018 7:17 AM in response to Iron5wolf

Everyone try resetting your iPhone, This totally worked for me, it does take some time to get back all your settings but that definitely worked along with having the Mac and iPhone linked on bluetooth. I still do believe there is a bug that will hopefully be fixed so that we don't have to jump through hoops to get this cool feature to work. Thanks to Geoffrey K for his solution.

Oct 14, 2018 10:15 AM in response to V.Ulmo

I received the same results where the camera works on iPhone to my Mac on wifi only, not when the Mac was on ethernet. All devices are upgraded to latest updates too. I would prefer not to switch my Mac to wifi just to use the continuity camera.

HOWEVER for my iPad pro, the continuity camera works just fine when my Mac is on either wifi OR ethernet. No issues and none of the devices are paired to each other.

There seems to be a discrepancy they way the iPhone and iPad continuity works with the Mac.

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Continuity Camera fail - "Device timed out"