macOS 13.3 and iPadOS 16.4 Users Report Issues With Continuity Features

[MacRumors]

Some Mac and iPad users who updated their devices to Apple's latest software updates are reporting problems with Continuity features like Universal Control and Handoff.

Since last week's release of macOS 13.3 and iPadOS 16.4, many users have taken to the MacRumors Forums, Reddit, Twitter, and Apple's Support Communities to voice their frustration at the lack of functionality after updating.

Users also variously report problems with Handoff, Universal Clipboard, and Auto Unlock and Approve with Apple Watch. Based on online reports, the main Continuity feature to be negatively impacted by the updates appears to be Universal Control.

To recap the feature‌‌, if you have a Mac and an ‌‌iPad‌‌ next to each other and signed into the same Apple ID, you can use the keyboard and cursor on one device across both of them. So a Mac's trackpad can be used over on the ‌‌‌iPad‌‌‌ just by swiping across, and the Mac's keyboard will become the ‌‌iPad‌‌'s input device. The reverse is also true of an ‌‌‌iPad‌‌‌ if you have a keyboard and mouse attached to it.

Barring a restore of the previous OS, suggested solutions that have worked for some users include: Signing out of one's iCloud account on both devices; disabling, restarting, then re-enabling Handoff/Auto Unlock with Apple Watch; turning Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth on and off again; and toggling checkboxes related to Universal Control features.

Apple has not commented on the Continuity bugs, but it is likely aware of them and working on solutions. The company is rumored to be preparing to release iOS 16.4.1 for the iPhone, so it could release iPadOS 16.4.1 and macOS 13.3.1 in tandem. Such minor updates are typically focused on bug fixes and security improvements.

Article Link: macOS 13.3 and iPadOS 16.4 Users Report Issues With Continuity Features

 

[antiprotest]

Fix one thing, break three things. Like my old mechanic.

 

[kiranmk2]

I had an approve on Apple watch notification pop-up recently. I double pressed the watch button but nothing happened and I had to enter my password. This could explain it.

 

[Macropanda]

Universal Clipboard doesn’t work for me at all.

 

[JosephAW]

I have all kinds of weird sound problems with Siri talking like it's talking underwater sometimes or it's broken up.
Can we please just leave it alone, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

[skardvin]

Universal Clipboard doesn’t work for me at all.

Same. I tried to copy and paste from my computer to my iPad, and it has not been working since I updated to macOS 13.3 and iPadOS 16.4.

 

[Prabas]

Yeah, you can't depend on these features to work consistently, they've been hit or miss since launch. For me, Mac to iPhone clipboard started working just recently, iPhone to Mac hasn't worked for more than a year, same with continuity.

 

[Abazigal]

Hmm, I couldn’t get continuity camera to work today. Possible bug?

 

[arkitect]

Continuity is probably one of the key reasons why I remain in the Apple system…

Pace the small niggles and weird unexplained outages, it has been a great way to keep things running smoothly between Macs, iPhone and iPad.

So, just in case it all goes tits up after updating, I will be staying far away from these updates until solved. Whenever that may be!

Few things more frustrating than these kind of syncing issues. 🙂

 

[iSRS]

I’ve not been able to get universal control to work for some time. It’s one of those areas that it either “just works” or it’s like it doesn’t exist, be there are no real settings to force a connection.

 

[stevet]

Everything people are complaining about here has been working for me, universal copy/paste and continuity. Just an anecdotal data point.

 

[TwoBytes]

Universal clipboard broken.
Fixed by

• turning on/off Bluetooth on all devices
• turning off wifi
• turning on off the handoff in preferences
• PRAM reset
• SMC reset
• all devices restarted

works again

 

[stevet]

I’ve not been able to get universal control to work for some time. It’s one of those areas that it either “just works” or it’s like it doesn’t exist, be there are no real settings to force a connection.

I believe you have to enable it in the settings of both Device, maybe just the computer.

Universal Control: Use a single keyboard and mouse between Mac and iPad - Apple Support

Use the keyboard, mouse, or trackpad of your Mac to control up to two other nearby Mac or iPad devices, and work seamlessly between them.

support.apple.com

 

[stevet]

Universal clipboard broken.
Fixed by

• turning on/off Bluetooth on all devices
• turning off wifi
• turning on off the handoff in preferences
• PRAM reset
• SMC reset
• all devices restarted

works again

Is pram and smc resetting still a thing?

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

You know lately I have been having issues with Shared Clipboard. It just doesn't work at all despite Continuity being on

 

[DocBrownMacMan]

I've had an issue with macOS 13.3 where placing my finger on Touch ID when the computer is asleep doesn't wake up and unlock the Mac. I have to tap a key on the keyboard or click the trackpad first to wake up the computer, then I can place my finger on Touch ID to unlock the Mac. Before this update, I could simply place my finger on Touch ID and it would both wake up and unlock the Mac. Anybody else having this issue?

Using a 2023 16-inch M2 Max MacBook Pro.

 

[roger6106]

I've had various issues. Specifically, I've noticed Handoff in Safari and Continuity camera not working.

After reading some of these comments, I was able to fix this by:

• Turning bluetooth and wifi off on both devices
• Turning bluetooth and wifi back on on both devices.

Everything works now. Previously I had restarted both devices to try to fix it, but that did not help.

 

[Will Tisdale 🎗]

Continuity and unlock with Apple Watch has been intermittently glitchy over the last couple of macOS releases.

A reboot of the MacBook fixes it until it breaks again at some indeterminate point in the future.

As yet, I’ve not experienced the issue on the latest developer beta.

 

[evertjr]

Yes, handoff is fully broken for me, it's annoying because I use it all the time, I'm relying on airdrop in the meantime. After a reboot it functions for a while and suddenly stop working.

 

[anshuvorty]

Yeah, for me, Continuity Camera is completely broken for me. I have to rely on physically connecting my iPhone to my computer using a USB cable and only then does my iPhone work, as intended, as a webcam. Completely misses the point of CC.

 

[Stay_Resonant]

Glad I'm not the only one. Been having trouble with this too, and I had to completely reset the bluetooth module in my MBP in order to get my AirPods and other bluetooth devices to work without random disconnects.

 

[Verified Whiskey]

Is pram and smc resetting still a thing?

Only on Intel machines I think

 

[bug]

Continuity camera has only worked about half the time since it’s introduction and I have never been able to get continuity control to work ever despite having two apple silicon macs side by side and having tried every trick in every post about it.

To say it isn’t working NOW is a joke. What could be worse than not working at all - does it permanently corrupt your data now in addition to not working?

 

[Verified Whiskey]

Everything seems to be working for me! granted I usually wipe my devices before upgrading and just restore my data back on.

 

[twsepper]

What worked for me to fix Universal Control was ensuring the “host” computer — the one the Bluetooth keyboard and mouse are paired with — is booted after the “target” computer is fully booted. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯