Microsoft is introducing Apple’s “Handoff” functionality to Windows 11 under a new feature named “Hand Off.” The feature was first highlighted by user @techosarusrex, who shared a screenshot of the “Hand Off” feature toggle in the Settings of the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4225, released late last week.
The “Hand Off” feature allows users to continue activities from one device to another seamlessly. This concept is already familiar to Mac users through Apple’s “Handoff” feature, which enables users to pick up an activity on one Apple device and continue it on another. Similarly, the Windows 11 feature allows both iPhone and Android users to transfer their ongoing activities from their mobile devices to their PC.
According to MSPowerUser, Microsoft has previously attempted to implement device syncing features, though these efforts have not mirrored the functionality available on Mac. Examples of these efforts include the “Continue from Phone” feature in OneDrive, which syncs user activities related to OneDrive files between a PC and a mobile device. Another example is the “Link to Windows” app available in Apple’s App Store, which facilitates data sharing like notifications and contacts between an iPhone and a PC. However, these features have not matched the intuitive experience provided by Apple’s Handoff.
In Apple’s ecosystem, Handoff allows users to see the mobile version of an app on their macOS dock, enabling easy synchronization by simply clicking the app icon. Whether Windows 11’s Hand Off feature will provide a comparable experience remains to be seen, as it is currently available only in a beta test. Users will have to wait to see if it matches the seamless integration offered by macOS.