How-To

How to Disconnect iPhone From Mac

By Adam Davidson

Updated March 21, 2024

Does your Mac keep ringing every time you get a call on your iPhone? Learn how to disconnect your iPhone from your Mac.

You’re busy binge-watching the latest Netflix show on your Mac. They’re just about to reveal the killer when your computer starts ringing. A call on your iPhone is coming through on your connected Mac.

How do you switch it off? Rush to your Mac, but it’s probably too late. Yes, there are advantages to connecting your Apple devices. On the other hand, breaking that connection can offer a bit of peace and quiet instead.

If you want to know how to unlock your iPhone from your Mac, follow this guide.

How to Disconnect iPhone from Mac for Calls

Being able to make and take calls directly from your Mac is a useful tool, but it can easily get distracting. It’s simple to turn this feature off so that your Mac doesn’t start ringing every time your iPhone does. You can do this through your iPhone or Mac.

Disconnecting calls from your iPhone

1. Open the Settings app.
   
2. Scroll down and tap on Phone.
   
3. Under Calls tap on Calls on Other Devices.
   
4. Turn off Allow Calls on Other Devices to turn this feature off for all devices or turn off individual devices.
   
5. No more calls with come through on the devices you have deselected.

Disconnecting calls from your Mac

1. Open the FaceTime app.
2. Click on the FaceTime menu in the menu bar.
   
3. Click on Preferences.
   
4. Uncheck Calls from iPhone.
   
5. Your Mac will no longer receive calls from your iPhone.

How to Disconnect iPhone from Mac for Messaging

You can also reply to messages both on your iPhone and your Mac. If you don’t want your iPhone messages appearing on your Mac, you can switch the feature off. Once again, you can do this on your iPhone or your Mac.

How to unlink Messages from your iPhone

1. Open the Settings app.
   
2. Scroll down and tap on Messages.
   
3. Scroll down and tap on Text Message Forwarding.
   
4. Ensure that all devices are turned off.
   
5. Your messages will no longer appear on your Mac.

Unlinking Messages from your Mac

1. Open the Messages app.
2. Click on the Messages menu in the menu bar.
   
3. Click on Preferences.
   
4. At the top of the window, click on iMessage.
   
5. Uncheck everything under You Can Be Reached for Messages At to ensure no messages appear on your Mac, or deselect specific accounts.
   
6. Your messages will stop appearing on your Mac.

How to Disconnect iPhone from Mac for Handoff

Handoff is a useful tool that allows you to start doing something on your iPhone and finish it off on your Mac. For example, you can open a web page in Safari on your iPhone, and then click the Handoff icon on your Mac to see the same page.

If you don’t want or need this feature, however, then you can turn it off. You can do this either on your iPhone or your Mac.

Disabling Handoff on your Mac

1. Launch the Settings app.
   
2. Scroll down and tap on General.
   
3. Tap on Airplay & Handoff.
   
4. Make sure that Handoff is turned off.
   
5. All Handoff features are now disabled.

Disabling Handoff on your iPhone

1. Click on the Apple menu in the menu bar.
   
2. Click on System Preferences.
   
3. Ensure that Allow Handoff Between This Mac and Your iCloud Devices is unchecked.
   
4. Handoff features are now disabled.

Take Control of your Apple Devices

Although interconnectivity between your Apple devices has its uses, learning how to disconnect your iPhone from your Mac allows you to switch off these features if they get in the way.