MacBook Pro cannot connect to iPhone for calls after upgrade 27

Well, the most likely case is they are not on the same network. Go to Settings/Wi-Fi on both devices and see if the networks are actually the same.

I had a problem a while ago where AirPrint could not find my printer. I spent a hour trying to figure out why; It turned out that my Mac was on a different Wi-Fi network (there are two within range of my Mac).

Another possibility:

Do you have a 3rd party VPN installed on either device, even if you are not using it? If so, delete the VPN profile in Settings/General/VPN & Device Management/VPN, then restart your device. Don't just turn it off; delete the profile. Updates sometimes "break" VPN, and it needs to be removed. If that fixes it, you can try reinstalling VPN, but probably shouldn't.

tsgroup wrote:

Should I log out of iCloud on my MacBook? I have all my contacts, iCloud files, etc on my MacBook and don't want to lose any data. I can upgrade the phone to 18 if need be, I just don't really need a new phone at the moment.

Confirm that both devices are signed in to the same Apple Account

There are a couple of important things to understand here, because you seem to be mixing up three separate issues: signing out of iCloud, troubleshooting Continuity features, and deciding whether to buy a new iPhone.

1. Is it necessary to sign out of iCloud on your MacBook?

No. If the problem you are trying to resolve concerns Apple's Continuity features, signing out of iCloud on your MacBook is not necessarily required. You should first establish what is causing the problem and follow the appropriate troubleshooting steps.

You mentioned that you have all your contacts, iCloud files, and other data on your MacBook and are worried about losing them. That concern is understandable, but signing out of iCloud does not automatically mean that your data will be permanently lost.

When you sign out, some iCloud services stop syncing, and certain data may be removed from the Mac if you choose not to keep a local copy. Your iCloud data generally remains stored in iCloud, and signing back in with the same Apple Account allows the services to sync again. However, you should verify that your data is safely stored in iCloud and that important files are available before signing out. Do not assume that every file will automatically remain on your Mac or immediately reappear when you sign back in.

Apple's support documentation explains the relevant Continuity requirements and features:

Apple Support: Use Continuity to connect your Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch

Apple iPhone User Guide: Use Continuity to connect your iPhone and other Apple devices

2. Will buying a new iPhone solve the Continuity problem?

That is a separate question altogether. You mentioned that you are willing to upgrade to an iPhone 18 if necessary, but you do not really need a new phone at the moment.

My point is that buying a new iPhone simply because a Continuity feature is not working on your existing devices does not make sense until the actual cause of the problem has been identified.

Continuity depends on several factors, including the compatibility of the devices, their operating-system versions, the Apple Account being used, and the relevant settings. Depending on the particular feature, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other requirements may also need to be satisfied.

For example, both my iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro work without issues with an M4 Mac. This demonstrates that an older iPhone can still work with a newer Mac for supported Continuity features. However, compatibility requirements differ between features, so this does not guarantee that every Continuity feature will work on every combination of devices.

Therefore, before considering an upgrade, we need to determine whether your particular iPhone and MacBook meet the requirements for the specific feature that is not working.

3. What should you do next?

I would suggest the following approach:

Check the configuration. Confirm that both devices are signed in to the same Apple Account and that the required settings are enabled. Since you have confirmed that both your devices are on the same network, I am not adding anything here.

Identify the actual cause. If the feature still does not work, troubleshoot the specific problem before considering a hardware upgrade. Make and receive phone calls on Mac, iPad and Apple Vision Pro - Apple Support (IN)

You can certainly buy an iPhone 18 if you want a newer device, but that is a personal choice rather than an established solution to your current problem.

My recommendation is simple: do not spend money on a new iPhone to solve a problem that has not yet been diagnosed. First, establish why Continuity is not working on your existing devices. An upgrade should be considered only if the investigation establishes that your current hardware cannot support the feature you need.

It seems the latest update 27.0.1 fixed it. Now I can dial and answer on my MacBook. Apparently it was a known bug. Thanks for all who answered my question.

tsgroup wrote:

After upgrading both my iPhone 12 Max Pro and MacBook Pro M3,

Not every issue an individual encounters on their device can be attributed to an iOS update. iOS 27 or later may have coincided with what you are experiencing, but that does not mean the issue was triggered by iOS. Coincidence in timing is not, by itself, evidence of causation.

If the update itself were the root cause, then every device running that same version of iOS would exhibit the identical problem. In such a scenario, the forums would be flooded with countless posts reporting the same malfunction, creating an unmistakable wave of complaints that no one could possibly overlook.

The absence of such widespread reports strongly indicates that the issue is not a general, system-wide problem with iOS 27 or later, but rather something specific to the individual device, its configuration, installed apps, settings, hardware, or another interacting factor.

In short: iOS 27 or later may be a coincidence in timing, but there is no basis to conclude that iOS itself triggered the problem simply because the issue appeared after the update.