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With macOS Sequoia and iOS 18, Apple has a helpful new method to hop between gadgets whereas on desktop. iPhone Mirroring reveals your cellphone’s display screen in your laptop; you may even use your mouse and keyboard to work together with it. Right here’s arrange and get probably the most out of iPhone Mirroring.
Necessities
First, iPhone Mirroring has a number of circumstances. It solely works with Apple Silicon Macs (late 2020 and later) or Intel-based models with the Apple T2 Safety Chip (2018 to 2020). After all, you’ll want to put in macOS Sequoia first to make use of the characteristic. Any iPhone running iOS 18 will do.
The characteristic solely works when your iPhone is locked (it’s okay if it’s charging or using Standby). When you unlock your iPhone whereas utilizing iPhone Mirroring, the characteristic will briefly disconnect.
Each gadgets additionally want Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on, and also you’ll need to signal together with your Apple Account on every. Your account wants two-factor authentication (utilizing a trusted system or cellphone quantity) activated. The characteristic received’t work in case your cellphone’s Personal Hotspot is energetic otherwise you’re utilizing AirPlay, Sidecar or web sharing in your Mac.
The way to arrange iPhone Mirroring
Screenshot by Will Shanklin for Engadget
Open the iPhone Mirroring app in your Mac. It ought to already be in your Dock (see the screenshot above), however you can too discover it in your Purposes folder.
The app begins with a welcome display screen. Faucet “Proceed,” then observe the immediate to unlock your iPhone.
Subsequent, approve iPhone notifications in your Mac. This characteristic reveals your handset’s alerts in your Mac’s Notification Heart. (While you click on an iOS alert in your Mac, it would open the corresponding app within the iPhone Mirroring app.) iPhone notifications in your Mac work even when the iPhone Mirroring app is closed or inactive, or in case your cellphone isn’t close by.
After approving notifications, a last display screen will affirm that iPhone Mirroring is prepared. Click on the “Get Began” button to begin. As soon as it masses, you’ll see your iPhone’s display screen.
Utilizing iPhone Mirroring
First, it’s possible you’ll wish to resize the iPhone Mirroring app. Apple solely offers you three choices: precise measurement, smaller and bigger. You’ll be able to change them utilizing keyboard shortcuts: bigger (Cmd +), precise measurement (Cmd 0) and smaller (Cmd -). It’s also possible to resize the window in your Mac’s menu bar underneath the View part. Dragging the sides of the window to resize it (like with different macOS apps) received’t work right here.
Most often, interacting together with your digital iPhone in your Mac is so simple as mimicking its standard contact gestures together with your trackpad and typing in textual content fields utilizing your Mac’s keyboard.
Screenshot by Will Shanklin for Engadget
Swipe-based gestures for Residence, App Switcher and Management Heart received’t work on Mac, however they’ve shortcuts. When you transfer your pointer to the highest of the iPhone Mirroring window, a brand new space will seem, revealing buttons for the iOS Residence Display (left) and the App Switcher (proper). (See the screenshot above.) This space additionally allows you to click-hold and drag the app to reposition it.
It’s also possible to go to the Residence Display by clicking on the horizontal bar on the backside of the app’s window or utilizing the Cmd 1 keyboard shortcut. As well as, Cmd 2 prompts the App Switcher, and Cmd 3 triggers a Highlight search. Or, swipe down with two fingers in your Mac’s trackpad from the iPhone Residence Display (within the Mac app) for Highlight.
There’s no method to activate the iOS Management Heart out of your Mac. You can also’t manually change the orientation of the digital iPhone display screen, however it would rotate robotically in the event you launch a recreation that begins by default in panorama mode:
Screenshot by Will Shanklin for Engadget
iPhone audio will play in your Mac whereas utilizing the characteristic. Some iPhone movies will play within the iPhone Mirroring window, too. Nonetheless, copyrighted content material can be restricted in some instances, so some movies will solely be viewable by means of corresponding macOS apps or desktop browser home windows.
Apple’s Universal Clipboard may be helpful whereas utilizing iPhone Mirroring. Copy one thing in your digital iPhone, and you’ll paste it in your Mac, and vice versa. It’s also possible to use AirDrop to switch recordsdata between the 2 gadgets whereas utilizing iPhone Mirroring.
iPhone Mirroring will day out in the event you don’t use the digital cellphone for some time. Ditto for in the event you transfer your handset away out of your laptop. If it instances out, simply observe the app’s immediate to reconnect.
iPhone Mirroring login settings
Screenshot by Will Shanklin for Engadget
You’ll be able to select whether or not to require authentication each time you employ iPhone Mirroring. Within the Mac app, select iPhone Mirroring > Settings within the menu bar (or kind Cmd area), and also you’ll see a barebones settings display screen.
You’ll be able to select “Ask Each Time” or “Authenticate Robotically.” The previous requires your Mac login password, Contact ID or Apple Watch affirmation to make use of your digital iPhone in your desktop. In the meantime, the latter will log into your cellphone robotically with out authenticating every time.
It’s also possible to reset iPhone entry on this settings display screen. This removes your total setup, and also you’ll want to begin the method from scratch the following time you open the iPhone Mirroring app.
When you have a couple of iPhone tied to your Apple Account, you may select which one to make use of with iPhone Mirroring underneath Settings > Desktop & Dock in your Mac. If this is applicable to you, you’ll see the choice underneath the “Use iPhone widgets” part. (When you solely have one iPhone underneath your Apple Account, this selection received’t seem.)
For extra data on Apple’s newest fashions, you may take a look at Engadget’s reviews of the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro series phones, together with the latest MacBooks.
Nermeen Nabil Khear