Apple is enhancing its cross-platform Continuity features for 2024, adding a new mirroring option that will seamlessly integrate devices across platforms. Because the title implies, iPhone Mirroring allows seamless integration between your iPhone and Mac, enabling you to mirror your iPhone’s display on your Mac’s screen. With iPhone Mirroring, you can seamlessly control your iPhone from your Mac, using your computer’s mouse, keyboard, and trackpad to navigate through iPhone apps, access notifications, and more.
This guide takes you through all iPhone mirroring options, explaining how each one functions.
iPhone Mirroring Fundamentals
Following the upgrade to iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia, users will discover a new iPhone Mirroring app in their Dock, serving as the starting point for initiating an iPhone Mirroring session.
- From your Mac’s Dock, click on the iPhone Mirroring app.
- Click the Proceed button on the pop-up information display.
- When selecting the iPhone you want to use if you have multiple iPhones, consider your specific needs and preferences.
- To connect, unlock your iPhone with a passcode first.
- Click on on Get Began.
- Authenticate using the Face ID/Touch ID feature on your Mac (or alternatively, enter your password).
When starting iPhone Mirroring for the first time, you’ll choose whether to require authentication for every connection or enable automatic connections. When using computerized authentication, selecting iPhone mirroring on your Mac requires no additional login steps once it’s already unlocked, thanks to the absence of password and Contact ID prompts.
Unless you’re using a VPN or third-party app, you’ll need to authenticate on your Mac each time you want to use iPhone mirroring. To ensure a seamless mirroring experience, make sure your iPhone is locked while a session is in progress; attempting to use your iPhone during this time may not be possible.
If your iPhone is not locked when attempting to initiate iPhone Mirroring from your Mac, you will receive a warning indicating that the iPhone is currently in use.
There is no option to initiate an iPhone mirroring session directly from an iPhone; instead, you need to start the process from a Mac. To access the iPhone Mirroring app icon, it’s essential that it resides in the Dock. If it’s not readily available, navigate to the Launchpad or Function folder, as this app behaves like any other on your device.
iPhone Mirroring Interface
Your iPhone interface is seamlessly mirrored as a dedicated app on the Mac, featuring your exact wallpaper and app icons for easy access. You’ll be able to seamlessly sync with your Mac by clicking into any app and applying its features similarly to how you would on your iPhone.
To navigate to your desired page, simply click on the underline bar at the bottom of the screen, then use the trackpad, mouse, or touchscreen to switch between pages by clicking and dragging. While there are options on the Dwelling Display screen and app switching interface to manage certain aspects, the majority of control is exercised through the iPhone Mirroring window itself?
iPhone Mirroring Necessities
To utilize iPhone mirroring, you’ll need a Mac running macOS Sequoia with an Apple Silicon chip (or later) or equipped with a T2 security chip. Macs equipped with T2 security chips leverage the power of Intel-based processors to usher in a new era of computing.
The following Mac models are powered by Apple’s custom-designed ARM-based processors:
Note: This list is current as of the latest product lineup and may change over time.
- 2020 and later Mac mini
- 2020 and later MacBook Air
- 2021 and later iMac
- The latest MacBook Pro models: 2021 and beyond (14- and 16-inch)
- 2020 13-inch MacBook Professional
- 2022 and later
- 2023 Mac Professional
iPhones running iOS 14 and later support iPhone Mirroring.
- All fashions
- All fashions
- All fashions
- All iPhone 12 fashions
- All iPhone 11 fashions
- iPhone XS and XS Max
- iPhone XR
- (2nd and third gen)
To use iPhone mirroring, you need to sign in with the same Apple ID on both your iPhone and Mac, ensuring that two-factor authentication is also enabled. To initiate pairing, you’ll need to enable both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on your devices, ensuring they’re in proximity to each other.
During an iPhone Mirroring session, your Mac and iPhone must be in close proximity to each other, ideally within the same room.
Privateness and Safety
To enable iPhone Mirroring, you must ensure you’re signed into the same Apple ID on both your iPhone and Mac. While iPhone Mirroring is engaging, your iPhone does not require unlocking.
When using an iPhone with your Mac, you can easily disconnect and store the device in a pocket or bag, ensuring no one can access or view your activities. To establish a Bluetooth connection between your iPhone and Mac, you must keep the former in close proximity to the latter, as if not, certain security features may be compromised.
Can I use my iPhone’s touchscreen, mouse, and keyboard simultaneously for greater control and efficiency? The answer is yes, you can! With the right combination of accessories and settings, you can unlock new levels of productivity on your iPhone.
Your Mac’s keyboard, trackpad, and mouse seamlessly integrate with your iPhone, allowing for a more efficient experience when working on an iPhone app that requires prolonged use.
Audio, Digicam, and Microphone
When using iPhone Mirroring on your device while playing a video, you may find that the audio feed is instead routed through your connected Mac. Although you’ll be unable to activate the Camera app or use the microphone initially.
iPhone Notifications on Mac
When iPhone mirroring is enabled, incoming iPhone notifications appear properly alongside your Mac notifications in the Notification Center at the top right corner of the Mac’s screen.
iPhone notifications, identified by a small iPhone icon, surprisingly mimic native Mac notifications otherwise.
With this feature, you’ll be able to click on notifications and instantly open the app on your iPhone directly from your Mac, enabling seamless interaction.
StandBy
When mirroring your iPhone to your Mac, it may remain connected to power while in standby mode, showing the current time and other relevant information.
Drag and Drop
Later this year, Apple is set to introduce the most sought-after feature of iPhone Mirroring: seamless file transfers. You can seamlessly transfer files, including documents, images, and videos, between your Mac and iPhone using intuitive drag-and-drop gestures.
Apple claims its new file-sharing feature will function similarly to effortlessly dragging files between different Mac applications.
While traditional drag-and-drop functionality is not currently available, you can bypass this limitation by utilizing AirDrop to transfer images and files from your iPhone to your Mac, initiating AirDrop on your iPhone without requiring unlocking.
iPhone Mirroring Limitations
Can’t mirror iPhone to Mac when it’s streaming content to another device or has screen sharing enabled? To enable Continuity Camera, users must make an exclusive choice: either utilize their iPhone as a webcam for their Mac or employ iPhone Mirroring simultaneously, but not both.
Attempting to stream films and TV shows from certain apps like Hulu and Netflix on one’s iPhone through mirroring is met with a blank, dark screen, likely due to Digital Rights Management (DRM) limitations.
Unfortunately, there is no option to resize the iPhone Mirroring window or manually adjust its orientation beyond a standard portrait view. When an application or recreational activity is presented in panorama mode, the display automatically adjusts to accommodate the panoramic view.
When using iPhone Mirroring, you’ll be able to remove apps by navigating to the Settings app; conversely, apps on the Dwelling Display screen cannot be deleted. Since you can’t rearrange apps without entering the Dwelling Display screen or Lock Display screen modifying interface, there’s currently no option to customize your home screen or lock screen layout.
Management and notification systems are currently unavailable.
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