How to use iPhone Mirroring in macOS Sequoia


Starting with the release of iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia, Apple added a new app named iPhone Mirroring to the Mac. The new iPhone Mirroring app lets you wirelessly mirror and use your iPhone remotely from your Mac, eliminating the need to scramble for your iPhone when you need to do something on it while you are busy working on your Mac.

Keep reading to learn how to use the iPhone Mirroring app in macOS Sequoia.

Minimum requirements for using iPhone Mirroring

  • An iPhone is up and running iOS 18.
  • A Mac PC or MacBook running macOS Sequoia.
  • Both iPhone and Mac must be signed in with the same Apple ID.
  • Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled on both iPhone and Mac.
  • Both iPhone and Mac must be in close proximity.
  • Your iPhone must be in the locked state to begin mirroring.

How to enable iPhone Mirroring in macOS Sequoia

The iPhone Mirroring app mirrors each element of your iPhone’s screen on your Mac, allowing you to operate your iPhone virtually via your Mac’s trackpad. Additionally, while your iPhone is mirrored on the Mac, it remains passcode-locked, so there is no security risk either.

  1. As soon as you update your Mac to macOS Sequoia, the new iPhone Mirroring will automatically be added to the Dock. Click on the iPhone Mirroring app to open it.

    Launching the iPhone Mirroring app from the Dock on a Mac
  2. An iPhone mirroring window will appear; click the blue Continue button on it.

    Clicking Continue to get started with iPhone Mirroring
  3. Next, unlock your iPhone to continue.

    Unlocking iPhone to continue using the iPhone Mirroring app on a Mac
  4. Now, go back to your Mac and click on Get Started.

    Selecting Get Started to start iPhone Mirroring on a Mac
  5. A no-border mockup of your iPhone will appear to confirm iPhone Mirroring.
  6. Authenticate with your Mac’s password or Touch ID to unlock iPhone Mirroring.

    Unlocking the iPhone Mirroring app on a Mac using Mac password or Touch ID
  7. Now, choose whether you want to authenticate manually every time you launch the iPhone Mirroring app or automatically as soon as the app launches.
  8. Next, enter your Mac’s password and hit OK to authenticate yourself.

    Entering Mac password to start mirroring an iPhone on a Mac
  9. Once done, your iPhone’s display will appear on your Mac.

    iPhone Mirroring app on a Mac showing the iPhone screen

How to use iPhone Mirroring in iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia

Now that you have successfully enabled iPhone Mirroring on your Mac and iPhone, you can use your Mac’s trackpad to navigate your iPhone. Click on the trackpad to imitate a tap on your iPhone to select items on the screen or open apps. Here’s how you can control your iPhone from your Mac via iPhone Mirroring.

Preview of the iPhone Home Screen and recent apps in Mac's iPhone Mirroring app.
  • Swipe left or right on your Mac’s trackpad to move across the multiple Home Screens on your iPhone.
  • Simply click on any app to open it, use the trackpad to navigate across the app, and use the Mac’s keyboard for any texting task.
  • When you want to return to the Home Screen, click the navigation bar at the bottom or hover the pointer to the top right corner of the window and click the Apps button that appears. Alternatively, you can use the “Command (⌘) + 1” keyboard shortcut to perform the same.
    Return to Home Screen using iPhone Mirroring
  • To access the App Switcher on your iPhone, move the pointer to the same top right corner and click the App Switcher icon that appears. Alternatively, you can use the “Command (⌘) + 1” keyboard shortcut to perform the same.
    Switch apps using App Switcher on iPhone Mirroring app
  • To use Spotlight Search on your iPhone, simply perform a swipe-down gesture on your Mac’s trackpad and then the Mac’s keyboard to type in your search. Alternatively, you can use the “Command (⌘) + 3” keyboard shortcut to access Spotlight Search.
    Use Spotlight Search on iPhone Mirroring

All notifications arriving on your iPhone during an active iPhone Mirroring session will also appear in your Mac’s notification center. However, to help you distinguish them, iPhone notifications on the Mac appear with a tiny iPhone icon over them.

Among the various tasks possible with iPhone Mirroring, you can also watch videos in the apps that allow it, such as YouTube. Clicking the full-screen button on YouTube switches the iPhone Mirroring window from portrait to landscape orientation. However, the iPhone Mirroring window automatically turns into landscape mode in apps that only view landscape video.

Note As of now, you can not access Control Center, Camera, and Siri on your iPhone via iPhone Mirroring.

How to change iPhone Mirroring window size

If you don’t prefer the default iPhone Mirroring window size, Apple allows you to choose between three available window sizes: Actual Size, Larger, and Smaller.

Here’s how you can change iPhone Mirroring window size:

  1. With the iPhone Mirroring running, click on View in the top menu bar.
  2. Next, choose one of the three available size window options: Larger, Actual Size, and Smaller.

    iPhone Screen Mirroring window in different size

How to stop iPhone Mirroring on iPhone and Mac

The moment you unlock your iPhone, iPhone Mirroring stops automatically and can only restart once you lock your iPhone and click the Try Again button.

Exiting the iPhone Mirroring app on a Mac

However, to completely exit iPhone Mirroring on iPhone and Mac, hover the pointer at the top left corner of the window and click the red Close button that appears.

How to switch to another iPhone or Mac for iPhone Mirroring

If you own more than one iPhone and are signed in with the same Apple ID on both, you can easily choose the desired iPhone for the iPhone Mirroring. Here’s how:

  1. Open the Settings on your Mac and click on Desktop & Dock at the left.
  2. Now, move to the Widgets section, click the Drop-Down box next to iPhone, then choose the desired iPhone.
    Check if correct iPhone is selected for iPhone mirroring

Similarly, you can head to the iPhone’s settings to select a different Mac signed with the same Apple ID on which you want to mirror your iPhone. Here’s how

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone and head to General.
  2. Here, tap on AirPlay & Continuity.
  3. Next, tap on iPhone Mirroring and select the desired Mac.
    Switch to another Mac for iPhone Mirroring

How to remove Mac from iPhone’s Mirroring list

While this new iPhone mirroring feature in macOS Sequoia and iOS 18 is a boon for multitaskers, it can compromise your privacy if someone (family or friends) else gets their hand on your Mac. In that case, you can delete your Mac from the list of devices allowed to mirror your iPhone. Here’s how:

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Go to GeneralAirPlay & Continuity.

    iPhone Settings app
  3. Next, tap on iPhone Mirroring.
  4. Swipe left on the Mac you want to remove, then tap Delete.

    Revoking a Mac's permission to mirror an iPhone.

Video: How to use iPhone Mirroring in macOS Sequoia

Why is screen mirroring not working from iPhone to Mac?

There could be various reasons iPhone mirroring may not work on your Mac. You may be missing one of the prerequisites we mentioned at the beginning, or your Mac does not support this feature at all, as iPhone Mirroring support is limited to Apple Silicon Macs and Intel Macs running macOS Sequoia, with the latter requiring a T2 Security chip. Go through the prerequisites list to ensure you’re covered on all fronts, and then try again. You can also check out our detailed guide on how to fix iPhone Mirroring not working issue.

Apple ecosystem unleashed…

The addition of the iPhone mirroring app on Mac is another testament to Apple’s commitment to creating a cohesive and integrated user experience across devices. This app can help boost productivity and make everyday tasks more convenient.

Yes, it isn’t perfect right now, and a few things need to be fixed. For instance, you can’t access the Notification and Control Center in iPhone Mirroring at the time of writing. However, I believe Apple will fix these issues with further updates

What are your thoughts on the iPhone Mirroring app? Do share with me in the comments.

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author avatar
Vikhyat
Vikhyat has a bachelor’s degree in Electronic and Communication Engineering and over five years of writing experience. His passion for technology and Apple products led him to the tech writing space, where he specializes in writing App features, How-to guides, and troubleshooting guides for fellow Apple users. When not typing away on his MacBook Pro, he loves exploring the real world.

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