Enable Screen Sharing on Mac

Mac has a built-in feature called screen sharing, which allows us to connect to the Mac from Windows, mobile phone or another Mac. It is just like the Remote Desktop in Windows OS. With the screen sharing feature enabled on Mac, we can use another computer to control our Mac. For example, we can see what’s on the Mac screen, open, move, and close files and windows, open apps, and even restart your Mac from another computer.

Turn on screen sharing on your Mac

Click the Apple icon from the top menu bar on Mac, choose System Preferences > Sharing. If you found the Remote Management is enabled, deselect to turn it off. They are similar features. We can’t have them both turned on at the same time. The Remote Management allows others to access your Mac using Apple Remote Desktop, which is available from the Mac App Store for $80.

enable screen sharing mac
enable screen sharing mac

Turn on Screen Sharing in the Sharing panel. Then you will see how others can access your computer via a local IP address or via Finder from another Mac. You will also have the option to specify whom you like to share your screen with, select existing users or add new users to share your Mac screen. Click Computer Settings for additional options below:

  • Anyone may request permission to control screen: Others can ask for permission instead of entering a user name and password in order to share your Mac screen.
  • VNC viewers may control screen with password: Others users can share your screen using a VNC viewer app directly, like RealVNC, Remotix VNC, if they know the password you specify here. Thus make your password hard to guess.