iPhone Mirroring is one of the best new features on macOS Sequoia, and it makes multitasking a breeze. With this innovative feature, you can wirelessly access your iPhone on your Mac and interact with apps using the trackpad and keyboard. However, as useful as it is, several users are unable to get iPhone Mirroring working on their Macs. If you are experiencing a similar issue, this guide will walk you through a handful of methods to resolve it.
Why is iPhone Mirroring not Working for me?
In most cases, iPhone Mirroring will not work if you fail to meet the requirements set by Apple. However, the issue can sometimes stem from network glitches, incorrect settings, and bugs in the operating system. Depending on what caused the problem, there are many ways to get the feature working again.
7 Ways to Fix iPhone Mirroring on macOS Sequoia
Restarting your iPhone and Mac should be the first action if a software feature appears broken. You may have just encountered a temporary software glitch. However, if restarting doesn’t seem to do the trick, you should refer to the list of solutions that we have mentioned below:
1. Check if You Meet the Prerequisites To Use iPhone Mirroring
The first thing you should do if iPhone Mirroring is not working for you is to check if your devices meet the requirements for using the feature. Here’s what you need for iPhone Mirroring to work seamlessly:
- You must have a Mac running macOS Sequoia or later and an iPhone running iOS 18 or later.
- Your iPhone needs to be nearby, locked, and connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Mac.
- Ensure you have enabled Bluetooth on both devices and aren’t using AirPlay, Hotspot, or Sidecar.
- You must have a non-EU Apple Account, as iPhone Mirroring is not available in the EU under DMA.
- Your iPhone and Mac must be signed into the same Apple Account with two-factor authentication.
2. Check if the Correct iPhone Is Selected for iPhone Mirroring
If you have more than one iPhone linked to your Apple Account, you will need to ensure that you have selected your primary handset for iPhone Mirroring. The feature will not function if you have mistakenly selected another iPhone instead of the one you want to access on your Mac. Here’s how to check this:
- Open System Settings on your Mac and navigate to Desktop & Dock.
- Click the drop-down menu next to iPhone in the Widgets section.
- Select the iPhone you wish to operate with iPhone Mirroring.
3. Relaunch the iPhone Mirroring App on Your Mac
Sometimes, the issue may not be related to your iPhone or Mac but to the iPhone Mirroring app. There may be a software glitch that renders the feature unusable. If you are fortunate, simply relaunching the iPhone Mirroring app on the Mac will be able to fix the issue. Here’s how you can do it:
- Click the Apple logo located in the menu bar and select Force Quit.
- Now, select iPhone Mirroring from the list of apps and hit Force Quit.
- Open the iPhone Mirroring app again to see if the issue has been fixed.
4. Disable VPN and Check the Firewall Settings on Your Mac
iPhone Mirroring depends on the local network to discover nearby Macs. However, having VPN enabled on your devices can sometimes interfere with the process and prevent the future from working correctly. As a result, you may want to disconnect your iPhone and Mac from a VPN to see if that fixes the problem.
- To turn off VPN on iPhone: Go to the Settings app or the VPN app on your iPhone and toggle off VPN.
- To turn off VPN on a Mac: Navigate to System Settings > VPN or the VPN app and click disconnect.
Once you turn off the VPN, you should also go to System Settings > Network > Firewall and check your Firewall settings. You may run into issues if you have set the Firewall to block all incoming connections.
5. Reset iPhone Mirroring and Reconnect Your iPhone
Sometimes, network glitches between your iPhone and Mac can also prevent iPhone Mirroring from functioning correctly. In most cases, you should be able to resolve such connectivity issues by simply unlinking your iPhone from the iPhone Mirroring app on your Mac and setting up a fresh connection.
- Launch the iPhone Mirroring app on your Mac.
- Click iPhone Mirroring from the menu bar and select Settings.
- From the resulting window, click Reset iPhone Access.
- Finally, hit Reset to confirm your action and disconnect.
Note: You can also stop your iPhone from connecting to your Mac via the iOS Settings app. Simply go to Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity > iPhone Mirroring and tap the Minus icon next to a Mac.
The steps above should allow you to disconnect your iPhone from iPhone Mirroring. Once you do that, you should refer to our guide on how to use iPhone Mirroring to learn how to set up a new connection.
6. Reset the Network Settings on iPhone
If you still can’t get iPhone Mirroring to work, there could be a connectivity issue. To resolve this, you can try resetting the network settings on your iPhone. Note that this will erase all saved Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth pairings, and VPN settings, so try this only after you have exhausted other options.
- Launch the Settings app on your iPhone and navigate to General.
- Scroll down to the end of the page and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- From the resulting page, tap Reset and select Reset Network Settings.
- Now, enter your lock screen password and tap Reset Network Settings.
7. Check for iOS and macOS Updates
Both iOS and macOS receive regular software updates to fix bugs and improve performance. If iPhone Mirroring is not working, it could be due to a bug, and you need to update your devices to fix this.
- On your iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is available, hit install.
- On your Mac: Go to System Settings > Software Update and install any available macOS updates.