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How to mirror your iPhone screen to a Mac
There are two main reasons to mirror your iPhone screen on a Mac — the first being that it happens to be the biggest display to show something on, the second that it’s better for some screenshot and video recording tasks. Whatever your reason, there are two easy ways to do it.
QUICK ANSWER
On your iPhone, open Control Center, then tap the Screen Mirroring icon, which resembles two overlapping rectangles. Select your Mac as the target. When you're finished, tap the Screen Mirroring icon again, then Stop Mirroring.
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How to mirror your iPhone screen to a Mac by using AirPlay
AirPlay should be your default option, since it’s built into iOS, and lets you mirror wirelessly in a few taps. Here’s what to do:
- On your iPhone’s homescreen, swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center.
- Tap on the Screen Mirroring icon, which is two overlapping rectangles.
- Choose your Mac as the target device.
- If needed, enter an AirPlay code displayed on your Mac.
- When you’re done, open Control Center again, tap the Screen Mirroring icon, then Stop Mirroring.
If you only want to mirror app content rather than the complete iPhone interface, search for an AirPlay icon, which looks like a square with a triangle at the base. Only some apps support this, typically photo and video apps.
Tap the icon and select your Mac to begin casting. To stop, tap the icon again and select your iPhone as the target, or else (in the case of apps like Photos) Turn off AirPlay.
If your Mac is refusing to appear as an AirPlay target, it may be a settings issue. In macOS Ventura, go to Apple menu > System Settings > General > AirPlay and Handoff then turn on AirPlay Receiver.
How to mirror your iPhone screen to a Mac by using QuickTime
This method is usually less than ideal, since it requires a physical connection and an app that wasn’t built for the task. It may offer less latency though, and you’ll get the option to record a video straight to your Mac.
Follow these steps:
- Connect your iPhone to your Mac via USB cable.
- Open QuickTime.
- In the menu bar, click File, then New Movie Recording.
- Click the down arrow next to the red Record button.
- Choose your iPhone.
- When you’re done, select a different video source or close QuickTime.
That’s it. If you want to record, all you need to do is hit the Record button when your iPhone is selected as a source.
Read more: How to use AirPlay to mirror your iPhone or Mac on Roku TV