You open iPhone Mirroring on your Mac and get told it's unable to connect to your iPhone. The quickest wins are usually the phone's lock state and the wireless settings on both devices. From there, the fixes below cover the connection requirements, features that get in the way, and how to reset mirroring access when nothing else works.
Keep your iPhone locked and close to your Mac
Place your powered-on iPhone within 30 feet (10 meters) of your Mac. Lock its screen and stop using the phone directly while you connect.
Next, quit the iPhone Mirroring app on your Mac by pressing Command-Q. Reopen it from the Dock or Applications and retry with the iPhone still locked.
App won't quit normally? Press Option-Command-Esc, select iPhone Mirroring, and click Force Quit. Then reopen the app and try again.
Turn on the required wireless settings
Both devices need Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Handoff enabled.
- 1.On your iPhone, open Settings > Wi-Fi and turn on Wi-Fi.
- 2.Open Settings > Bluetooth and turn on Bluetooth.
- 3.Go to Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity and enable Handoff.
- 4.On your Mac, open the Apple menu > System Settings > Wi-Fi and enable Wi-Fi, even if you use Ethernet for internet access.
- 5.In System Settings, open Bluetooth and turn on Bluetooth.
- 6.Open General > AirDrop & Continuity and enable Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices. On earlier eligible macOS releases, this pane is called AirDrop & Handoff.
Check the requirements if mirroring has never connected
If mirroring has never worked on this pair of devices, the cause is usually a missing requirement: compatible hardware, matching Apple Accounts, or the right security settings. Check all of these before you reset anything.
Your iPhone must run iOS 18 or later. Your Mac must run macOS Sequoia 15 or later and have Apple silicon or the Apple T2 Security Chip. Update compatible devices. Unsupported hardware needs a compatible replacement.
Compare the Apple Account at the top of your iPhone's Settings with the one in your Mac's System Settings. Both devices must use the same system Apple Account.
If your iPhone is signed out, open Settings > Apple Account > Sign in Manually and complete sign-in and verification. On a signed-out Mac, open the Apple menu > System Settings > Sign in and use that same account.
Turn on two-factor authentication if your account doesn't already use it. On iPhone, open Settings > your name > Sign-In & Security and follow the prompts. On your Mac, the same option lives under System Settings > your name > Sign-In & Security.
No iPhone passcode? Open Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Turn Passcode On, then enter and confirm one. Touch ID models use Touch ID & Passcode instead.
Finally, read the error for a country or region restriction. Apple currently lists iPhone Mirroring as unavailable in the European Union and documents no supported settings workaround.
Free up features that conflict with mirroring
If your Mac is sharing its internet connection, open the Apple menu > System Settings > General > Sharing and turn off Internet Sharing.
To end an active AirPlay screen session, use the sending iPhone's Control Center > Screen Mirroring > Stop Mirroring. For video streaming, tap the app's AirPlay button and pick the iPhone instead of the receiving Mac.
Using an iPad with Sidecar? Tap the disconnect button in the iPad's Sidecar sidebar.
If your iPhone is working as your Mac's camera, tap Disconnect on the iPhone's Continuity Camera screen. Lock the phone again before retrying mirroring.
Also stop any other Bluetooth or Wi-Fi streaming and heavy wireless activity on either device.
If the connection still fails after all that, restart both devices and install their latest compatible updates.
Restart both devices and update their software
Start with a normal restart, then install any compatible updates on offer.
- 1.On your Mac, open the Apple menu > Restart, then confirm with Restart.
- 2.On your iPhone, open Settings > General > Shut Down and drag the power-off slider. Hold the side button to turn it back on.
- 3.On your Mac, open the Apple menu > System Settings > General > Software Update and install the offered compatible update.
- 4.Back up your iPhone and connect it to power and Wi-Fi. Open Settings > General > Software Update and tap Download and Install when offered.
- 5.Once the updates finish, lock your iPhone and reopen iPhone Mirroring on your Mac.
Make sure the Mac is connecting to the right iPhone
With several eligible iPhones nearby, your Mac may be reaching for the wrong one. Open iPhone Mirroring > Settings > Change iPhone and choose the phone you want.
On macOS Tahoe 26.4 or later, you can also go to the Apple menu > System Settings > General > AirDrop & Continuity and pick the phone from the iPhone pop-up menu. This selector only appears with multiple eligible iPhones nearby.
On macOS Sequoia 15 or macOS Tahoe earlier than 26.4, open the Apple menu > System Settings > Desktop & Dock instead and pick the phone from the iPhone pop-up menu just below iPhone Widgets. Some older guides also mention a button called Reset iPhone Access; the current control is Revoke iPhone Access.
If picking the correct phone doesn't clear the error, check whether a VPN or security setting is blocking communication between your devices.
Stop a VPN or firewall from blocking the connection
A VPN that blocks local networking can stop your iPhone and Mac from talking to each other.
To test it, temporarily disable the networking features of any VPN or security apps on both devices. If mirroring then works, use your VPN provider's documented control to permit local networking. There is no universal setting label for this.
To disconnect a Mac VPN through built-in settings, open the Apple menu > System Settings > VPN and turn the VPN service off.
For the Mac firewall, open the Apple menu > System Settings > Network > Firewall > Options. If Block all incoming connections is on, turn it off.
Restart after any networking or security-app change, then retry mirroring.
On a work or school device, ask your administrator whether iPhone Mirroring is permitted on both devices and whether the organization's VPN allows local networking.
Reset mirroring access and connect again
On your Mac, open iPhone Mirroring > Settings and select Revoke iPhone Access.
Reopen iPhone Mirroring to start setup again.
Click Connect or Continue, whichever appears.
Enter your iPhone passcode on the iPhone when asked.
Choose Ask Every Time or Authenticate Automatically.
If your iPhone shows Trust This Computer?, tap Trust.
If your Mac shows Allow accessory to connect?, click Allow.
Tip: you can also remove an existing Mac pairing from your iPhone through Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity > iPhone Mirroring > Edit, then select the Mac to remove.
Try deeper fixes when connection problems persist
Move the devices closer together and clear away metal objects or other obstructions between them. Keep them away from microwave ovens and other sources of wireless interference.
Move USB 3 or Thunderbolt 3 hubs and cables away from the Mac and iPhone, and turn off unused USB 3 devices before retrying.
If Wi-Fi itself is failing, test another working network or restart your router or modem by unplugging and reconnecting its power. Joining the same Wi-Fi network is not a universal requirement for iPhone Mirroring.
Save a network reset for an iPhone whose underlying connectivity is still broken. Open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This resets saved Wi-Fi passwords and network, cellular, VPN, and APN settings, so reconnect afterward. VPN settings installed by a configuration profile or device management stay in place; remove those through Settings > General > VPN & Device Management or ask your administrator.
If none of the earlier fixes work, sign out of your Apple Account on both devices as a last resort. This temporarily disables iCloud services. On iPhone, open Settings > your name > Sign Out > Sign Out But Don't Erase, follow the prompts, and choose Confirm and Sign Out. On Mac, open the Apple menu > System Settings > your name > Sign Out, keeping needed data with Keep a Copy. Restart both devices, sign back in to the same account, and set up mirroring again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does iPhone Mirroring work on Windows?
No. iPhone Mirroring is a Mac feature. Apple Devices on Windows can update an iPhone, but it does not provide iPhone Mirroring.
Can I download or reinstall iPhone Mirroring separately?
The app is included with macOS Sequoia 15 or later, so you open it from the Dock, Applications, or Spotlight rather than downloading it. Apple's troubleshooting steps don't include reinstalling it; reset its mirroring access with Revoke iPhone Access instead.
Does tapping Wi-Fi or Bluetooth in Control Center fully turn it off?
Dimming those buttons normally disconnects networks or accessories while preserving Continuity availability. Use Settings > Wi-Fi or Settings > Bluetooth to completely turn a radio off and back on.
Can I update my iPhone through my Mac if wireless updating fails?
Yes. Connect the iPhone to your Mac, open Finder, select the iPhone in the sidebar, and choose General > Check for Update > Download and Update. Enter the iPhone passcode if requested.