To turn off iPhone Mirroring on your Mac, open iPhone Mirroring, choose iPhone Mirroring > Settings from the menu bar, then click Revoke iPhone Access. This removes the saved pairing and forwarded iPhone notifications. To end only your current session, quit the app instead.
The short version
- Remove saved access: Choose Revoke iPhone Access in the iPhone Mirroring app’s Settings.
- Stop one session: Press Command + Q with iPhone Mirroring active, or unlock and use your physical iPhone.
- Remove access from iPhone: Open Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity > iPhone Mirroring, then delete the Mac.
- Stop forwarded alerts: Turn off Allow notifications from iPhone in your Mac’s notification settings.
| Method | What it does |
|---|---|
| Choose Revoke iPhone Access on Mac | Removes pairing and forwarded notifications |
| Swipe left on the Mac and tap Delete on iPhone | Removes access, forwarded notifications and Live Activities |
| Use Edit in the iPhone’s mirroring settings | Removes the selected Mac’s saved access |
| Choose Quit iPhone Mirroring or press Command + Q | Ends the session and keeps saved access |
| Choose Quit from the Dock | Ends the session through the app’s Dock menu |
| Unlock and use the physical iPhone | Automatically stops the current session |
| Use Force Quit | Closes an unresponsive app without revoking access |
| Restart or forcibly shut down the Mac | Ends the running session and preserves authorization |
| Turn off Allow notifications from iPhone | Stops all forwarded iPhone notifications |
| Turn off apps under Mirror iPhone Notifications From | Stops selected apps’ forwarded notifications |
| Turn off Show on Mac on iPhone | Keeps that app’s alerts on your phone only |
| Turn off an app’s Allow Notifications on iPhone | Disables its iPhone alerts and their forwarding |
| Turn off Allow Live Activities from iPhone | Stops forwarded Live Activities |
| Close one expanded Live Activity | Dismisses that activity for its duration |
| Select Ask Every Time | Requires authentication for future sessions |
| Remove the app from Open at Login | Stops automatic startup when the app is listed |
| Deselect Reopen windows when logging back in | Prevents apps reopening through session restoration |
| Turn off iPhone Apps in Spotlight settings | Hides iPhone app entries from search |
| Choose Remove Widget | Removes a widget that can launch mirroring |
| Drag the app’s icon out of the Dock | Removes its shortcut and keeps saved access |
| Tap Stop Mirroring in Control Center | Stops an AirPlay screen session |
| Turn off AirPlay Receiver | Disables incoming AirPlay on the Mac |
| Set Automatically AirPlay to Never | Stops automatic AirPlay connections |
Remove saved iPhone Mirroring access on your Mac
Open iPhone Mirroring, then click the iPhone Mirroring menu in the Mac menu bar. Select Settings and click Revoke iPhone Access. These steps work on a compatible MacBook or desktop Mac running macOS Sequoia 15 or later.
Revoking access resets the pairing and removes forwarded iPhone notifications, so connecting that iPhone again requires setup. Your app may show the older label Revoke Access to [name of your iPhone] for the same control. Removing the app’s Dock icon or hiding its window does not revoke access.
Remove your Mac from the iPhone
On your physical iPhone, open Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity > iPhone Mirroring. Swipe left on the Mac’s name, then tap Delete. This removes that Mac’s saved mirroring access and stops it receiving forwarded notifications and Live Activities.
You can also tap Edit on the same screen and select the Mac to remove. Check the computer’s name before removing it, especially when more than one Mac is listed. You can complete either method directly from your phone.
End only the current mirroring session
Bring iPhone Mirroring to the front, then choose iPhone Mirroring > Quit iPhone Mirroring. The keyboard shortcut is Command + Q. You can also right-click its running Dock icon and select Quit.
Unlocking and using your physical iPhone automatically stops mirroring, too. These options end the session while preserving saved access and notification forwarding. If alerts are what you want to stop, use the notification settings below or revoke access.
Force quit when the app will not close
If ordinary quitting fails, press Option + Command + Esc to open the force quit window. Select iPhone Mirroring, then click Force Quit. You can also open that window through the Apple menu > Force Quit; the steps to force quit a frozen Mac app cover this fallback. Force quitting can lose unsaved work.
If force quitting does not help, choose Apple menu > Restart. If the Mac cannot restart, hold the Power button for up to 10 seconds until it turns off; on a MacBook with Touch ID, hold the Touch ID button. The steps to restart an unresponsive computer cover this fallback, but a forced shutdown can also lose unsaved work.
Force quitting or restarting ends the running session and leaves authorization intact. Once the Mac responds again, use Revoke iPhone Access if you want to remove the pairing.
Turn off iPhone notifications and Live Activities
To stop all forwarded iPhone notifications, open Apple menu > System Settings > Notifications > Allow notifications from iPhone. Turn off Allow notifications from iPhone. Your saved mirroring access remains intact.
For selected apps, keep the main switch enabled and turn off individual apps under Mirror iPhone Notifications From. You can make an app-specific change on your iPhone through Settings > Notifications, select the app, then turn off Show on Mac. That leaves the app’s notifications enabled on your phone.
To silence an app on both devices, select it under your iPhone’s Settings > Notifications and turn off Allow Notifications. If the app’s setting says it’s installed on your Mac, your Mac shows notifications from the Mac app instead; turn those off in the Mac’s System Settings > Notifications, under Application Notifications. Follow the steps to turn off iPhone notification alerts when you also want the phone’s alerts disabled.
On macOS Tahoe 26 or later, the Mac’s Allow notifications from iPhone settings also include Allow Live Activities from iPhone. Turn that switch off to stop forwarded Live Activities. To dismiss just one activity for its duration, click it in the Mac menu bar, move your pointer over the expanded view, then click the close button.
Require authentication and prevent automatic opening
To keep pairing but require authentication for future sessions, open iPhone Mirroring > Settings and select Ask Every Time. This changes how you connect next time without revoking access or turning off forwarded notifications.
If the app opens when you log in, open Apple menu > System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions. Under Open at Login, select iPhone Mirroring when it is listed, then click the Remove button. You can still launch the app manually.
Session restoration can also reopen apps after logout or restart. When choosing Log Out, Restart, or Shut Down from the Apple menu, deselect Reopen windows when logging back in in the confirmation dialog. This prevents restored windows without removing mirroring authorization.
Remove shortcuts that launch mirroring
On macOS Tahoe 26 or later, open Apple menu > System Settings > Spotlight and turn off iPhone Apps. This hides iPhone app entries from Spotlight while keeping your saved mirroring access.
An iPhone widget can open its app through iPhone Mirroring. To remove an unwanted widget, right-click it on the desktop or in Notification Center and choose Remove Widget. For the Dock shortcut, quit iPhone Mirroring, drag its icon out of the Dock until Remove appears, then release it.
Removing shortcuts changes where you can launch the app without disabling access. iPhone Mirroring is included with macOS Sequoia 15 or later. Use Revoke iPhone Access when your goal is to disconnect the phone.
Stop AirPlay screen mirroring instead
If you started screen mirroring from your iPhone’s Control Center, open Control Center, tap Screen Mirroring, then tap Stop Mirroring. Those controls stop an AirPlay screen session. The steps to mirror an iPhone with AirPlay explain that separate feature.
To prevent incoming AirPlay on your Mac, open System Settings > General > AirDrop & Continuity and turn off AirPlay Receiver. To stop automatic AirPlay connections from your iPhone, open Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity > Automatically AirPlay and select Never. Neither setting removes authorization for the iPhone Mirroring app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove mirroring access from a session notification?
You can remove access through the notification on your physical iPhone reporting a live or recent mirroring session. Tap that notification, tap Edit, then select the Mac you want to remove.
Will iPhone Mirroring disconnect automatically after inactivity?
The connection automatically pauses after inactivity. Apple does not publish an exact timeout, and the pause does not remove saved access.
Does moving my iPhone away stop notifications on my Mac?
Moving your iPhone away does not stop forwarded notifications, which can still arrive remotely. Screen mirroring requires the devices to be within 30 feet (10 meters). Moving beyond that range does not revoke pairing.
Can I use Safety Check to review mirroring access?
You can review and remove mirroring access through Settings > Privacy & Security > Safety Check > Manage Sharing & Access on your iPhone. Complete the people and app reviews, then tap Continue to reach the account and device review. Review and remove computers with iPhone Mirroring set up, then tap Done. This requires iOS 18 or later, account sign-in and two-factor authentication; management or Screen Time restrictions can limit the available options.
Does selecting a different iPhone remove the previous phone’s access?
Changing the selected iPhone leaves the previous phone’s saved access intact. On macOS 26.4 or later, choose another eligible nearby phone under System Settings > General > AirDrop & Continuity > iPhone. On earlier versions, use System Settings > Desktop & Dock > iPhone, below iPhone Widgets.