iPhone Mirroring Not Working on Mac? Requirements and Fixes

You open iPhone Mirroring on your Mac, but it won’t connect to your iPhone, or the feature isn’t there at all.

Why: iPhone Mirroring is a newer Continuity feature with specific software and account requirements. If your Mac or iPhone is too old, they’re on different Apple Accounts, or the Mac is busy with AirPlay or Sidecar, the connection won’t form.

Fix 1: Confirm the requirements

iPhone Mirroring needs all of these:

1. A Mac with Apple silicon or a T2 Security Chip, running macOS Sequoia 15 or later.
2. An iPhone running iOS 18 or later with a passcode set.
3. Both devices signed in to the same Apple Account with two-factor authentication.
4. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on at both ends, with the iPhone locked and near the Mac.

iPhone Mirroring is currently unavailable in the European Union, so the feature won’t appear if your region is set there.

Fix 2: Clear the blockers on the Mac

The Mac can’t be doing certain other things at the same time.

• Stop AirPlay and Sidecar if either is running.
• Turn off Internet Sharing on the Mac.
• If Bluetooth or Wi-Fi is being used heavily for something else (streaming audio or video to another device), that can interrupt the connection.

Fix 3: Start it from the Dock and authenticate

1. Click the iPhone Mirroring icon in the Dock (or open it from Applications or Spotlight).
2. When prompted, unlock the iPhone by entering its passcode.
3. Grant notification permission and choose whether to ask each time or connect automatically.
4. Your iPhone screen then appears on the Mac.

Fix 4: Update, restart, and check security software

1. Install the latest macOS and iOS updates, then restart both devices.
2. Check that a VPN, firewall, or third-party security app isn’t blocking the connection.
3. If it still won’t connect, reset iPhone Mirroring access and set it up again, or sign out and back in to your Apple Account on both devices.

FAQ

Why is iPhone Mirroring missing from my Mac? It only appears on a Mac with Apple silicon or a T2 chip running macOS Sequoia 15 or later, and it’s unavailable in the European Union.

Does my iPhone have to be unlocked? No — the iPhone should be locked and near the Mac. You enter the passcode once when starting iPhone Mirroring; it then stays locked to everyone else while you use it from the Mac.

Sources: Apple Support — iPhone Mirroring: Use your iPhone from your Mac, Apple Support — Continuity features and requirements for Apple devices