There are several ways to control your iPhone using your Mac. The easiest is to use Switch Control, a built-in feature on your Apple devices. This is a helpful feature for when your phone’s screen is inaccessible and you need to see or do something on your iPhone. Follow the steps below.
Add the Mac as a Switch and Configure the Functions To Control iPhone from Mac.
Before you can allow the Mac to control your iPhone, you will need to add the computer as an external switch.
- Go to the settings menu on your iPhone. Select “Accessibility”.
- Click on the “Switch Control” option under the Physical and Motor category.
- Once you are in the Switch Control panel, tap on “Switches”.
- You can add your Mac as a new switch by tapping on the “Add New Switch” option.
- Select a switch source. Follow the instructions on the screen to configure your switch.
- the switch beside “Switch Control” on the panel.
Use Switch Control
Switch Control only works if the iPhone and the Mac are using the same Wi-Fi network. You can check this by opening the Settings app on your iPhone and then tapping Wi-Fi.
Check which network it is connected to. Then on your Mac’s menu bar, find the Wi-Fi icon and click on that. If the network your Mac is connected to isn’t the same as your iPhone, switch to the right one.
Sign in to your iCloud account on both devices. As before, the phone and computer must be signed into the same account for the Switch Control to work.
- Enable Switch Control on your Mac by going to the System Preferences. You can find this on the menu bar or search for it on Finder.
- Click on “Accessibility”.
- Once you’re on the Accessibility menu, scroll down to find “Switch Control” on the list found on the left side.
- Click the tab marked “General,” then enable the feature by ticking the box next to the “Enable Switch Control” option. You will be asked to key in your password to unlock the feature.
- After enabling Switch Control, its home panel will pop up. Look for the icon marked “Devices” and click on that.
- Your computer will search for any devices available. Select your phone from the list. After clicking on it, a notice on your iPhone will indicate that it is ready to be controlled by your Mac. You’d be able to see the iPhone’s screen on the Mac.
Once you’re done with your task, stop controlling the iPhone by going to the Home Panel and clicking on the Devices button one more time. Select “Disconnect” to disable the active connections between the Mac and your iPhone.
Switch Control enables you to view the phone’s screen on the Mac so you can play games, write and send messages and emails, or look at photos.
FAQs
Yes, you can stream videos, audio, and photos from your phone on your Mac using AirPlay Receiver. Go to Mac’s System Preferences. Click on the “Sharing” option and choose AirPlay Receiver.
Yes. You can connect your phone to your Mac or Macbook via a Lightning to USB cable. Launch QuickTime on the Mac, then click on the “File” option from the menu bar. Select “New Movie Recording,” then click on the down arrow found next to the record button. Find the iPhone on the list of devices.
Maybe there’s a problem with the connection. Triple-click on the home button and switch it off. You can also go to the Switch Control menu on your iPhone in Settings and turn it off.
Yes, you can control your Mac with an iPhone or any other Apple gadget using Switch Control. Connect the Mac and the iPhone to the same Wi-Fi network and log into the same Apple ID. On the accessibility menu on your Mac, enable “platform switching” to control your computer. For your iPhone, turn on Switch Control on the settings menu. On the switch menu, find your Mac and begin controlling it with your iPhone.
No, there is no way for you to switch on your iPhone without pressing the power button.