Did you know that you can use your Mac to view photos, play audio, and watch videos from your iPhone? If you have macOS 12 or later, then you can even mirror your iPhone screen to your Mac. This feature is especially useful if you find your phone’s screen too small for everyday viewing of photos and video.
You can mirror your iPhone to your Mac using your Mac’s QuickTime app or your iPhone’s Screen Mirroring feature. To mirror content from the iPhone, just tap the ‘AirPlay’ icon from within a given app or select the ‘Screen Mirroring’ icon from the Control Center.
It’s important to note that AirPlay to Mac is only available on MacBook Air (2018 or later), MacBook Pro (2018 or later), iMac Pro (2017), iMac (2019 or later), Mac Pro (2019), and Mac mini (2020 or later), and it’s only compatible with iPhone 7 or later. Let’s look at how you can use both the Quicktime app and the Screen Mirroring feature as well as how you can play audio from your iPhone on a Mac.
How to Mirror Your iPhone on a Mac With AirPlay
AirPlay is an exclusive Apple feature that allows you to wirelessly stream video and audio content from one device to another. You can use the feature to stream from your Mac, iPad, or iPhone to your Apple TV or any other smart TV that’s compatible with AirPlay.
You can do this by directly using an app that works with AirPlay, such as Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, or Apple TV+, or by AirPlaying your iPhone’s entire screen through the Control Center.
However, before you start mirroring your iPhone to your Mac, make sure that both devices are connected to the same WiFi network, or the AirPlay feature won’t work.
How to Set Up Your Mac to Allow Streaming From iPhone
- If you have macOS Ventura, select the Apple menu’s ‘Settings,’ click on ‘General’ in the sidebar, choose the ‘Sharing’ option on the right, switch on ‘AirPlay Receiver,’ and then click on the ‘Info’ button.
If you have macOS 12.5 or earlier, go to the Apple Menu, select ‘System Preferences,’ click on ‘Sharing,’ and then switch on ‘AirPlay Receiver.’ - Choose any one option under ‘Allow AirPlay for.’ If you want to allow only those devices that have the same Apple ID as your Mac to stream to your computer, choose ‘Current User.’ However, if you want to allow others, choose ‘Everyone’ or ‘Anyone on the Same Network.’
- If you want your Mac to ask for a password before you can use AirPlay, click on the option, and then enter your password in the given text field.
How to Use AirPlay to Mirror From iPhone
- If you’re AirPlaying directly from within an app, simply start playing content, like a movie or show, and select the ‘AirPlay’ option (a rectangle with a triangle at the bottom) located in the upper-right corner of your screen.
- If you’re AirPlaying by opening the Control Center, tap on the ‘Screen Mirroring’ icon.
- Once you’ve tapped on either the Control Center’s Screen Mirroring icon or the app’s AirPlay symbol, a pop-up will appear that asks you to select the device you want to mirror to. Select your Mac’s name.
- Your iPhone may also ask you to enter an AirPlay Code. This code will appear on your Mac’s screen, and you simply need to type it into your iPhone’s text box, and then select ‘OK.’
- The content playing on your iPhone will now be displayed on the screen of your Mac.
How to Mirror Your iPhone on a Mac With QuickTime
- Use a Lightning to USB cable to connect your Mac to your iPhone.
- Launch the QuickTime app on your Mac.
- Select ‘File’ in the menu bar located at the top of your screen.
- Select ‘New Movie Recording.’
- Click on the downward arrow next to the record button at the bottom middle of the screen.
- Select your iPhone (or iPad) from the list of all available devices. If your iPhone isn’t on the list, try disconnecting and reconnecting it.
- Your iPhone should now be mirrored on your Mac, showing the exact shape of your phone’s screen.
How to Play Audio From Your iPhone on a Mac
- Launch an audio app, like Music or Podcasts, on your iPhone, and select an item to play.
- Tap the ‘AirPlay’ icon (a small triangle in front of three circles), and choose a playback destination.
- You can also tap the ‘AirPlay’ icon in the Control Center or on the Lock Screen to choose the playback destination.