Disclosure: we make SofaDeck, which is mentioned below. Facts about iOS, macOS, Windows and other products were checked on 26 October 2026 and can change with software updates. SofaDeck is not affiliated with or endorsed by Apple or Microsoft; all trademarks belong to their owners.
Short answer: on a Mac with macOS Sequoia (15) or later and an iPhone on iOS 18 or later, open the iPhone Mirroring app. Your iPhone appears in a window and you use it with the Mac's trackpad and keyboard while the phone stays locked on the desk. Older Macs can use Switch Control, which is slower but works. From a Windows PC you can answer calls, texts and notifications with Phone Link, but nothing on Windows can take over the iPhone's screen. The details, requirements and fixes are below.
If you meant the opposite — using the iPhone as a remote for the computer — read how to control your Mac from your iPhone or how to control a Windows PC from an iPhone.
Every way to control an iPhone from a computer
| Method | Computer | What you can do | Main limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone Mirroring | Mac, macOS 15+ | See and use the whole iPhone: apps, typing, notifications | iPhone must be locked and nearby; not offered in the EU |
| Switch Control | Any recent Mac | Operate the iPhone step by step with the Mac's keyboard | Slow: you scan and pick items, not click them |
| Phone Link | Windows 11 PC | Calls, texts, notifications, contacts | No screen, no apps, no control |
| QuickTime Movie Recording | Mac, with a cable | See the iPhone screen live on the Mac | View only |
| Screen-sharing apps (e.g. TeamViewer) | Mac or PC | Watch the iPhone screen remotely | View only; the helper cannot tap |
| Finder / Apple Devices app | Mac / Windows | Back up, sync and update the iPhone | Not live control |
iPhone Mirroring on a Mac, step by step
- Update the Mac to macOS Sequoia 15 or later and the iPhone to iOS 18 or later.
- Sign in to the same Apple Account on both, with two-factor authentication on, and turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both.
- Lock the iPhone and keep it near the Mac (charging on the desk is fine).
- On the Mac, open the iPhone Mirroring app from the Dock or Applications and click Continue.
- Unlock the iPhone once when asked to approve the connection, then choose whether the Mac asks for your password every time or signs in automatically.
- Use the iPhone in its window: click to tap, scroll with two fingers, type with the Mac keyboard. Cmd+1 goes to the Home Screen and Cmd+2 opens the app switcher.
While mirroring, the iPhone's sound plays through the Mac, and iPhone notifications appear in the Mac's Notification Center; clicking one opens it in the mirroring window. Recent versions also let you drag photos and files between the Mac and the mirrored iPhone. The phone's own screen stays dark and shows that it is in use if you pick it up — pick it up and unlock it, and mirroring pauses until you lock it again.
What you need for iPhone Mirroring
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mac | Apple silicon, or an Intel Mac with the Apple T2 Security Chip |
| macOS | macOS Sequoia 15 or later |
| iPhone | iOS 18 or later |
| Account | The same Apple Account on both, with two-factor authentication |
| Radios | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on, devices close together |
| iPhone state | Locked; not sharing its screen with AirPlay or acting as a Continuity Camera |
| Region | Not available in the European Union at the time of checking |
iPhone Mirroring not working: fixes in order
- Lock the iPhone. Mirroring will not start while the iPhone is unlocked and in your hand, and it stops when you unlock it.
- Check the Apple Account. On the Mac, open System Settings and click your name; on the iPhone, open Settings and tap your name. They must match exactly.
- Turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off and on on both devices, and keep them within a few metres of each other.
- Stop other Continuity sessions: end AirPlay to a TV, Sidecar, or using the iPhone as a webcam.
- Update both devices to the newest macOS and iOS, then restart both.
- Remove and re-add the iPhone: on the Mac, open the iPhone Mirroring app's settings and reset access, then approve the connection again on the iPhone.
Older Macs: Switch Control
Switch Control is an accessibility feature for people who use switches instead of a touchscreen, and it can drive another Apple device on the same Apple Account and Wi-Fi. On the Mac, open System Settings → Accessibility → Switch Control and turn it on. In the Switch Control panel that appears, choose Devices and pick your iPhone. The Mac's switch (by default a key such as the space bar) then scans through items on the iPhone's screen one group at a time, and you press it to select.
It is much slower than iPhone Mirroring — think of it as stepping through the screen rather than clicking — but it works on Macs that can't run Sequoia, and it is genuinely useful for someone who can't hold or tap a phone. To stop, press Escape or turn Switch Control off.
From a Windows PC: what Phone Link can and can't do
Microsoft's Phone Link app on Windows 11 pairs with an iPhone over Bluetooth. Once paired you can:
- Make and answer calls through the PC's speakers and microphone.
- Read and send one-to-one text messages (sent from the PC; past conversation history, group chats and photos are limited).
- See and dismiss iPhone notifications on the PC.
- Look up contacts.
It can't show the iPhone's screen, open iPhone apps or move files the way Android's Phone Link can. Apple does not let any Windows app take control of an iPhone's touchscreen, so "control iPhone from PC" tools that promise more are either mirroring the screen for viewing or need the phone in your hand.
Be wary of "remote control any iPhone" downloads. iOS does not allow it, so software claiming full control from a Windows PC usually means screen viewing only, a jailbroken phone, or something you shouldn't install.
Which should you use?
| You want to… | Use |
|---|---|
| Reply to an app message without picking up the phone (Mac) | iPhone Mirroring |
| Use an iPhone-only app on a big screen (Mac) | iPhone Mirroring |
| Operate the iPhone without touching it at all | Switch Control (Mac) or Voice Control on the iPhone itself |
| Answer iPhone calls and texts on a Windows PC | Phone Link |
| Show the iPhone screen to a room or a recording (Mac) | QuickTime Movie Recording with a cable |
| Help a relative with their iPhone remotely | A screen-sharing app: you watch and talk them through it |
Going the other way: the iPhone as a remote for the computer
Often the real job is the reverse: you're on the sofa with the phone and want the computer to pause a film, change the volume or open an app. That's what SofaDeck does. It's a small app for Windows and Mac that puts big buttons and a voice remote on your iPhone's browser over your home Wi-Fi — no App Store download, pairing by QR code. See controlling a Mac from an iPhone for the Mac setup, and Mac automation for putting Shortcuts on one-tap buttons.
Direct installer .exe · 3.7 MB Store version signed by Microsoft No account Local network only Signed updates SofaDeck installs on your Windows PC. Your phone is the remote — it works in the phone’s browser.One email from support@dixonappstudio.com. No list unless you tick the box. PrivacyOr on your PC, go to sofadeck.com/getFrequently asked questions
Can I control my iPhone from my Mac?
Yes. iPhone Mirroring (macOS Sequoia 15 or later with iOS 18 or later) shows your iPhone's screen in a window on the Mac and lets you use it with the Mac's trackpad, mouse and keyboard while the iPhone stays locked nearby. On older Macs, Switch Control in Accessibility settings can operate an iPhone on the same Apple Account, more slowly.
Why is iPhone Mirroring not showing up on my Mac?
Check the basics: the Mac runs macOS Sequoia or later and has Apple silicon or an Intel T2 chip, the iPhone runs iOS 18 or later, both use the same Apple Account with two-factor authentication, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on, and the iPhone is locked and close by. Apple has not offered iPhone Mirroring in the European Union, so it is missing there.
Can I control my iPhone from a Windows PC?
Not fully. Microsoft's Phone Link connects an iPhone to Windows 11 for calls, messages, notifications and contacts, but it cannot show or operate the iPhone's screen. Screen-mirroring receivers can display the iPhone on a PC, but iOS does not let a computer take over its touchscreen.
Can I remotely access my iPhone from a computer over the internet?
Not as a full remote control. iOS lets screen-sharing apps such as TeamViewer show the iPhone's screen to a helper, but the helper can only watch and point, not tap. iPhone Mirroring needs the iPhone physically near the Mac.