Set up your Mac Studio as a server
Your Mac Studio can act as a server or network-attached storage (NAS) device, accessible from another Mac or Windows computer. When you set up your Mac Studio as a server, you can use built-in macOS features to share files, enable remote access, run local models, build and run agentic AI, and more.
Note: You must complete the initial setup of your Mac Studio before you can set it up as a server.
Before you begin
Make sure of the following:
Your Mac Studio is connected to a display, keyboard, and mouse or trackpad. (See Connect accessories to your Mac Studio.)
Note: If you choose to use your Mac Studio without a display, you can do so after setting it up. See Run your Mac Studio without a display (if you want).
Your other Mac or Windows computer is connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
You’ve set up a strong login password on your Mac Studio.
You have the IP address of your Mac Studio.
Tip: For a more consistent connection, consider changing the TCP/IP settings on your Mac Studio to use DHCP with a manual address, so its IP address doesn’t change over time.
Choose the server software that you want to use on your Mac
Server software enables other devices on your network to connect to and use resources on your Mac Studio. Depending on what you want to do, you might install a media server, a file management app, a local AI model host for running agentic AI tools, a database, or another type of server application. Most server software can be downloaded from the developer’s website or the Mac App Store.
Depending on the server software, you may want to configure your Mac for remote access or file sharing, or use SSH to connect to your Mac. Or you may use the server software to configure these connections.
When it’s installed, follow the app’s instructions to complete setup. Configure the app to accept connections from other devices on your network. Make note of the port number that the app uses—you’ll need it when connecting from another computer.
Note: Setup steps vary depending on the server app you choose. Refer to the app’s documentation for specific instructions and configuration options.
Configure your Mac Studio settings
To avoid interruptions to your server, turn on the following settings.
Set up your Mac Studio to prevent it from sleeping: If your Mac Studio goes to sleep, currently running tasks and processes may be interrupted. To learn more, see Set sleep and wake settings for your Mac.
Turn on Firewall: This provides additional security for your server. Go to System Settings, click Network in the sidebar, then turn on Firewall. To learn more, see Block connections to your Mac with a firewall.
Note: If the server doesn’t work as expected, check your firewall to make sure it’s allowed to receive incoming connections.
Set up your Mac Studio to turn back on after a power outage: If your Mac Studio ever loses power, set it up to restart automatically. Go to System Settings, click Energy in the sidebar, then choose an option in the “Start up when power is connected” pop-up menu.
(Optional) Turn on automatic updates: This allows your Mac Studio to apply security updates, though you may decide that you want to choose to update manually. To adjust your settings, go to System Settings, click General in the sidebar, click Software Update, then turn on Automatic Update.
Decide how to access your Mac Studio for remote access
There are three ways to connect to your Mac Studio:
Use the server software’s tools: Your server software may have its own tools for remotely accessing your Mac Studio. Refer to the documentation that came with your software.
Use the command line with Remote Login: You can set up your Mac Studio to allow your other computers to remotely access it using SSH (Secure Shell). This lets you run commands, manage files, restart services, and more. Turn on Remote Login to allow secure command-line access from another computer.
Use Screen Sharing: You can manage your Mac Studio through screen sharing. See Share the screen of another Mac. If you’re using a Windows PC, you must use a third-party VNC client in order to use Screen Sharing.
Allow file sharing from your Mac Studio
You may want to share files so that other computers can access folders on your Mac Studio, allowing it to function as a NAS or household hub, as well as a server.
Your server software may have its own tools for file sharing with your Mac Studio. Refer to the documentation that came with your software.
To turn on file sharing on your Mac Studio, go to System Settings, click General in the sidebar, then click Sharing. Click
Tip: You can also set up a shared folder as a Time Machine backup destination for other Macs on your network. See Back up to a shared folder with Time Machine.
To connect to your Mac Studio after you’ve set up File Sharing, do one of the following:
To connect to your Mac Studio from another Mac: Open Finder on that Mac, choose Go > Connect to Server, then enter the IP address of your Mac Studio.
To connect to your Mac Studio from a Windows computer: Refer to the Windows documentation for instructions on how to connect to another computer by using either file sharing or SSH.
Run your Mac Studio without a display (if you want)
After you’ve set up your Mac Studio as a server, you can set it up to run without a display (sometimes called a “headless” setup). Screen Sharing lets you view and control your Mac Studio from another Mac on the same network, so you can manage your server remotely.
Note: If you want to use Screen Sharing with a Windows PC, you must use a third-party VNC client. After choosing a client that works for your needs, refer to the client’s documentation for set up instructions.
Make sure you have a means of managing your Mac Studio from another computer set up—either Remote Login, Screen Sharing, or settings turned on in your server software.
Tip: To improve the resolution of a virtual display on another Mac when you set up your Mac without a display, you can turn on High Performance Screen Sharing in the Screen Sharing app. To learn more, including system requirements to use High Performance Screen Sharing, see Screen sharing type options.
What’s next?
Your Mac Studio is now set up as a server. Note that if your Mac Studio restarts—for example after a power outage or a macOS update—some server apps may need to be relaunched manually unless you’ve configured them to start automatically. If you want to set up your server to start automatically, refer to the app’s documentation for automatic startup instructions.