Use your Mac with Apple Vision Pro

Find out how to use Apple Vision Pro as a private, portable 4K display for your Mac with Mac Virtual Display.

A Mac computer screen appears inside the view of Apple Vision Pro

Before you begin

First, make sure your Mac meets the system requirements. You can use Mac Virtual Display with any Mac that is running macOS 14 Sonoma or later.

Then, check these things on your Mac and your Apple Vision Pro:

  • Sign in on both devices with the same Apple ID and make sure your account has two-factor authentication turned on.

  • Turn on iCloud Keychain on both devices. On your Mac, go to System Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Passwords & Keychain, then turn on Sync this Mac. On your Apple Vision Pro, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Passwords & Keychain, then turn on Sync this Apple Vision Pro.

  • Make sure both devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on.

Start a Mac Virtual Display session

Mac Virtual Display can only connect your Apple Vision Pro to one Mac at a time.

If you have a compatible Mac laptop, you can start a Mac Virtual Display session by looking at it. If you have a Mac desktop, start by opening Control Centre.

If you have a Mac laptop

  1. Make sure your Mac laptop is open and its display is active.

  2. While wearing Apple Vision Pro, look at your Mac laptop.

  3. Tap the Connect button that will appear in your view above your Mac laptop.

If you can‘t see the Connect button above your Mac laptop, follow the steps in the next section.

If you have a Mac desktop computer

  1. Look up, then tap near the top of your view to open Control Centre.

  2. Tap the Control Centre button to see more options.

  3. Tap the Mac Virtual Display button.

  4. Select your Mac from the list that appears.

Using Mac Virtual Display

When your Mac is connected, its display will appear as a window in Apple Vision Pro. Just like with all windows in your Apple Vision Pro workspace, you can pinch and drag the window bar that appears at the bottom of the window to move your Mac display and arrange it closer or further away in the space. You can also resize Mac Virtual Display by pinching and dragging the window bars that will appear in either bottom corner of the window.

Use your Mac computer’s built-in keyboard and trackpad, or its connected Bluetooth keyboard and trackpad, to work on your Mac within Apple Vision Pro.

While you’re using Mac Virtual Display, sounds from your Mac (such as notifications) will continue to come from your Mac, not from Apple Vision Pro.

Mac displays and resolution

If your Mac has multiple displays connected to it, Mac Virtual Display will only show the one you’ve set as the main display.

If you have a Mac with Apple silicon, it can appear in Apple Vision Pro at resolutions up to 4K. If your Mac has an Intel processor, it can appear at resolutions up to 3K.

To adjust the resolution of your Mac display in Apple Vision Pro, go to the System Settings app on your Mac, click Displays, then choose from the available resolutions. To see more sizes, turn on Show all resolutions.

Use your Mac input devices to control visionOS

When you’re in a Mac Virtual Display session, you can use your Mac computer's built-in keyboard and trackpad, or its connected input devices, to control visionOS apps and content.

  1. Look at another visionOS window.

  2. Touch your Mac trackpad. A circle-shaped pointer appears where you‘re looking.

  3. Use the pointer to scroll, select items and move into text fields where you can type with your Mac keyboard.

End a Mac Virtual Display session

When you’ve finished, tap the close button at the bottom of the Mac window to disconnect from your computer.

If Mac Virtual Display isn’t working

Find out what to do if Mac Virtual Display isn’t working on your Apple Vision Pro.

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