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How to control your Mac from your iPhone on Wi-Fi

Start sharing on your Mac and scan its code with your iPhone. The top of your phone shows your desktop. The trackpad below it lets you point and click from the couch.

Code with Beto
Nimvo held in one hand with a Mac app above the compact keyboard on the phone.

What you need

This walkthrough is for beta testers using Nimvo 1.1 (37) and Nimvo Companion 0.12.1 (26). A regular iPhone running iOS 26 or later works. Your Mac needs macOS 26 or later.

Connect your iPhone to your home Wi-Fi. Your Mac can use Wi-Fi or an Ethernet cable connected to the same router. Keep it awake and signed in. If you’re waiting for access, join the launch waitlist.

Share your Mac

  1. Open Nimvo Companion from Applications on your Mac.
  2. Under Permissions, allow Screen Recording so your phone can see the display, and Accessibility so it can control the pointer. Reopen Nimvo Companion if macOS prompts you to.
  3. Choose the Display you want to control and click Start sharing. In Pair your iPhone, leave Same Wi-Fi selected. Keep the code on screen for the next step.

Pair your iPhone

Open Nimvo on your iPhone. On first use, finish the introduction and unlock the app or restore your purchase. Tap Connect my Mac, then Scan Mac QR code. Give Nimvo camera access and point it at the code on your Mac.

Allow Local Network access when iOS asks. Once the scan succeeds, Nimvo connects and shows the display you chose. Next time, select your Mac from Your Macs.

On an ordinary iPhone, the Add a Mac section lists Scan Mac QR code first, followed by Connect from anywhere and Enter pairing details.
The pairing options on a regular iPhone, captured in the simulator.

Pause a video from the couch

Play a video on the shared Mac display. On your iPhone, slide one finger across the lower trackpad until the Mac pointer is over the video. When the player controls appear, move the pointer over Pause and tap the trackpad once. To resume, click Play the same way.

You can also tap the player control directly in the live Mac view. If it’s hard to hit, pinch outward on the picture first.

With the player focused, Beto taps the space bar on an iPhone Duo to pause and resume the video on his MacBook. Watch the playback icon on both screens.

Troubleshooting

The code scans, but the Mac doesn’t appear

Check that Nimvo has Local Network access in iPhone Settings and the Mac is still sharing. Guest Wi-Fi can isolate devices even when the network name matches. Try the main home network.

I can see the desktop, but clicking does nothing

In Nimvo Companion, check that Accessibility shows as allowed. Under This session, turn on Allow remote keyboard and pointer input. If you just changed permissions, choose Check connection.

I can’t scan the QR code

On the Mac, open Show manual pairing details. On the iPhone, choose Enter pairing details, enter the host, port, and pairing key, then tap Connect. Keep that key private.