Evgeny Cherpak’s iOS app, Remote Control for Mac, has been updated with Siri shortcut support, which opens up some interesting ways to control a Mac with shortcuts. If you want to easy, fast and secure remote access to Windows, Mac and Linux systems, you can use TeamViewer-remote control app on your iPhone and iPad. It is also effortlessly access computers behind firewalls and proxy servers. This iPhone app is exclusively designed to remotely control your. Apple’s propriety Remote app lets you control iTunes on your PC/Mac with your iPhone. Setting up Remote is easy and quick and once done, your entire iTunes library shows up on your iPhone. Interestingly, you can also create Genius Playlists, edit the library and do all sorts of modifications to it through your iPhone. A list of our top picks for the 5 best iOS apps to use your iPhone to remote control your Windows PC or Mac computer. Skip to Navigation Skip to the Content of this Page Back to the Accessibility Menu.

Controlling your Mac or Windows PC remotely from your mobile device was just a dream a few years ago. Not anymore. You can now do it easily with most of the smartphone operating systems and that includes iOS. But with so many available iOS apps for controlling your Mac or PC remotely and all of them claiming to be the best, it can be somewhat confusing to really know which ones are really the best ones to consider.

That is why here we are going to show you our top 5 picks for best apps to use your iPhone as a PC or Mac remote control. Check these out.

TeamViewer

By far the most complete and secure application for controlling your Mac or Windows PC, TeamViewer for iPhone has rightfully earned quite a following among those who constantly look for faster and safer ways to access their computers remotely. The app is available in both free and paid versions and once installed on your iPhone, all that is required is to install a small client on your Mac or PC. Once you have accessed your computer either via using a code or by using a partner list, you have full control of it with a series of on-screen tools like a keyboard, a mouse and special function keys.

Overall, remote control with this app is smooth, plus all connections are secured by TeamViewer’s dedicated encryption.

Note: We’ve already written about setting up a remote connection between 2 Windows PCs using TeamViewer and shown how to remote control a computer using TeamViewer’s Android app.

LogMeIn

LogMeIn is perhaps the most popular application for controlling your Mac or PC remotely from your iOS device. It comes in both a free and paid versions, and offers simple and smooth control of as many computers as you like. Before connecting securely, the user will need to visit LogMeIn’s website and download a small client that will establish the connection between the devices.

Contrary to other similar apps, LogMeIn offers a series of upgrades in the form of in-app subscriptions, ranging from 3-month to yearly periods. A subscription enables a series of very interesting features, including HD video and audio streaming and local file saving.

Mocha VNC

In a similar line than TeamViewer, Mocha VNC provides users with a remote VNC connection to their Macs and PCs. The app relies on encrypted password sign in to connect to other computers and also comes in both a free and paid versions. Once connected to a computer, Mocha VNC presents the user with a simple interface that allows them to access and control files, applications and other resources of their computers as if they were right in front of them.

Jump Desktop (Remote Desktop) – RDP / VNC

At just $14.99, Jump Desktop (Remote Desktop) – RDP / VNC is one of the most reasonably-priced apps on our list. It also happens to be one of the best for its price. It provides users with a secured connection to their Macs and PCs and also supports a very nice feature that allows users to control the quality of the connection, which makes it ideal for those with a low bandwidth.

Remoter VNC – Remote Desktop

Remoter is another VNC iOS app that allows you to connect your iPhone or iPad to your PC or Mac to control them remotely. The app offers a series of nice features and smooth controls, although other apps in this list are superior. Remoter VNC’s main “feature” is its price: You can get the fully functional version of the app for just $3.99 and enable all of its in-app enhancements for well less than $30.

Conclusion

There you have them. All the apps above offer similar functionalities at different prices. Choose the one that suits you best and let us know in the comments if your favorite didn’t make the list.

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

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Remote access to Mac, anywhere

While many countries are on a lockdown due to COVID-19, remote work is becoming a lifestyle. Remotely accessing a Mac is designed to be easy. Apple has spent a lot of time ensuring anyone can log in to their Macs — both desktop and laptop — from any other Mac device, anywhere. And, besides, there are a variety of third-party apps ready to help with that too.

Still, remotely managing their Mac sounds overly complicated to a lot of people. From how you connect to sharing files or screens to using your Apple device as a remote mouse, we want to demystify the process in the easy-to-follow guide below.

Best Remote Access Apps for Mac

There are times when you want to access your Mac remotely, and there are many different solutions to remote access your Mac. Best utilities in one pack, give it a go!

How to access your Mac from another location

There're two ways: you can allow remote login to your Mac from another computer, or allow others to access your computer using Remote Desktop (it's available from the App Store).

Allow remote login to your Mac from another computer

For devices using the same macOS, you can allow remote Mac login using a Secure Shell (SSH). This enables Mac remote desktop access using a Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).

To set up Remote Login:

• Go to System Preferences > Sharing
• Select Remote Login.
• Choose which users you want to have remote access or the ability to control your Mac.

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You can either select All Users, which means any other device on your network, or any Mac you own, can access and connect, or click the plus sign to pick the exact users.

When you want to remotely log in to your Mac from another device, you need to know your username (the name that appears when you login) and your computer's IP address. Write them down and keep them safe, as allowing access to your Mac does make it potentially less secure, especially over cellular or public Wi-Fi networks.

Accessing, controlling, or viewing information on your Mac can be done with a built-in Terminal or any other SSH app using your username and IP address.

Allow others to access your computer using Apple Remote Desktop

With macOS remote Mac access and control is even easier. To set up it:

• Go to Menu > System Preferences > Sharing
• Select Remote Management - it should appear as a checkbox.
• Now you can select who has remote desktop access. Either select, All Users, which means any other device on your network, or Mac you own, can access and connect, or click the Add button(+), which gives you the ability to select who can have remote access and/or control.

If you are using a VPN or VNC viewer and want to access your Mac remotely, you will need to setup a password first. It is also possible to use iOS devices, such as an iPhone and iPad, through Apple Remote Desktop, available from the App Store.

How to stay on the same page with Screens

Collaboration has become of utmost importance to today's workplaces. And with more and more people working remotely, being on the same screen (ahem, page) is a must.

Screens allows you to work remotely with any computer regardless of your location. Whether you are on a business trip or traveling, stay confident knowing you can access any file on your home computer at any time.

This robust screen sharing tool for Mac supports:

• Multiple displays
• Drag-and-drop file sharing
• Hiding your remote screen while accessing it
• Accessing other computers (e.g. colleague's) as a guest
• Alternative shortcuts (useful when connecting Mac to PC)
• Custom actions in case of disconnection

To start using Screens, get the app from Setapp and configure the following:

1. Remote login and remote management (as per the guide above)
2. Install Screens Connect helper app and create a Screens ID on every machine you'd like to connect to in the future
3. Use your Screens ID in the Screens app and it will automatically determine which of your computers are available for connection

Remote desktop client for Mac

Control any computer remotely – a perfect way to access your Mac from anywhere without limitations.

Share files between devices

Today we have plenty of ways to send and share files. But ask someone to send something, and you are likely to get it through email. Due to the ubiquitousness of email, it's still the default method for file sharing, despite its obvious flaws and constraints.

Fortunately, there are much better ways:

Native macOS File Sharing

Few people know that their Mac has native file sharing functionality built in. To use this feature, activate it in the Sharing pane of System Preferences by checking File Sharing. If you only want to share specific folders, add them to the Shared Folders list. If you only want specific users to access the folder, add them to its Users list. Otherwise, everyone will be able to access it.

AirDrop

Although not the most reliable solution, AirDrop works fine for occasional sharing a file between Apple devices. In the Finder, choose Go and then AirDrop on both the sending and receiving Mac. As soon as you see the receiver's user icon, drag the desired file onto it to send.

Read more about how to use AirDrop

Dropshare

If you don't want to send files Mac-to-Mac directly but rather through a cloud storage, there is no easier way than Dropshare. The app works with numerous cloud providers, from Dropbox to Google Drive, and saves your files for sharing by simply dragging them onto its menu bar icon.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

The most technical but also the most robust way to share files from your mac is to use FTP, which you could do either through Terminal or an FTP Client, the latter being much more user friendly.

There are a few popular FTP clients one could choose from. The robust file managing app ForkLift covers most of the FTP functionality but takes it to the next level and could be a viable replacement for the Finder altogether with its quick search, instant previews, and file comparison.

DCommander is another full-featured file transfer app for Mac that combines speed and reliability, able to handle thousands of files, schedule backups, and even automate transfers.

At last, when it comes to sharing the same files on different devices, an app like ChronoSync Express becomes invaluable.

ChronoSync Express is powerful tool for sharing and transferring files from Mac to Mac, or any another Apple device. With a feature called Synchronizer Document, you can select which files need to be automatically synchronized and shared between devices, just like that:

1. Create a new synchronizer document for each folder synchronization you'd like to perform
2. Name the synchronization
3. Change the Operation to Synchronize Bidirectional
4. Select folders to sync on the left and right
5. Test with a Trial Sync

Do you need to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network)?

Whether you are working on your Mac directly, logging into your Mac remotely, or sharing access with someone else, security should be on top of your mind.

Remote App For Iphone To Control Mac Computer

As a rule of thumb, you should always use a VPN when connected to a public Wi-Fi network, as someone could log in and see the information you send just as easily as you do.

And with remote access — even in the View Only mode — someone can see every file and document on your Mac, except those that are password protected. Unfortunately, if you leave passwords in a visible document, you expose yourself to immense risks.

A secure VPN client for Mac like Shimo is well worth using to stop unwanted eyes from lurking around, especially if you are sharing sensitive files, financial records or customer data.

However, for extra peace of mind and security, consider firing up your VPN automatically on all networks you are not 100% sure about to keep your emails, bank accounts and personal documents safe.

To share your Mac with someone else, download a remote Virtual Network Computing (VNC) app like Jump Desktop. With full remote access and Mac remote control, the other person — or yourself connecting to another Mac — can have the same level of control as the person using that device. Except for Admin level access, since it's password protected.

Starting with Jump Desktop is easy: either yourself (gaining access) or the person you are giving a remote view or control access to your Mac, needs to add details of the device and the password.

Secure your access with VPN

Get a VPN client for Mac to avoid privacy infringement while connecting remotely. It's secure and free to try.

Once permission is granted at the other end, remote Mac screen sharing or control (whereby you can use the iOS device as a remote mouse) becomes possible.

How to use your iOS device as a remote mouse

Remote App For Iphone To Control Mac Desktop

If your remote work starts on a patio hammock somewhere in east Asia, you should note that Apple iOS devices, such as an iPhone or iPad, can be used to control a Mac remotely, much like a mouse can control a desktop or laptop. Apps that make this possible work on VNC.

Remote Mouse is the easiest, most effective way to turn your iOS device into a wireless remote control for your Mac.

Although remote access through a local network would be most effective, since the closer you are to the device the quicker the connection, it's also possible from anywhere in the world, providing the network is secure and fast enough.

Setting up and granting access to the iOS device is the same process as when someone wants to access using a Mac. Except you need to give them a password. And make sure it is different from your primary Mac or iOS (App Store) one.

So working together or checking on your devices can be done from anywhere in the world and there are lots of ways to do that, from sharing screens and files to having complete access to a system set up far away. Setapp equips you with all the apps needed to remotely access any device you need and elevate your work to the global level.

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Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.

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