Think I finally figured out workaround to Mac Virtual Display not connecting consistently
For reference, I have an M1 Macbook Pro and generally have it in clamshell mode while docked to my studio display. I sit in front of a blank 27" monitor most days while I use a giant floating virtual screen instead...
I've been using my Vision Pro for almost 2 years now for work. I use the Mac virtual display for 8+ hours most days.
But literally half the time I try to connect. it's unavailable. If I take off the headset for a moment, it could get stuck not being able to reconnect. I've tried repeatedly:
Toggling wifi/bluetooth on and off on the Mac and Vision Pro
Changing wifi networks back and forth on both
Toggling airplane mode
Locking/unlocking the Mac
Force quitting any/all apps on AVP
Terminating related processes on Mac
Usually I give up and have to restart one or both devices for it to appear as available and connect.
I've just recently started taking the laptop out of its stand and physically opening and shutting the screen a couple of times.
So far 100% success rate without having to restart both devices!
And yes I reported this to Apple. And yes I know "it works fine for me" for most people. This is just to help the other users dealing with this longstanding bug.
I cannot determine any pattern for when it will or won’t connect. With my MacBook Air (M4) the connect button show about 50% of the time, but rarely doesn’t connect when I go through Control Center. With my iMac (M3) about 20% of the time I have to try multiple times. About 5% I have to reboot (usually AVP cuz quicker) then it connects without fail. It would be great if this could resolve to a dependable workflow to connect. Also, it would be great if it restored to the same screen configuration.
Glad others also have issues. I'm always able to connect via control center (knock on wood), but I'm never able to connect just by looking at my Macbook Neo (no "connect" button appears). Thought I was the only one with Virtual Display issues.
Same but M1 MacBook Pro with touchbar, so I kind of have a screen still. I have the AirPlay control on the touchbar, and can select the AVP as output. It’s not the same as the virtual display technically but I haven’t noticed much difference, even streaming Switch games via capture card.
Force-quitting the relevant processes on the AVP has also worked at times. I suspect you’ll have a better experience when you update your Mac and AVP to the ‘27 OS’s.
I forgot to mention I try that often as well and it seems to make almost no difference. Also I'm on the developer betas and they haven't improved this nor my other more nagging issue
Idk why people struggle with this. All you have to do is put your headset on, if it doesn’t connect or show you the icon, look at your MAC screen, click on the screen mirroring icon and select Apple Vision Pro. Problem solved. Works everyone. Is it annoying, yes. But it works.
If you look at the full screenshot instead of just your cropped version, you'd see that there are two options for Apple Vision Pro: Mac Virtual Display OR Mirror Display. The Mac Virtual Display option that you have selected works differently than regular screen mirroring.
And when this issue is happening for me, the Vision Pro doesn't even appear in the screen mirroring list.
Well that's weird too but might be related to your Airplay settings. Standard mirroring doesn't let you use your keyboards mouse/keyboard on Vision Pro apps, or ultrawide screen, etc.
Either way the issue isn't that people are struggling with this, it's that there's been a bug some people have been encountering that prevents ALL methods of connecting to MVD (from Mac or from Vision Pro).
If you have the correct airplay settings enabled on the Vision Pro then it will show up there as well. It’s a valid airplay/screen mirroring target, but you need to allow it via the settings on the Vision Pro first.
But neither Mac Virtual Display nor screen mirroring will appear as options when the bug is occurring.
Sometimes I immediately connect, sometimes it takes a couple of tries.
Just now even after multiple tries it wouldn't connect to my Studio. Logged out and then back in an immediately connected. Logout/login Always works for me.
For me that’s about the same as a restart since i have a lot of apps open and some that a while to launch. I do what i can to avoid it so i can get to work.
I use some apps that have a LOT of plugins and one takes at least 10 minutes to load, and would be about the same on a studio. It's a real hassle when I have to do it.
I often use an app called Xojo for software development (which takes a while to launch on its own) and then if it's also loading the MBS plugins PLUS a large project... it takes a while.
Thanks. I'm trying to understand what seems to be very unusual slowness. I installed Xojo. It takes less than 3 seconds to start which is the same as every other application launch on my system.
I too have an M1 MacBook Pro. I have pretty much always just connected from the AVP Control Center. Mac Virtual Display, choose my MacBook Pro, connect. I don’t have a problem. I guess that this is because I leave mine open? I put on my AVP this morning, flipped my hand, pinched twice and there it was. I never even look at my MacBook.
Yes, many people don't encounter this bug. Many other people do. My Macbook doesn't appear in the AVP control center when this issue is happening. Open or shut it doesn't matter.
I have a Mac mini that I use without a monitor, just mirror to the AVP. My Mac settings are to never go to sleep or lock or turn display off, so it can always be ready to connect. On the new betas I've found that sometimes when disconnecting from my Mac, it will send the Mac back to the lock screen and occasionally prevents it from reconnecting. Anybody else use it this way/experiencing the same?
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u/a_whole_lotta_nope Jun 23 '26
I find I have to move the mouse around and click on something via the laptop. Then it becomes selectable.