Screens

We're pleased to announce the release of Screens 5.8.7 and Screens Connect 5.3, which now support both Sign in with Apple and Sign in with Google. Until now, creating a Screens Connect account required signing up with an email address and password. While that worked well, it also added extra steps before you could get up and running. With today's release, getting started is faster and simpler than ever.

Sign In, Connect, and Go

When creating a new Screens Connect account, you can now choose:

• Sign in with Apple
• Sign in with Google
• Email address and password Using Apple or Google means:
• No password to create or remember
• No account verification emails
• Fewer steps during setup
• A faster path to remote access For many users, this means going from launching Screens to connecting to their computers in just a few clicks.

Existing Users Can Switch Too

Already have a Screens Connect account created with an email address? You can switch your existing account to Sign in with Apple or Sign in with Google. Before doing so, make sure that:

• You are running Screens 5.8.7 or later on all your devices
• You are running Screens Connect 5.3 or later on all your computers After switching, you'll need to sign in again anywhere you're currently signed in using your email address and password. This ensures all your devices and computers are using the same authentication method and remain properly linked to your account.

Important: macOS Compatibility

Screens Connect 5.3 requires macOS 10.15 Catalina or later. If you need to install Screens Connect on an older Mac running macOS 10.13 High Sierra or macOS 10.14 Mojave, continue using Screens Connect 5.2 and a traditional email address and password. Sign in with Apple and Sign in with Google are not available on those older versions of macOS.

Getting the Update

Screens 5.8.7

Screens 5.8.7 is available now on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/screens-5-vnc-remote-desktop/id1663047912

Screens Connect 5.3

Screens Connect 5.3 is available:

• Via Screens Connect → Check for Updates...
• From https://edovia.com/screens-connect

Looking Ahead

Adding Sign in with Apple and Sign in with Google is an important step toward making remote access setup as simple and friction-free as possible. Whether you're setting up a headless Mac mini, accessing your workstation remotely, or helping friends and family, getting connected should be easy. We hope these new sign-in options make getting started with Screens even faster and more convenient. As always, thank you for using Screens.

Typing on a remote computer isn’t always convenient—especially on mobile devices or when you just want to get something done quickly. With Screens 5.8.6, we’re introducing Dictation, a simple and powerful way to speak text and have it appear instantly on your remote machine. Whether you’re connecting from your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Vision Pro, you can now use your voice to input text just as naturally as you would locally.

Built on Apple’s Latest Speech Recognition

Dictation in Screens leverages Apple’s latest on-device speech recognition technologies introduced in:

• iOS 26
• iPadOS 26
• macOS 26
• visionOS 26 Because of this, Dictation is only available on those OS versions or newer. The benefit? Fast, private, and highly accurate transcription.

How It Works

Using Dictation is intentionally simple:

• Connect to your computer as you normally would
• Tap or click the Microphone button in the toolbar
• Start speaking
• Tap the checkmark when you’re done Screens will then type the recognized text directly into the active field on the remote computer. No copy-paste. No extra steps. Just speak and go.

Available Across All Platforms

Dictation is available everywhere Screens runs:

• iPhone – Perfect for quick input on the go
• iPad – Great when using touch or Apple Pencil
• Mac – Seamlessly integrated into the toolbar
• Apple Vision Pro – A natural fit for spatial computing For new users, the Dictation button is available right away. If you’ve been using Screens for a while, you may need to enable it in: Settings > Controls > Toolbars

Permissions: One-Time Setup

To turn your voice into text, Screens needs access to:

• Your microphone
• Speech recognition The first time you use Dictation, you’ll be prompted to grant access. Once enabled, you’re all set. If you previously declined, you can re-enable permissions in your system settings:
• On iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro: Settings > Apps > Screens
• On Mac: System Settings > Privacy & Security

A Few Tips

• Make sure the correct window or text field is focused on the remote computer before dictating
• Speak clearly for best accuracy
• Background noise and microphone quality can affect results

Why This Matters

Remote desktop apps have always been about access—but input matters just as much. Dictation removes friction. It lets you respond faster, work more naturally, and stay in the flow—especially on devices where typing isn’t ideal. It’s one of those features that feels small at first… until you start using it. You can give Dictation a try today in Screens 5.8.6.

Starting with Screens 5.8, you now have full control over the interactive toolbar on iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro. This update makes it easier than ever to tailor the toolbar to your workflow, putting the controls you use most exactly where you want them. Whether you prefer a minimal setup or quick access to advanced actions, toolbar customization lets Screens adapt to the way you work.

Getting Started

Customizing the toolbar only takes a few steps:

• Open Screens
• Go to App Settings
• Navigate to Controls > Toolbars
• Select the device for which you want to customize the toolbar Screens lets you configure a different toolbar for each device type (iPhone, iPad, or Vision Pro). All your toolbar configurations are automatically synced via iCloud, so your preferences follow you across devices.

Available Customization Options

Once you’re in the toolbar settings, you can fine-tune several aspects of its appearance and behavior:

• Button Size – choose the size that best fits your screen and usage style
• Keyboard Button Position – place it on the leading or trailing edge of the toolbar
• Visible Toolbar Buttons – decide exactly which actions are shown These options give you precise control over both layout and usability.

Adding Buttons

To add new actions to your toolbar, scroll down and tap Add Buttons. You’ll see a complete list of available toolbar buttons, including spacers, which help you group actions and improve spacing. Select the buttons you want, then tap Add to insert them into the toolbar.

Reordering or Removing Buttons

If you want to refine your setup further, tap Edit. From there, you can:

• Reorder buttons to match your workflow
• Remove buttons you no longer need

Make Screens Yours

Toolbar customization in Screens 5.8 is all about flexibility. By tailoring the toolbar per device, you can keep things compact on iPhone, more expansive on iPad, and perfectly balanced in Vision Pro—without compromise. Download Screens 5.8 today and try experimenting with different layouts to find the setup that feels just right for you.

We’re excited to announce that Screens 5.7 is now available for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro! This update not only adds full support for version 26 of Apple’s platforms, but also introduces fresh features, design refinements, and important improvements across all devices.

iPhone

A New Library Experience

Screens on iPhone now sports a modern design with a Tab Bar, making it faster and more intuitive to navigate your connections: We’ve also added unified search, letting you quickly find recent connections or browse all your saved ones—wherever they are.

Compact Toolbar with Liquid Glass

Screens now takes full advantage of Liquid Glass, letting you see through the toolbar for a more immersive feel. Based on your feedback, we’ve also redesigned the toolbar with a compact layout, giving you quicker access to your controls. Prefer landscape? The compact toolbar is available there too:

iPad

Menu Bar Support

With iPadOS 26, the Mac comes even closer to iPad. Screens now supports the new system menu bar, bringing all toolbar commands and shortcuts into one familiar place: And with the new Hide on Hardware Input option, Screens will automatically hide the toolbar when you type on a keyboard or use a pointing device, making the experience even closer to macOS. You can re-enable it anytime with a two-finger double-tap. You'll find Hide on Hardware Input in the app settings under Controls > Toolbar Visibility.

Liquid Glass Everywhere

On iPad, Screens applies the Liquid Glass effect to Docked and Floating toolbars, offering a consistent, refined look.

iPhone & iPad Enhancements

Smarter File Transfers

Screens 5.6 introduced file transfers, and now Screens 5.7 takes them further. Thanks to the new background task API in iOS/iPadOS 26, large file transfers keep going even if you switch apps. You’ll also see progress updates via a Live Activity:

Safer Drop Target

To avoid accidental transfers, we added a lock delay to the Drop Target. Hover for a second to confirm and start the transfer—an animation shows when it’s locked. Of course, the Drop Target also benefits from Liquid Glass: Move away to cancel, or tap the Drop Target to dismiss it.

Mac

On Mac, Screens gets the same elegant Liquid Glass treatment: The connection window toolbar has also been redesigned to group related controls together: And beyond file transfers, you can now drag and drop text, images, and URLs to and from Screens using the pasteboard—making cross-device workflows even smoother.

Vision Pro

On Vision Pro, Screens 5.7 introduces the new download Drop Target and brings general stability improvements and bug fixes. Everything else you love remains unchanged.

Availability

Screens 5.7 is available today on the App Store.

• iOS/iPadOS: requires version 17.6 or later (some features require iOS/iPadOS 26)
• macOS: requires macOS 14 or later (some features require macOS 26)
• visionOS: requires version 2.0 or later For the full list of changes and fixes, see the Release Notes.

As we're working on Screens 5.7, scheduled to launch this fall alongside iOS, iPadOS, visionOS, and macOS 26, we're updating the minimum supported versions for Apple platforms. Starting with Screens 5.7, the minimum OS requirements will be:

• iOS / iPadOS: 17.6 or later
• visionOS: 2.0 or later
• macOS: 14 or later (unchanged) Our usage data shows that less than 2% of active users are running earlier versions of iOS 17 and visionOS 2. This change allows us to streamline development, take advantage of new system features, and provide a better experience for the vast majority of our users. We strongly encourage all users to update their devices as soon as possible to ensure compatibility with Screens 5.7 and continue receiving the latest bug fixes, performance improvements, and security updates from Apple. Thanks for staying up to date!

We’re excited to introduce Screens 5.6—a feature-packed update that brings even more power, flexibility, and polish to your remote access experience across Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro.

Here’s what’s new:

📂 File Transfers on iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro

File transfers are no longer limited to the Mac. With Screens 5.6, you can now drag and drop files between your Mac and your iPhone, iPad, or Vision Pro during a session. Whether you're retrieving documents or sending files to your remote Mac, it's fast, intuitive, and secure. To download files, just drop them into the target area: To upload files, drag them from another app (Files, Numbers, etc.) and drop them where you want on the remote Mac: You'll find more details and examples for iPhone and Vision Pro in this article.

✏️ Enhanced Apple Pencil Support

Interacting with your remote Mac using Apple Pencil now feels more natural than ever. Simply tap or drag directly on the screen—no need to move the cursor first. It’s the most seamless way to control your Mac from an iPad or Vision Pro.

🖱 Adjustable Cursor Tracking Speed

You can now fine-tune cursor tracking speed on iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro. Adjust it in connection settings or on the fly during a session—perfect when switching between screens of different sizes or resolutions.

⌨️ New Keyboard Input Modes

To enhance compatibility with various remote systems, Screens 5.6 introduces three input modes:

• Keystrokes (Mac only): Ideal for complex input and modifier keys.
• Unicode: Great for multilingual and symbol-heavy typing.
• Legacy: Best suited for older systems or fallback situations. Switch between them easily based on your workflow or the remote device you're using.

🔄 Automatic Reconnection

Dropped connections are now handled gracefully. If the session ends unexpectedly—due to a network issue or the remote Mac going offline—Screens will automatically attempt to reconnect, getting you back in as soon as possible.

⚙️ And More

This update also includes performance and stability improvements across the board to ensure a smooth, responsive experience.

🚀 Availability

Screens 5.6 is available now on the App Store. For more information, visit our product page.

We’re excited to announce the release of Screens 5.4, a feature-packed update that brings a range of improvements and fulfills several popular requests from our users. Here’s what’s new:

Two-Factor Authentication

This has been one of the most requested features from Screens users, and we’re pleased to finally make it available in Screens 5.4, along with Screens Connect 5.2 for Mac and Windows. While implementing two-factor authentication added some complexities, we’re thrilled to offer this extra layer of security to enhance your remote access experience.

Screens Connect 5.2

Regarding two-factor authentication, we’ve just released Screens Connect 5.2 with 2FA support, available for Mac (macOS 10.13 or later) and PC (Windows 10 or later).

Right-Click Drag

Another long-awaited feature—right-click dragging—is now fully supported across all devices! Screens for Mac users may already be familiar with this feature, but now it’s also available on iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro. Whether using touch gestures or a hardware pointing device, you can now right-click drag with ease, making it easier to navigate and manage your remote sessions. On iPhone and iPad, tap and hold with two fingers until a red indicator appears—then you’re ready to drag elements around. On Vision Pro, simply pinch and hold with both hands to achieve the same effect.

Other Updates and Improvements

• Hide Tailscale Devices – Tailscale users can now hide specific devices for a cleaner interface.
• Customizable Toolbar on Vision Pro – You now have the option to hide the left toolbar if it’s not needed.
• *Disable Notifications – Notifications like clipboard syncs and secure connections can now be disabled, letting you tailor your Screens experience.
• Quick Access to Type User Password – The “Type User Password” function is now available directly from the Actions menu on iPhone, saving you time.
• Set MAC Address in Connection Settings – For advanced users, it’s now possible to set a MAC address in the connection settings if necessary. And, as always, we’ve included general performance improvements and bug fixes to keep your experience as smooth as possible.

Availability

Screens 5.4 is available now on the App Store for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro. Thanks to all our users for your feedback and support. We hope these new features make your remote experience even better!

We’re thrilled to announce the latest update for Screens 5, packed with new features and enhancements designed to improve your remote connection experience. Here’s what’s new:

Full Tailscale Integration

Screens 5 now supports direct connections to computers registered with the Tailscale service, a secure, peer-to-peer VPN that simplifies network connectivity by enabling devices to connect directly over encrypted channels, regardless of location. By linking your Tailscale account, you can effortlessly connect to your devices, streamlining the process and making remote access more seamless than ever. This integration enhances security, improves connection reliability, and eliminates the need for complex network configurations. Tailscale is a great alternative to Screens Connect, especially when UPnP is unavailable or if you need to connect remotely to a Linux PC or Raspberry Pi.

Raspberry Pi 5 Support

We are excited to introduce support for username and password authentication via RSA-AES with Raspberry Pi 5 running WayVNC, along with previous Raspberry Pi versions. This update ensures that you can securely connect to your Raspberry Pi devices with ease.

Type User Password

With the introduction of WayVNC support, Raspberry Pi users can now take advantage of the time-saving “Type User Password” feature for user authentication. This feature is also available when connecting to Linux and Windows systems if secure connections are enabled, simplifying the login process across different platforms.

Enhanced Fingerprint Verification for Secure Connections

Screens 5 now enhances security by allowing you to accept or reject the fingerprint provided by the remote computer. This added layer of verification ensures that your connections are secure and trustworthy.

Recent Links

The new and improved Recent Links section consolidates all connections made via URLs, Quick Connect, or Screens Assist. This makes it easier to keep track of your recent connections and quickly access them when needed.

Other Changes and Improvements

• Sensory Feedback: Now includes sensory feedback when locking a modifier key on iPhone, enhancing the user experience. (iOS)
• Keyboard Shortcuts Fix: Fixed an issue preventing some keyboard shortcuts using the Option key from working on the remote computer. (iOS/visionOS)
• Navigation Popover: Fixed a sizing issue with the Navigation popover on smaller iPhones. (iOS)
• Toolbar Scrolling: Fixed an issue making scrolling difficult in the toolbar on iPhone. (iOS) Rendering View Restoration: Fixed an issue where the rendering view for the remote computer would not restore properly in fullscreen. (macOS)
• Improved Reliability and Performance: Various improvements have been made to enhance the overall reliability and performance of Screens 5. We hope you enjoy these new features and improvements in Screens 5. As always, we appreciate your feedback and support. Stay connected and productive with Screens 5! Screens 5 is available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro. For more details, visit our dedicated website or find us on the App Store. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team. Happy connecting!

We’d like to share some exciting news with you regarding Screens 5.2, which is now available, featuring a brand new native Vision Pro version. Screens on Vision Pro brings an unparalleled level of functionality to remote computing. Similar to the experience on a Mac, this version allows users to seamlessly manage multiple connections simultaneously. The connection windows packed with useful features, with not one but two toolbars for quick access to essential shortcuts and commands, enhancing productivity with just a glance and a pinch. Moreover, Screens introduces intuitive gesture controls for effortless cursor control of your remote computer:

• Pinch and move your hand to control the cursor
• Pinch for a click
• Double pinch for a double-click
• Pinch and rotate with two hands for a secondary click
• Pinch and move with two hands for smooth scrolling As on iPad, Screens 5.2 for Vision Pro also fully supports hardware keyboards and pointing devices, making it the ultimate Screen Sharing client app on Vision Pro. One other significant enhancement in Screens 5.2 is the introduction of a new rendering engine, addressing previous issues associated with OpenGL dependency, which is not available on visionOS. This new engine not only resolves those challenges but also delivers noticeable performance improvements, ensuring a seamless and responsive user experience. Screens 5.2 is also available on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS and also introduces some improvements as well:
• Easily declutter your interface by hiding unused sections.
• Organize library items based on connection count for better organization.
• The Spotlight shortcut now automatically brings up the virtual keyboard. (iOS)
• Configure Screens to use ⌘-\ on your hardware keyboard for seamless app switching, bypassing iOS limitations with ⌘-Tab. (iOS)
• Optimize your experience with specific codecs for PC connections.
• Customize image compression quality for each connection to suit your needs.
• Create and delete your Screens ID directly from the app instead of going on our website. Notably, Screens on Vision Pro is included in all our subscription plans, including the Lifetime option. You can check out Screens on the App Store or on our website.

After conducting a user poll on (Mastodon, X) and analyzing our anonymized data, which revealed that only 0.001% of our users utilize Dropbox, we have made the decision to discontinue support for Dropbox starting with Screens 5.2, scheduled for release this spring. In fact, Dropbox has not been offered as a sync option since Screens 5.1.3, except for existing users who were already using Dropbox.

Some History…

Our initial decision to support Dropbox dates back to Screens 3, as Apple’s policy at that time did not permit apps sold outside of the Mac App Store to utilize iCloud. This restriction was lifted in 2016 with the introduction of macOS Sierra, enabling all signed apps to access iCloud and other previously unavailable APIs. Given the minimal usage of Dropbox among our user base, we have determined that it will be permanently removed for all users with the launch of Screens 5.2 later this spring.

How to Migrate your Data

To smoothly migrate your data, we suggest utilizing the Import/Export feature already integrated into the Screens 5 app settings:

• Open Screens 5 and navigate to the app settings.
• Choose “General.”
• Ensure that Dropbox is chosen as the sync method.
• Select “Export.”
• Save the resulting archive.
• Pick a new sync method, either iCloud or Local Storage.
• Click on “Import.”
• Locate and select the archive you just exported.
• Open the selected archive. Screens will then migrate all your data that was previously on Dropbox to the new location.

Exciting Updates Ahead!

With our focus shifting to iCloud sync, we’ll be working on enhancing data synchronization and introducing new features like sharing. Stay tuned for more details, coming later this year! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us!

What’s new

• Enhanced connection status testing for Screens Connect items to provide more accurate statuses.
• Drag-and-drop functionality now supported for rearranging items within Screens Connect and Custom Screens sections.
• Sorting capability added for items in Recents, Screens Connect, and Custom Screens sections.
• Help section now includes a link to Screens Assist instructions for easy sharing.
• Option to duplicate custom items or create new custom items directly from Nearby or Screens Connect items.
• Automatic sign-out from Screens ID in case of incorrect password or deleted user.
• Rectified issue preventing the shared clipboard from adhering to the default behavior set in the app settings.
• Resolved an authentication issue that was hindering users from connecting to Macs running macOS versions older than 10.15.
• Fixed issue that could prevent secure connections to succeed.
• Various performance and stability enhancements.

Changes specific to iPhone and iPad

• Two-finger double-tap gesture implemented for toggling toolbar visibility.
• Enhanced Navigation and Modifiers popovers in the toolbar for iPhone users.
• Resolved issue causing floating toolbar to enter an invalid state upon exiting the app.
• Automatic unlocking using Face ID or Touch ID for added convenience.
• Improved usability of the expand button on the floating toolbar, making it easier to access quick actions.
• Option to use either the left or right Option key to send iOS-specific special characters to the remote computer (feature disabled by default; check app settings to enable).

Changes specific to Mac

• System shortcuts will now be sent to the remote computer only when the cursor is within the connection window, eliminating the need to click out.
• Ability to scroll remote content even if the connection window is not key.
• Added missing keyboard shortcuts that were not properly assigned.
• Resolved issue causing connection windows to shrink to a very small size. Screens 5.1 is available on the App Store for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro.