Useful macOS defaults: Screen Sharing

com.apple.ScreenSharing controls the Screen Sharing viewer app (the client you use to connect to other Macs), not the Screen Sharing server on your Mac.

After changing these, quit and reopen Screen Sharing.

Show full quality images

By default, Screen Sharing reduces image quality to save bandwidth. To see full quality:

defaults write com.apple.ScreenSharing controlObserveQuality -int 0

Values:

• 0 = best quality (adaptive)
• 1 = reduced quality (faster)

Show the debug menu

defaults write com.apple.ScreenSharing debug -bool true

Skip the connection dialog

Connect straight away without the dialog asking for quality and scaling preferences:

defaults write com.apple.ScreenSharing dontWarnOnQuit -bool true

Show computer name or IP in the title bar

defaults write com.apple.ScreenSharing showHostName -bool true

Read all current Screen Sharing settings

defaults read com.apple.ScreenSharing

Turning on the Screen Sharing server

The settings above control the viewer app. To turn on Screen Sharing on your Mac (so others can connect to you), use System Settings:

System Settings, then General, then Sharing, then Screen Sharing

Or from the command line:

sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.screensharing.plist

To turn it off:

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.screensharing.plist

Notes

Screen Sharing uses the VNC protocol. You can connect to a Mac running Screen Sharing from any VNC client, not just the macOS Screen Sharing app.

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