The answer,
before the friction.

You need Apple Vision Pro running visionOS 26.5 or later, an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 26.5 or later, the VisionDesk app from the App Store, and the free VisionDesk Mac Host. Both devices must be able to reach each other on a private local network.

The Mac Host creates the displays, captures the Mac workspace, and sends the encrypted local stream to Vision Pro. It is free and is downloaded separately because the Mac companion is not distributed through the Mac App Store.

Install VisionDesk on Vision Pro, download and open the Mac Host, allow Screen Recording, then choose the discovered Mac in VisionDesk. The setup guide gives the complete three-step path.

Check that the Mac Host is open, both devices use the same private LAN, and the network does not isolate clients. Guest Wi-Fi, some corporate networks, and VPNs that capture local traffic often block discovery. See connection troubleshooting.

Yes. That is often an excellent setup when the router allows local devices to communicate. The Mac can be wired to the router while Vision Pro joins the router’s Wi-Fi.

When the Mac receives internet through Ethernet, macOS can share it through Wi-Fi. Vision Pro then joins the Wi-Fi network created by the Mac, giving the stream a dedicated local wireless link. It is optional, may affect VPNs or managed networks, and should only be used where you control the network. See the dedicated Wi-Fi instructions.

Start in Standard quality, use a clean 5 GHz or 6 GHz Wi-Fi connection, avoid guest networks and congested 2.4 GHz, and keep Maximum Quality off until the connection is stable. Reduce peripheral display count before changing several settings at once.

First check that the Mac Host is streaming and still has Screen Recording permission. Reconnect once after waking the Mac or changing monitor hardware. Protected video services can intentionally show a black image because their content protection prevents capture.

VisionDesk streams only on your local network: TCP port 47823 carries control and pairing, UDP port 47824 carries video. Accept the macOS firewall prompt for the Mac Host when it appears. If you run a filtering tool such as Little Snitch or a strict firewall profile, allow incoming local connections to the Mac Host on those two ports. No internet server is involved.

VisionDesk Free includes one complete spatial Mac display. VisionDesk Pro supports two to five displays, subject to the Mac’s capability and the available network and hardware budget.

VisionDesk creates real macOS virtual displays and streams them into a workspace that you can arrange in flat, curved, or mixed layouts. You can place, size, rotate, tilt, curve, save, and restore those displays.

No. VisionDesk does not receive raw eye-tracking data. Its focus-aware quality allocation uses the active screen and a privacy-preserving head-direction estimate to prioritize the screen you are working on.

Make sure the virtual displays are active in macOS System Settings ▸ Displays, then reconnect VisionDesk once after a Mac sleep or monitor-topology change. The support guide has the complete virtual-display checklist.

No. VisionDesk is designed for an encrypted local connection between your Mac and Vision Pro. It has no VisionDesk account, cloud workspace, advertising, or usage analytics. Read the privacy policy for the complete data-flow description.

macOS requires Screen Recording permission before an app can capture a display. VisionDesk uses it solely for the displays you choose to stream to Vision Pro. You can remove the permission at any time in System Settings.

Never post pairing codes, private screen contents, Apple Account information, payment details, or unredacted logs containing personal data. Security vulnerabilities belong in the private security advisory form linked on the support page.

Free includes one complete Mac display, full stream quality, audio, pointer and keyboard input, aspect-ratio choices, spatial controls, visual clarity settings, and local private pairing.

An eligible user starts a trial only after confirming a monthly or yearly subscription in Apple’s purchase sheet. Apple shows the localized price, trial eligibility, and renewal terms before confirmation.

Use Restore Purchases in the Pro sheet after reinstalling or moving to another Vision Pro with the same Apple Account. Apple manages subscriptions and refunds; use reportaproblem.apple.com for refund requests.