Help

Set up an iPhone or iPad host

1. Open Host a Room. Choose Text or import a locally playable video, then set the screen count and layout before creating the room.
2. The iPhone or iPad host is one of the screens. Select 1 screen for local playback, or include every participating device in the total.
3. Create the room. On the other devices, choose Join as Display and select the nearby room. Approve each request on the host if required.
4. Assign screen positions and orientations on the host. Adjust gaps and crop offsets to match the physical arrangement; changing assignments changes the content shown on each device.
5. Wait for displays to join and video transfer to finish, then start playback. The host automatically opens its Display page. Tap the playing screen to reveal navigation and return to Host Room to pause or close the room.

Use multiple windows on one Mac

The native Mac Host Controller advertises a room automatically. Open File > New Window and choose Display Node in the second window to join it. For one joined display window, use a 1 x 1 layout. The controller window is not a display tile; each joined Display Node window is. Approve the join, then use Play in the controller's toolbar. You can also join physical devices.

Join from Apple TV

Apple TV is a display receiver, not a host. Keep a room open on iPhone, iPad, or Mac, join it from Apple TV, approve the request, and start playback on the host. With an iPhone or iPad plus Apple TV, select 2 screens. With a Mac controller and only Apple TV as a display, use 1 x 1.

Questions and troubleshooting

Is this AirPlay or desktop mirroring?

No. ScreensTogether splits the selected text or video into assigned screen regions. It does not mirror the whole desktop, other apps, or protected streaming services.

Does it need an account or internet service?

Local rooms require no account or cloud service. Install the app on each device, keep devices nearby, and allow Local Network access. The same local Wi-Fi network is recommended; guest-network client isolation can prevent discovery.

Can I mix screen sizes and orientations?

Yes. Assign each connected screen a position and orientation, then calibrate gaps and crop offsets to the physical setup. Screen mapping changes the assigned content without requiring you to move the devices.

Why is a room missing or a video blank?

Keep the host room open, check Local Network permission on each device, and check network isolation. Approve the display on the host. For video, use a locally playable file and wait for transfer before starting playback.

Is playback perfectly frame-locked?

Playback is coordinated on a shared timeline, not guaranteed hardware frame lock. Timing depends on the devices, video, and network. Test and calibrate the actual setup before an event; layout limits are not a guarantee of tested simultaneous-device capacity.

What can I use Screens Together for?

Create welcome signs for events, exhibition visuals and booth demos with scrolling text or local video. Each display shows its assigned part of the picture. Local rooms are not a remote cloud signage service.

Can Apple TV run a room by itself?

No. Apple TV is a display receiver and needs a nearby iPhone, iPad or Mac host. Content, layout and playback are set on the host. An iPhone or iPad host also counts as a screen.

How do I restore denied Local Network access?

On iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network and enable Screens Together. On supported Macs, use the corresponding page in System Settings. Return to the app and try discovering the room again; the system may not show the permission prompt again.