How to Stream Video From Your Mac to Your iPhone The Super Easy Way

This guide will show you step by step how to stream video from your Mac to your iPhone or iPad, using software already installed on your devices.

More accurately, you can stream audio and video from your Mac to your iPhone/iPad – without having to install anything. Here’s how –

Enable File Sharing in macOS

The first thing you’ll need to do is make sure you have File Sharing enabled on your Mac – which is simple enough. Click the Apple button from your Menu Bar and select System Preferences… from the list of options. Then in the System Preferences, select Sharing

the Sharing icon in the macOS System Preferences

Make sure there’s a check in the box labelled File Sharing and then confirm the ‘circle’ next to File Sharing: On has turned green.

the Sharing section of the macOS System Preferences with a check mark in the File Sharing box

That’s it! Your Mac is ready to stream content to your iPhone or iPad.

Stream Video Your Mac to your iPhone or iPad

  1. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Files app. Though it should be installed by default, if you’ve removed it you can install it from the App Store.
  2. the icon for the iOS Files App

  3. Tap the “Circle with three dots in it” button (see screenshot below) located in the upper-right corner of the Files home screen.
  4. an arrow pointing to a button that looks like a circle with 3 dots in it

  5. Select Connect to Server from the list of options.
  6. an arrow pointing to a Connect to Server link

  7. Here you’ll need to enter the IP address of your Mac – which can be found in the next step.
  8. the Connect to Server screen in the Files App

  9. Back on your Mac, hold down the option key and click the WiFi icon in your Menu Bar. Instead of just displaying the WiFi On/Off toggle and your network name, it will display a whole bunch of info about your connection. Locate the IP Address: line and make note of the address.
  10. the macOS WiFi icon in the Menu Bar with the advanced options displayed

  11. Enter that address into the Files app Server field and then tap the Connect link.
  12. entering the IP address in the Connect to Server screen of the Files App

  13. Now make sure to select the Registered User option, and then enter your Mac username and password in the spaces provided. Tap Next to continue.
  14. username and password fields with a check in the Registered User box

  15. After a moment, the files and folders on your Mac will appear.
  16. the Files App displaying files and folders on a Mac

  17. Navigate to a video file and select it. Important Note: you’ll only be able to stream the audio and video formats that the iPhone/iPad supports. For video, that’s M4V, MP4, MOV and some AVI files. For audio, you should be able to play MP3, AAC, AC3, WAV and ALAC.
  18. selecting a video file to stream from a Mac to an iPhone

  19. Tap the Play button.
  20. a Play button to stream video from your Mac to your iPhone or iPad

  21. Ta-da! You can now watch videos stored on your Mac, on your iPhone or iPad!
  22. a video stream from an Mac to an iPhone


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