The Ultimate Guide to Remote Access with Your iPhone
Smartphones revolutionized modern living and became ubiquitous tools that put work, life, entertainment, and more in the palm of your hand. The iPhone is the most popular smartphone brand in the US, with one statistical report showing that over 120 million mobile phone users in the US use an iPhone, translating to 49% of the population.
The iPhone's dominance means the brand must constantly generate features to meet consumer needs. One such need is the capacity to control your iPhone remotely.
So, when do I need to control an iPhone remotely? Is it possible? Keep reading to learn more.
Why Do I Need To Access My iPhone Remotely?
As indicated above, the iPhone is an integral part of life in the US and other parts of the world, like China and Japan. iPhone ubiquity means that users put a lot of their lives' content on their phones and rely on their phones heavily. It is quite unusual to find an iPhone user on the move without their beloved iPhone on their person.
So, why the need to access an iPhone remotely, given that the device is almost a permanent fixture on your palm? Certain circumstances necessitate the iPhone remote access feature, as highlighted below.
First, you may need to show files saved on your iPhone to a second party. Second, you may want to work on files stored on your phone from a larger screen.
Third, you may need to project something on alarge screen, as in the case of work presentations. Fourth, you are a curious person who likes knowing stuff.
So, how do you go about accessing an iPhone remotely? Follow the steps highlighted below.
Accessing an iPhone Remotely Via Apple Devices
Accessing your iPhone remotely via Apple devices, like a Mac PC, is straightforward because the two products are from the same company. Therefore, they have features that make syncing easy. The most prominent feature to use to access your iPhone remotely via Apple devices is the switch control function.
Switch Control is a function that enables you to control an iPhone or any other device powered by iOS remotely using a second iOS-powered device. However, for Switch Control to work, the iPhone you intend to control and the iOS device you intend to use to access the former device must be within the same network. Below are the steps to follow to control an iPhone remotely using the Switch Control function.
- Connect your iPhone and Mac computer to the same WiFi network.
- Log both devices into your iCloud account using your Apple ID; Switch Control does not work unless both devices are logged into the same account.
- Activate the Switch Control Function on your Mac or iPad by going to the Settings menu, selecting the System Preferences option, then Accessibility, and the Switch Control.
- Navigate the switch control panel and select the iPhone you intend to control remotely from the list of devices.
- Switch Control lets you view your iPhone's screen on an alternative iOS device and play games, send texts, or craft emails.
Accessing Your iPhone Via a Dell PC
Besides the Mac PC, you can control your iPhone remotely via a Dell PC as follows:
- Download and install the Dell Mobile Connect App on both devices; ensure you have the latest version.
- Launch the app and follow the prompts to connect both devices.
- Enter the provided security codes to ensure both devices are secure.
- This method lets you view the iPhone screen remotely, send texts, play games, and craft emails.
Accessing Your iPhone Remotely Via Third-party Mirror Apps
Mirror apps allow you to share the contents on your device's screen with authorized individuals. Below are some third-party mirror apps you can use to access your iPhone remotely.
TeamViewer QuickSupport
TeamViewer is a dedicated screen-sharing third-party app designed to help technicians remotely fix problems on clients' computers and mobile devices. However, you can use it to monitor your iPhone's activities remotely.
Its advantage over the previous methods is that your PC and iPhone don't need to be connected to the same network. You can use TeamViewr to control your iPhone remotely as follows:
- Download and launch the TeamViewer app on your iPhone and PC
- Select the remote control option
- Enter the automatically generated security key on both devices and select your iPhone before clicking connect
- Activate the screen mirroring option on your iPhone, and you can view everything on your iPhone from your PC.
MirrorGo
MirrorGo is a screen mirroring app that allows you to mirror your mobile device's screen to a larger screen. The app is compatible with iPhone devices and does not require "jailbreaking" the device. MirrorGo allows you to control your iPhone's screen using computer peripherals, as follows:
- Connect your iPhone and PC to the same WiFi network
- Go to the control center on your iPhone, select the screen mirroring option, and choose MirrorGo.
- Use your PC's peripheral devices (mouse, keyboard) to control your iPhone from the MirrorGo function on your PC.
Veency (VNC)
Veency is a Virtual Network Computing (VNC) app that allows you to control your iPhone remotely. VNCs are protocols that allow users remote access to interfaces. Therefore, you have significantly better remote control of your iPhone when using Veency (and other VNC apps) than any other remote control option.
However, Veency requires "jailbreaking" your iPhone (altering the iOS to remove software restrictions). Also, each subsequent iPhone model is more challenging to "jailbreak" than the previous one. Nonetheless, you can use Veency to control your iPhone remotely as follows:
- Download the Veency app and let it run in the background of your device
- Go to your iPhone's settings option and copy its IP address
- Open the VNC client on your PC and key in your iPhone's IP address
- The VNC client shall send a request to connect to your iPhone, accept this request, and mirror your device.
- You can now control almost all functions on your iPhone remotely on your PC using the Veency app.
Conclusion:
The list of remote access options for your iPhone provided above is not exhaustive, meaning you can explore other apps and options. However, pay attention to your data security and avoid using unvetted apps that will cause more harm than good.
