Screen Sharing from within Messages app fails to connect under Sequoia

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Level 1

107 points

Screen Sharing from within Messages app fails to connect under Sequoia

For many years, I have been able from Messages app to "Ask to Share Screen" with my father and remotely assist him with IT needs. Since he upgraded his m2 mac mini to Sequoia, and I have upgraded my 2018 mac mini to Sequoia - it no longer works. Both of us are running 15.3.1

When I select "Conversation Menu -> Ask to Share Screen" within Messages, it sends him a Facetime Audio request for some reason, and it fails to connect.

If he initiates the screen sharing by "Conversation Menu -> Share my Screen" in Messages, it ends up making a Facetime Audio call to me.

I found one other closed thread about the same issue: Screen sharing not working on MacBook Pro… - Apple Community

Mac mini, macOS 15.3

Posted on Feb 27, 2025 9:43 AM

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Answer 1

David Carlin Author

Level 1

107 points

Feb 27, 2025 9:55 AM in response to David Carlin

I found a possible workaround.

If I go to Applications -> Utilities -> Screen Sharing app, my father appears in the history of past connections. I can "Ask to Share" from there and it successfully connects as soon as he approves on his end.

Doing it from within Messages app like I'd done for years does not work.

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Answer 2

terryb

Level 4

3,542 points

Mar 6, 2025 5:48 PM in response to David Carlin

I'm running into the same issue with Macs running Sequoia, 15.3.1. Messages->Conversation->Share->Ask to Share Screen results in a FaceTime Audio call (to the user's iPhone, not MacBook Air). Launching the Screen Sharing app directly and opening a connection to their AppleID works, but only in one direction. Trying to connect from the MacBook Air to the iMac results in a User Not Available error.

Connecting via Messages->Ask to Share Screen has worked for us since at least MacOS 12.

I'd love to hear If anyone's found the magic trick to get this working again.

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Answer 3

Feb 27, 2025 12:45 PM in response to David Carlin

I experienced the same issue. I suspect, at least in my case, that the problem may be related to the other user having their iPhone and Mac integrated. It seems that the iPhone wants to "grab" the sharing session, so it goes to FaceTime audio instead. I noticed when I opened the Screen Sharing app, the most recent session was actually to my recipient's phone, not the computer.

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Answer 4

David Carlin Author

Level 1

107 points

Feb 27, 2025 1:59 PM in response to Timothy Hood

Interesting. We both have iPads and iPhones and our respective macs, all of them going off with facetime audio requests when trying to initiate screen sharing via Messages.

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