Is this a usual support method?

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Level 1

4 points

Is this a usual support method?

After swopping out a wireless router I was having an issue on my Mac Studio. I contacted support and spent a while methodically working through the fault finding procedures. Several times through reboots etc he asked permission to remotely view my screen which I gave. Unfortunately in setting up my iPhone to be a hot spot for the Mac I lost the call. I called back in the afternoon and got a different advisor that had a totally different approach to viewing my screen. He got me to use the camera on my iPad to view the Mac screen. This seemed a bit odd as holding the iPad to see the screen was problematic in making changes. When I needed to enter passwords he did say he wasn’t looking and turning his viewing screen off but in hindsight this seems very odd when the remote viewing method was available. I was uncomfortable about this and ended the call. I did change my passwords afterwards just in case but I’m uneasy about the call.

Is this a usual Apple support method?

Mac Studio, macOS 26.3

Posted on Mar 15, 2026 9:03 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 15, 2026 12:05 PM in response to mike17112

If you mean using the iPad as a method to view the Mac screen? Why would you assume that to be a greater risk than remote access to a device? Retired now, but I did IT support for years and yes, used the method described occasionally when direct access to a machine wasn’t feasible.

I am not sure why you think is creates more risk than direct access. It doesn’t.

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Answer 2

Mar 15, 2026 10:25 AM in response to mike17112

Whether unusual or not, you have already dealt with any breaches that may have been caused -- by simply changing any exposed passwords and shutting off that access.

Are your Wi-Fi issues resolved?

If not, please post a more pointed query.

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Answer 3

mike17112 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 15, 2026 11:36 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thank you for your reply and yes I did solve the problem myself. The Ethernet connection from the TP-Link WiFi was speed limited to 1Mbps.

I think my original question is still relevant. The method described in my post easily exposes a callers sensitive data to outsiders. Yes, hopefully by changing passwords I should be protected but how many less proficient can say the same when on a support call using this method?

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