How do I prevent my Mac from logging out after I've logged in remotely from iPhone, then left the iPhone app?

Question

Level 1

49 points

How do I prevent my Mac from logging out after I've logged in remotely from iPhone, then left the iPhone app?

I use RemoterVNC on my iPhone to remotely login to my Mac at home so kids can use the computer without my having to physically go to the computer. (I admit it, I'm a little lazy that way.) However, lately when I launch RemoterVNC (on my iPhone), do the login business, then leave the app, the remote Mac has started logging out. It also has started doing this when I log in from my other Mac via Screen Sharing. This is a relatively recent behavior. Does anyone have any idea what setting I may have (inadvertently) toggled to cause the computer to automatically log out when the "logging in app" is no longer active on the remote device?

Mac mini, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Jul 2, 2016 8:49 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

iChristos

Level 2

190 points

Jul 2, 2016 12:53 PM in response to macmikey

Go at System Preferences > Energy Saves > Computer Sleep > Drag this at NEVER in order to prevent your mac from logging out.

Think simple. 🙂

Reply

Answer 2

BobHarris

Level 9

53,531 points

Jul 4, 2016 1:09 PM in response to macmikey

Check to see if System Preferences -> Security -> unlock padlock -> Advanced -> [_] "Log out after [nn] minutes of inactivity" is set.

Does your iPhone go to sleep?

Did you get an update for the RemoveVNC iPhone client? Is it possible the RemoteVNC vendor changed the behavior?

Have you looked at the RemoveVNC "Settings" to see if there is an option that has changed, or is new that you might want to now set.

Reply

Answer 3

macmikey Author

Level 1

49 points

Jul 4, 2016 1:09 PM in response to BobHarris

"Log out after [nn] minutes of inactivity" is clear (i.e., not checked).

After I log in remotely, I do turn the phone off (into standby/sleep mode).

I seldom (read: never) make changes to these settings once I've set up the connection procedure. Additionally, I do not recall any recent RemoterVNC updates, but many of these happen "silently." The most recent update was on Nov. 12, but I don't think my problem has been happening that long. Maybe in the last 2-3 months... but I could be mistaken. I'll inquire with the developer about this behavior.

Reply

Answer 4

macmikey Author

Level 1

49 points

Jul 4, 2016 1:20 PM in response to iChristos

I want the computer to logout after a certain amount of time. I don't want the computer to log out just as soon as I exit the app on my iPhone that I used to log in on the Mac Mini. Thanks, though.

Reply