Apple just announced that it will be sunsetting the Back to My Mac service when macOS 10.14 Mojave launches this fall. The company recommends to start using iCloud Drive, use screen sharing or to buy Apple Remote Desktop at $80.
Screens and Screens Connect are a great alternative to Back to My Mac. In fact, Screens Connect essentially behaves like the soon to be defunct service; it manages to open a port on your router and sends that information to our server. Then, Screens retrieves that information in order to connect to your Mac remotely.
Screens Connect starts at boot time so it makes sure that your Mac remains reachable, even if no user has logged in.
Screens Does More
The built-in Screen Sharing client app hasn’t evolved much in the past 5 years, most likely because Apple was pushing hard on iCloud and iCloud Drive. Still, many people do need to control their Mac and file sharing solutions are not an adequate alternative. We’ve been working on Screens constantly for the past 8 years, adding new features and making the app faster and more reliable.
Here’s a few things Screens does that Screen Sharing client app does not:
- Connect to modern Linux distros and Raspberry Pi (Screen Sharing has authentication issues)
- Block the remote display via Curtain Mode (part of the $80 ARD app)
- Manage your saved connections in an intuitive interface
- Connect securely via a SSH tunnel
- Perform actions right before closing a connection (Log Out User, trigger Hot Corner, etc.)
- Control your Mac from your iOS device
And of course, Screens supports all Screen Sharing features such as:
- Adaptive Quality
- File Transfers (Screens for macOS)
- Clipboard Sharing
- Multiple Display Support
Moreover, you can use Screens Assist to help family members, friends or clients to troubleshoot issues on their Macs. It makes it super easy!