If Screens can reach your Mac but reports that the username or password is incorrect or that authentication was refused, the connection itself is usually working.
The problem is most likely related to the credentials saved in Screens or the Screen Sharing or Remote Management configuration on the Mac.
Check Your Mac Username and Password
Screens authenticates using a user account on the Mac you're connecting to.
Do not use your Screens Connect account or other Screens credentials.
Make sure the username and password saved in the connection settings are correct. If you're unsure which username to use, follow these instructions:
Even if the saved credentials appear correct, try deleting and re-entering both the username and password.
Check Who Is Allowed to Connect
On the Mac you're connecting to:
- Open System Settings > General > Sharing.
- Locate Screen Sharing or Remote Management.
- Click the information button next to the enabled service.
- Under Allow access for, make sure your Mac user account is allowed to connect.
If All users is selected, your account should already be allowed.
If You're Using Remote Management
Remote Management has additional permissions that can prevent Screens from controlling the Mac even when your username and password are correct.
Open the Remote Management settings and make sure both Observe and Control are enabled.
If they're already enabled, try turning both options off and back on.
You can also reset the Screen Sharing or Remote Management service by following these instructions:
Unless you specifically need a Remote Management feature such as Curtain Mode, you can also use Screen Sharing instead. Screens works with either service, and Screen Sharing is generally simpler to configure.
If You're Using a Secure Connection
If Secure Connection (SSH) is enabled for the connection, Remote Login must also be enabled on the Mac.
Open System Settings > General > Sharing > Remote Login and make sure the Mac user you're using with Screens is included under Allow access for.
Check the Mac Firewall
The macOS firewall can sometimes prevent incoming Screen Sharing or Remote Management connections.
On the Mac you're connecting to, open System Settings > Network > Firewall > Options and make sure Automatically allow built-in software to receive incoming connections is enabled.
If it's already enabled, try turning the option off and back on. You can also try temporarily turning the firewall off to determine whether it's preventing the connection.
Still Having Trouble?
After checking the settings above, try connecting again.
If authentication still fails, reproduce the problem and then send us a Screens Diagnostics Report from the device you're connecting from, immediately after the failed connection attempt:
Send a Screens Diagnostics Report
This will help us determine where the authentication is being rejected.