When connecting to a Mac using High Performance Screen Sharing in Screens 5.10 or later, you may notice that the remote Mac's physical display turns black.
This is expected behaviour, not a bug.
Why Does This Happen?
High Performance Screen Sharing automatically blanks the remote Mac's physical display while you're connected.
This privacy feature prevents anyone physically near your Mac from seeing what you're doing during a remote session.
The display automatically returns to normal when you disconnect.
Note: This behaviour is managed by macOS and cannot be disabled while using High Performance Screen Sharing.
How to Keep the Remote Mac's Display Visible
If you'd prefer the remote Mac's physical display to remain visible, you can use Standard Screen Sharing instead.
Option 1: Use Standard for a Single Connection
- Open Screens 5.
- Tap and hold (or right-click) your Mac in the Library.
- Select Connect with Standard.
This lets you connect using Standard Screen Sharing without changing your saved connection settings.
Option 2: Make Standard Your Default
- Open Screens 5.
- Tap and hold (or right-click) your Mac in the Library and select Edit.
- Under Connection, change the Screen Sharing mode from High Performance to Standard.
- Save your changes and reconnect.
With Standard Screen Sharing, the remote Mac's physical display remains visible unless you've explicitly enabled Hide Remote Display.
What If the Display Stays Black After Disconnecting?
The remote Mac's display should automatically return to normal when you end your session.
If it remains black, try reconnecting with Screens and then disconnecting normally using Actions > Close Connection.
Avoid force-quitting Screens during an active High Performance session, as this may prevent the connection from closing cleanly.