Yes! High Performance Screen Sharing connections are encrypted by default, protecting your remote desktop session, including screen contents, keyboard and mouse input, clipboard data, and audio/video streaming.
Unlike Standard Screen Sharing, High Performance provides built-in encryption for the entire session, so an SSH tunnel isn't required to protect your connection.
What happens if I enable SSH?
High Performance uses UDP for HEVC video and remote audio streaming. Since SSH tunnels only carry TCP traffic, these features aren't available when SSH is enabled.
However, all other High Performance features continue to work, including:
- Built-in connection encryption.
- Dynamic desktop resizing and virtual displays.
- Privacy protection that blanks the remote Mac's physical displays when connecting as the logged-in user.
Screens simply uses standard framebuffer updates instead of HEVC video streaming, and remote audio is unavailable.
For the full High Performance experience, we recommend leaving SSH disabled unless your network configuration requires it.
What about Standard Screen Sharing?
Standard Screen Sharing connections don't necessarily encrypt all session traffic.
Depending on the remote computer and its authentication method, information such as screen contents, clipboard data, and user input may be transmitted without encryption.
For example:
- Mac connections: Some Apple-specific keyboard and mouse events are encrypted, but screen contents and clipboard data may not be.
- Windows/Linux connections using plain VNC: Screen contents, clipboard data, and keyboard/mouse activity may be transmitted without encryption.
- Connections using TLS or other full-session encryption: Session contents are encrypted, provided the server's identity is properly verified.
If you're using Standard Screen Sharing over the Internet, we recommend enabling SSH or connecting through a trusted VPN, such as Tailscale, unless your connection already uses full-session encryption.
Can someone intercept my connection?
Like any network communication, remote desktop traffic can potentially be intercepted by someone who gains access to the network path.
With High Performance, session contents are encrypted, preventing an interceptor from reading your screen, clipboard, input, or audio/video data. However, network metadata such as IP addresses and traffic volume may still be visible.
With unencrypted Standard connections, someone able to intercept the traffic could potentially recover sensitive information.
When in doubt, use High Performance, SSH, or a trusted VPN to protect your remote desktop session.