iMessage screen sharing gets the green light in newest OS X Yosemite beta

BY Evan Selleck

Published 19 Aug 2014

image iOS 8 screen share

In June, it was revealed that iMessage would be getting a screen sharing option, letting people either request permission to share someone else’s screen, or to invite others to share. And now it looks like Apple has turned the feature on in the newest version of the OS X Yosemite beta.

The sixth beta for OS X Yosemite was released to developers on August 18, and with it, screen sharing was turned on for those who have an Apple ID/FaceTime/iMessage account. This feature was a common sight back in the day of Apple’s iChat feature, but back then a user needed to have an AOL/AIM account to make use of the feature. Now, though, the feature should be more widely available for Mac users.

The feature also includes a few tweaks for the more updated user, including the ability to block someone who requests permission to share your screen, as noted by 9to5Mac:

image Screen Sharing Decline

There are also notifications within the Status Bar at the top of your display to show that someone is viewing your screen. You can also Pause or End screen sharing right from the options within the Status Bar:

image Screen Sharing view

image Screen Sharing view2

Also, it should be noted that if you want someone to actually control your screen, you’ll have to give them permission to do it, even after you’ve already given them permission to view it. Just an extra step before you let someone navigate your mouse and what not.

Screen sharing is just one of the many new features unveiled by Apple when they announced OS X Yosemite 10.10 earlier this year. Since then, the sixth beta for the desktop software has been released, with speculation that it could launch publicly in October, staggered from iOS 8.