VNC Connections Denied on Mac: Troubleshooting Built-in Screen Sharing

Are you having trouble connecting to a Mac using VNC (Virtual Network Computing)? If so, you're not alone. Many users have reported issues with VNC connections being denied when trying to use the built-in screen sharing feature on a Mac.

In this article, we'll go over some common troubleshooting steps to help you resolve this issue and get your VNC connections up and running.

Check the Screen Sharing settings

The first thing you should do is check the screen sharing settings on the Mac you're trying to connect to. Here's how:

1. Click the Apple menu and select "System Preferences."
2. Click the "Sharing" icon.
3. Check the box next to "Screen Sharing" to enable it.
4. Click the "Computer Settings" button.
5. Make sure the "Allow access for" option is set to "All users" or "Only these users" (with your user account added to the list).

If the screen sharing settings are correct, try the next step.

Check the firewall settings

If the screen sharing settings are correct, the next thing to check is the firewall settings. Here's how:

1. Click the Apple menu and select "System Preferences."
2. Click the "Security & Privacy" icon.
3. Click the "Firewall" tab.
4. Click the lock icon in the lower left corner and enter your administrator password to make changes.
5. Make sure the firewall is turned off or that an exception is added for VNC connections.

If the firewall settings are correct, try the next step.

Check the network settings

If the firewall settings are correct, the next thing to check is the network settings. Here's how:

1. Click the Apple menu and select "System Preferences."
2. Click the "Network" icon.
3. Make sure the correct network connection is selected (for example, Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
4. Click the "Advanced" button.
5. Click the "TCP/IP" tab.
6. Make sure the IP address is correct and that the subnet mask is set to 255.255.255.0.

If the network settings are correct, try the next step.

Check the VNC client settings

If the network settings are correct, the next thing to check is the VNC client settings. Here's how:

1. Open your VNC client (for example, RealVNC or TightVNC).
2. Enter the IP address of the Mac you're trying to connect to.
3. Make sure the VNC client is set to use the correct VNC port (the default is 5900).
4. Try connecting again.

If the VNC client settings are correct, try the next step.

Restart the Mac

If none of the above steps have resolved the issue, try restarting the Mac. This can often resolve any temporary issues that may be causing the VNC connections to be denied.

In this article, we've covered some common troubleshooting steps for resolving VNC connections being denied on Mac using the built-in screen sharing feature. We hope this has helped you get your VNC connections up and running. If you're still having trouble, don't hesitate to contact Apple Support for further assistance.

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