Set up your first Mac

What you need

A Mac with macOS 14.4 or later. Apple silicon and Intel both work.

An email address to sign in with. Every one of your devices signs in to the same account.

Elsewhere for Windows isn't out yet. For now, the computer you reach has to be a Mac.

Install and sign in

1. Download Elsewhere for Mac from the download page.
2. Open the download and drag Elsewhere to your Applications folder.
3. Open Elsewhere and enter your email address.
4. Type the six-digit code we email you.

Turn on sharing

Next, Elsewhere asks for two macOS permissions. Screen Recording lets your other devices see the screen. Accessibility lets you type and click from them.

Allow both, then click Turn on sharing. System sound is optional. It gets the Mac's sound to you sooner.

Only want to reach other computers from this Mac? Choose Not now. You can turn sharing on later from the menu bar.

Start your plan

Connecting needs a plan. Start your free 7-day trial on your account page at elsewhere.is, or in the iPhone app.

One plan covers every device on your account.

Keep it running

Your Mac answers while Elsewhere is running. Closing the window is fine, since Elsewhere stays in the menu bar. Quitting it takes the Mac offline.

In Settings > General, turn on Open Elsewhere at login. It then starts again after a restart, once someone logs in at the Mac.

Then sign in on your iPhone or iPad with the same email. Your Mac is already in the list.