Help & problems

Fixes for the common problems first. If none of them helps, report it below.

The tablet says "Connecting…" or "Mac not reachable"

Make sure the Mac and the tablet are on the same Wi-Fi, and that SpareScreen is running (its icon is in the Mac's menu bar). Open the link again from the SpareScreen menu. A guest Wi-Fi network often blocks devices from seeing each other.

The picture is frozen

The Mac's screen has probably gone to sleep. Tap the tablet once to wake it (SpareScreen 1.0.8 or later), or move the Mac's mouse.

The extra screen won't appear, or a monitor went missing

macOS sometimes gets stuck on a screen it couldn't remove. To clear it:

1. Quit SpareScreen (menu → gear → Quit).
2. Put the Mac's screen to sleep and wake it: open Terminal, run pmset displaysleepnow, wait 5 seconds, then move the mouse.
3. If it's still stuck, restart the Mac.
4. If a monitor comes back at the wrong resolution, unplug the monitor's power for 30 seconds and plug it back in.

Then open SpareScreen again. If it happens again, please report it, ideally from the app.

Report a problem

Best: from the app. Click the SpareScreen icon in the menu bar → gear → Report a Problem…. That includes SpareScreen's log, which usually shows the cause. You can see everything before it's sent.

Can't open the app? Use this form:

Or email support@getsparescreen.com. See Privacy for how reports are kept.