Squad for Mac is in private beta.
Before you start
- You are the workspace owner. Only the owner can turn on Mac access and answer its requests. Administrators, Collaborators, and Viewers do not see the Mac access page.
- The squad is one of your own squads, open in the Squad app. Mac access works only for the squad that is open in the app.
Turn on Mac access
1
Open the settings
Open Settings (⌘,), then This Mac > Mac access.
2
Turn on the switch
Turn on Let your squad use this Mac. The status line says “Connecting this Mac…”, then “On as” and your Mac’s name.
Ask your chief of staff
Ask a teammate
What teammates can ask for
Each request carries a short reason from the teammate. The card at the notch and the notification show you that reason. Recent requests does not show it.
The window for See your screen is chosen when the request arrives. The prompt names it, and exactly that is captured after you allow it.
The browser tab works with Safari and with Chrome, Arc, Brave, Edge, Vivaldi, and Chromium. It does not work with Firefox. For the size limits of files, text, and pictures, see Limits and defaults.
Answer a request
When a teammate asks for something that no shared folder covers, the request shows at the notch, as a card with “Wants your Mac”. When the notch is busy, for example with another request or while you talk, the card waits until the notch is free. When the notch is off, the request comes as a notification titled with the teammate’s name and “wants to use your Mac”. The card names the teammate, what it wants, the file, folder, or address, and the reason. Choose one of these:- Allow once: the app does this one request. When the request would replace a file that exists, the button is Replace it, and the card says “This replaces the file that’s there.”
- Always for and the folder, for example Always for Downloads. In a notification, the button is Always for this folder. The app does the request and shares the folder. For a listing, that is the folder itself. For a file, it is the folder that holds the file. A read shares the folder as Read only, and a write as Read and save files. Later requests inside the folder run without asking. This choice shows only for files and folders, and not when the request replaces a file.
- Deny: nothing is shared. The teammate is told that you did not approve.
When you do not answer
A card at the notch that you do not answer moves to a notification after a short time. Esc on the card also moves it to a notification. Esc is never an answer. A request that you do not answer at all expires. The teammate is told that you did not answer on your Mac. A denied or expired request tells the teammate to continue without it, and not to ask the same thing again in that run. For the times, see Limits and defaults.Requests that always ask
These ask you every time, also inside a shared folder:- See your screen. Squad never remembers screen access. If Squad cannot see your screen yet, the card says so. Allowing it then asks macOS for the Screen Recording permission, and no picture is taken. The teammate is told to ask again after you turn it on.
- Replacing a file that exists. Files are replaced only when you approve that exact change.
- Open a web page and read the open browser tab. Shared folders cover only files and folders.
Share folders
A shared folder lets your teammates use it without asking each time. Every other place stays on the default: each request waits for your yes. The Shared folders card on the Mac access page lists your shared folders. It shows while Mac access is on. Each folder is Read only or Read and save files. A request to write a file needs Read and save files.1
Open the share menu
On the Mac access page, open Share a folder.
2
Pick the access
Choose Read only or Read and save files.
3
Pick the folder
Pick the folder and select Share. The folder shows in the list.
- Sharing a folder that is already shared does not add a second row. Sharing a Read only folder again with Read and save files changes it to Read and save files. The other way around leaves it as it is.
- Squad refuses to share the whole disk, Volumes, Users, or a folder that holds your home folder. It says to choose a folder inside it.
- A shared folder can also be a project’s folder. See Give a project a folder on your Mac.
Recent requests
The Recent requests card on the Mac access page shows what teammates asked for and what happened, newest first. It shows while Mac access is on. Each row has the teammate, the request, and how long ago, with a chip:
A request that waits for your answer on this Mac has a dot, Allow, and Deny on its row, so you can answer it there too. For how many rows the list keeps, see Limits and defaults.
What is never shared
Your Mac refuses these requests, also inside a folder that you share. You are not asked about them.- Hidden files and folders.
- Your Library folder.
- Keychains.
- System folders.
- Anything outside your home folder, unless you share that folder.
Permissions on your Mac
macOS asks for these permissions the first time Squad needs them. You can change them in System Settings > Privacy & Security.
macOS asks for the browser permission once for each browser.
Who can use it
Only your own work reaches your Mac. The Mac belongs to the workspace owner, and only the owner can connect a Mac and answer its requests. When a teammate works for another person in your squad, Squad refuses its Mac requests. The teammate tells that person that only the owner can ask for something on the owner’s Mac. In a squad that you were invited to, Mac access stands down, and it picks up again when you open one of your own squads. See Invite people to your squad.When your Mac is connected
Your Mac counts as connected while all of this is true:- The Squad app is open on the Mac, and you are signed in.
- One of your own squads is open in the app.
- Let your squad use this Mac is on.