Use a Mac mini with no monitor

Why you don't need a dummy plug

Without a monitor, macOS gives a Mac mini a plain 1920×1080 display that isn't Retina, so many people plug in a dummy HDMI adapter.

With Tele you don't need one. Unplug the monitor, and Tele gives the mini a Retina display of its own by itself: 1920×1200 points at 2x. Connect a monitor again, and Tele removes its display and the windows go to the monitor.

Set it up

Do this once, with a monitor attached, or through Screen Sharing if it's already on. A new Mac mini needs a monitor and keyboard for its first setup.

1. On the mini, turn on Screen Sharing in System Settings › General › Sharing. You'll need it if the mini ever locks.
2. Install Tele on the mini and turn on Share this Mac. It's off until you do.
3. Give Tele Screen Recording and Accessibility, and keep it allowed in Login Items.
4. In System Settings › Energy, stop the mini sleeping when the display is off. Tele can't wake a sleeping Mac.
5. In System Settings › Lock Screen, set Start Screen Saver when inactive to Never.
6. Install Tele on your MacBook, pair the two Macs and allow it on the mini.
7. Unplug the monitor.

What happens when

• You're connected: the mini stays awake and doesn't lock.
• Nothing is connected: the mini's own sleep and lock settings apply.
• The mini locks: its windows stop. Tele says so on your MacBook within seconds and offers Unlock with Screen Sharing, where you type the password. Tele never stores it. macOS locks the mini again when that Screen Sharing session ends.
• The mini restarts: Tele starts at login, not before, so the mini has to be logged in. With FileVault on, it waits for its password before macOS starts, and macOS doesn't offer automatic login. No app can get past that.
• The power goes out: the mini starts again only if Start up automatically after a power failure is on in System Settings › Energy.
• Tele crashes or the network drops: Tele restarts itself, and the windows come back in place.

What you can do from your MacBook

• Open any window on the mini, or start any app installed on it.
• Use it with your own keyboard and mouse. Day to day, the mini needs neither.
• Hear the mini's sound on your MacBook, and use your MacBook's microphone in the mini's apps.
• Copy and paste both ways.
• Add the mini's apps to your Dock.

Questions

Can I get remote access to my Mac mini from outside my home?

Not with Tele. It works only when both Macs are on the same network.

Does the mini need a cable?

It needs to be on the same network as your MacBook. Tele was tested and measured with the mini on Ethernet and the MacBook on Wi-Fi.

Does the Mac mini need a licence?

No. A Mac that only shares its windows never needs one. The first 14 days include everything. After that, Tele Free opens one window at a time with no time limit, and a licence covers all your Macs.

Is it the same as a Mac mini remote desktop?

No. A remote desktop shows the whole screen in one window. Tele opens each app window on its own, beside your own apps. How Tele compares.

What do I need?

macOS 26 or later on both Macs, and both on the same network. There's no account.