Apple Kills Off Back to My Mac in Mojave

Once touted as a key feature of the Mac platform, Back to My Mac will be killed off in the next release, macOS Mojave.

“Back to My Mac will not be available on macOS Mojave,” an Apple support document explains. “You can get ready now by learning about alternatives for file access, screen sharing, and remote desktop access.”

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Apple launched Back to My Mac with Mac OS X Leopard way back in 2007. It provided a way for users to access files remotely from a Mac that was connected to the Internet. The feature is old enough that it originally required a subscription to MobileMe, which you’ll recall launched alongside the original iPhone that year.

“Back to My Mac uses Bonjour networking technology so that when you’re on the road, you’ll see your other computers in the Shared section of the Finder sidebar, just as if you were at home,” an older version of Apple’s documentation noted. “You can even access the files stored on your Time Capsule or a hard disk connected to an AirPort Extreme Base Station with 802.11n technology.”

Since then, of course, Apple has transitioned to iCloud and has released its own Remote Desktop app for the Mac. And as Apple now notes, Macs also natively support screen sharing for remote control purposes as well.

Apple’s macOS Mojave launches next month and is a free upgrade for existing customers with compatible Macs.

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Conversation 6 comments

  • HellcatM

    22 August, 2018 - 12:41 pm

    <p>Is the use of the name Mojave a stab at Microsoft? </p>

    • warren

      22 August, 2018 - 2:23 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#303517"><em>In reply to HellcatM:</em></a></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Huh? macOS releases are named after California natural landmarks.</p>

  • Bob Shutts

    23 August, 2018 - 11:02 am

    <p>I never could get it to work correctly anyway.</p>

  • provision l-3

    23 August, 2018 - 11:09 am

    <p>For what it is worth Apple Remote Desktop has been around for 16 years, the article makes is sound like it is a new product. </p>

  • Patrick3D

    23 August, 2018 - 11:21 am

    <p>For anyone that uses the Chrome web browser, check out Chrome Remote Desktop, it's free and has worked through every corporate firewall I've come up against. I've read there are some problems with Mojave, I only use it with Windows and Linux but it's supposed to support Mac OS as well.</p>

  • devo_max

    24 August, 2018 - 8:44 am

    <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Devolutions (the company behind Remote Desktop Manager) now offers a complete free remote desktop solution called Wayk Now which offers native support for macOS and iOS as well as Windows, Android and Linux. It is a great alternative to BTTM, will work behind NAT traversal and firewalls and is free for unlimited devices.</span></p>

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