How to Set Up SideDisplay

Get started in just 5 simple steps.

Watch the Tutorial

See how to set up SideDisplay on macOS in just a few minutes.

SideDisplay macOS Tutorial
Connect iPhone and enable hotspot

Connect iPhone & Enable Hotspot

Connect your iPhone to your MacBook using a USB cable and enable Personal Hotspot in your iPhone's Settings.

Enable Internet Sharing on Mac

Enable Internet Sharing

On your MacBook, open System Settings > General > Sharing > Internet Sharing. Set "Share your connection from" to iPhone USB, and "To devices using" to Wi-Fi. Configure your Wi-Fi options, then turn on Internet Sharing.

After enabling Internet Sharing, click the Wi-Fi icon in the Menu Bar and confirm that it has changed to the Internet Sharing icon Internet Sharing icon.

Why isn't my Tesla detecting the Wi-Fi network from Internet Sharing?

Launch SideDisplay app

Launch SideDisplay

Once Internet Sharing is active, open SideDisplay on your MacBook and click the Start button.

Connect Tesla to Wi-Fi

Connect Tesla to Wi-Fi

Go to the Wi-Fi menu on your Tesla and connect to the SSID you configured in Step 2.

Open Tesla Web Browser

Open Tesla Web Browser

Open the web browser on your Tesla and navigate to http://go.ss. Make sure you are using http, not https. Your screen will start sharing to the browser within a few minutes. You can adjust the display settings in System Settings > Displays, just like any other external monitor.

If you experience any issues, open the app and check Enable Diagnostics, then click Start. Use it until the issue occurs, then click Stop to send a diagnostic report.

Watch the Tutorial

See how to set up SideDisplay on Windows in just a few minutes.

SideDisplay Windows Tutorial
Connect smartphone via USB tethering

Connect Smartphone & Enable USB Tethering

Connect your smartphone to your Windows laptop using a USB cable and enable USB Tethering. For iPhones, you must have iTunes installed on Windows. For Android devices, refer to your manufacturer's guide to enable USB tethering.

Enable Mobile Hotspot on Windows

Enable Mobile Hotspot

On Windows, go to Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot. Set "Share my internet connection from" to your USB tethering device (e.g. Ethernet 2), and "Share over" to Wi-Fi. Then enable the Mobile hotspot toggle.

Launch SideDisplay on Windows

Launch SideDisplay

Once Mobile Hotspot is active, open SideDisplay on your Windows PC and click the Start button.

Connect Tesla to Wi-Fi

Connect Tesla to Wi-Fi

Go to the Wi-Fi menu on your Tesla and connect to the SSID you configured in Step 2.

Open Tesla Web Browser

Open Tesla Web Browser

Open the web browser on your Tesla and navigate to http://go.ss. Make sure you are using http, not https. Your screen will start sharing to the browser within a few minutes. You can adjust the display settings in Windows Settings > Display, just like any other external monitor.

If you experience any issues, open the app and check Enable Diagnostics, then click Start. Use it until the issue occurs, then click Stop to send a diagnostic report.

Required Permissions

SideDisplay needs the following macOS permissions to work properly. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and enable SideDisplay for each:

⚙

Accessibility

Required for touch control — allows SideDisplay to move the cursor and perform clicks on your Mac from the Tesla touchscreen.

Privacy & Security > Accessibility > SideDisplay
🌐

Local Network

Required to communicate with devices on your local network, including your Tesla.

Privacy & Security > Local Network > SideDisplay
🖥

Screen & System Audio Recording

Required to capture your Mac's screen and stream it to the Tesla display.

Privacy & Security > Screen & System Audio Recording > SideDisplay

Allow During Installation

You may see the following prompt when installing SideDisplay on Windows.

🛡

Windows Defender SmartScreen

When the SmartScreen popup appears during installation, click More info, then click the Run anyway button to proceed with the installation.

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Troubleshooting: Wi-Fi network not visible on Tesla

If you've enabled Internet Sharing but your Tesla (or other devices) can't find the Wi-Fi network, your MacBook's Internet Sharing likely isn't set up correctly. Follow the steps below.

1. Keep Wi-Fi on, but disconnect from any network

Internet Sharing cannot broadcast while your Mac is already connected to a Wi-Fi network. The Wi-Fi interface itself must stay on, but no network should be connected.

Click the Wi-Fi icon in the Menu Bar and disconnect from any currently connected network.

2. Do not connect to iPhone's Personal Hotspot over Wi-Fi

Set up Personal Hotspot on your iPhone (Settings > Personal Hotspot), then connect the iPhone to your MacBook with a USB cable. Your Mac should use the iPhone as a USB tethered connection, not a Wi-Fi hotspot.

If your iPhone appears as a Personal Hotspot in your Mac's Wi-Fi list, disconnect it the same way as step 1.

3. Configure Internet Sharing

Go to System Settings > General > Sharing > Internet Sharing and configure it as follows:

Click Wi-Fi Options to set your Network Name and Password, click OK, then Done.

After enabling Internet Sharing, click the Wi-Fi icon in the Menu Bar and confirm that it has changed to the Internet Sharing icon Internet Sharing icon.