Apple Vision Pro guest mode could soon be controlled by iPhone

Code discovered in iOS 18.2 indicates that Apple Vision Pro owners may get to control guest mode via iPhone through a Live Activity session.

The current process for setting up Apple Vision Pro is controlled entirely on the device. Once guest mode is initiated and a device is selected to view the display through, like the user's iPhone, all other control is lost.

According to code discovered by AppleInsider staff, the Apple Vision Pro owner's iPhone may play a greater role in managing guest mode in iOS 18.2. After handing over the Apple Vision Pro to a guest, the iPhone will have a Live Activity to allow guest access and select which apps are available to the user.

The new system presumably works similarly to other handoff features, like inputting passwords from Apple TV or accessing the Apple TV remote. It likely won't run from an installed app, but instead a UI layer accessible from the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island as long as the session is active.

Guest mode currently is a hassle to set up, as once the headset is removed, all controls are locked in to whatever you set up. If you enabled the displays to be mirrored to an iPhone, it shows up as a full-screen UI with just an "x" and nothing else.

Apple didn't release a beta for visionOS 2.2, so there isn't any way to test if the feature is available or if the code is prep for a future release.

Apple leaning into its ecosystem to make Apple Vision Pro easier to access and share is an obvious move. Rumors indicate Apple may push a more mainstream model that could launch in early 2026, so it has until then to iron out some of these pain points.