visionOS 2.2 Beta Adds Wide and Ultrawide Modes to Mac Virtual Display

Apple today seeded the first beta of visionOS 2.2 to developers, and it adds the promised "Wide" and "Ultrawide" modes to the Mac Virtual Display feature.

visionOS 2 Ultra Wide Mac Virtual Display
Mac Virtual Display allows Apple's Vision Pro headset to be used as an external display for a Mac. The feature has been available since visionOS was first released earlier this year, but the wider options are new in the latest beta.

Apple has previously said the ultra-wide version of Mac Virtual Display is equivalent to having two physical 4K displays sitting side by side on a desk.

Mac Virtual Display is now available in three sizes: Normal, Wide, and Ultrawide.

visionOS 2.2 will likely be released to the public in December alongside iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, macOS Sequoia 15.2, watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, and other updates.

Apple has yet to offer public betas of visionOS.

Related Roundups: Apple Vision Pro, visionOS 2
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

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Top Rated Comments

Dr32Degrees Avatar
8 hours ago at 12:25 pm

How’s your neck after an hour with this?
I use it 4-6 hrs a day, and I don't doubt the reports of neck discomfort, but I honestly, no-kidding, have never had any issues, and I am an average-sized old guy. It has been a WFH gamechanger.

EDIT: just updated, and this is beyond amazing - the photo in the article really doesn't do it justice. I have been awaiting this feature, and I am pleased to report that it is far better than I had even hoped it would be.

Fellow AVP'ers: is it my aging eyes, or did 2.2 improve the Mac Virtual Display clarity? The text - which was fine - looks even crisper to me after the update.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SolarCowboy Avatar
7 hours ago at 01:43 pm
Just upgraded to the VisionOS 2.2 beta. The 'connect' message shows up immediately above my MacBook Pro's monitor and the screen mirroring starts almost instantly. Above the normal screen mirror (size) there is a 'Mac Virtual Display' option to select another screen size. The attached image shows the ultra wide view.

The attached image does not do this justice ... anywhere you look, the screen is very sharp (I do CAD work and works with lots of Excel files ... I value a GOOD display). Also, the image does not show how large the screen really appears in your vision through the displays. It can be scaled up to be truly massive, requiring you to turn your head at least 120° from left to right.

In the images attached, I've scaled the window up and down in an attempt to show the full aspect ratio, as well as how large you can make this.

This is THE feature I have been really looking forward to ... so I will be using this quite a bit in the coming days.



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Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chucker23n1 Avatar
9 hours ago at 11:19 am
API is called NeckpainKit.

Just kidding; this does seem like a great feature.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
9 hours ago at 11:17 am
Fantastic! I look forward to hearing early reviews from people who actually OWN Vpro vs. the crowd who fills every Vpro thread with colorful & extremist opinions in spite of NOT owing one... and sometimes not having even tried the demo of one.

I hope this feature is as good as implied. A virtual ultra-wide screen anywhere one happens to be is the fold/roll/projector-technology killer for the production-oriented crowd who are at their best with a big screen (much bigger than a 16" laptop screen) when on the road. Unlike the other shots at technologies to serve bigger mobile screens on the go, this can deliver with the exact same weight & size in the travel bag... but a much bigger canvas to get Mac things done!

When I went Silicon, I also went 5K2K ultra-wide 40" monitor vs. the iMac 27" screen it replaced. I could NEVER go back now. It's wayyyyyyyyy too useful to have all the added screen R.E. to get things done. When I've traveled, the best I had for "on the go" was up to a 16" screen in a laptop. Productivity plunges when forced back down to such a relative puny size and even working within the near square shape. Here's an option to actually have an ultra-wide with me wherever I am... even bigger than the one anchored on a desk at home or the office... but without the weight and impossible-to-carry-along physical size. I hope this upgrade displays well.

Those of you who actually own one and install betas, I'd love to see your opinions about quality of screen, how well it works, etc.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dlewis23 Avatar
9 hours ago at 11:17 am
Ultrawide in the VisionPro is something I really would like to try out in person one day.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Graphikos Avatar
9 hours ago at 11:27 am
Bring it on! I've been waiting for this update.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)