Mac Virtual Display
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A physical monitor or another tablet profile leaves unused space when fitted to the Fold.
Behind the app
Behind Mac Virtual Display
This time, the aspect ratio is genuinely insane.
A Galaxy Z Fold8 made me want a remote Mac workspace that actually fit the screen. That small idea turned into a native macOS menu bar app.
Galaxy Z Fold8 running the dedicated 2448×1848 display at a Looks like 1224×924 HiDPI workspace.
01 · ORIGIN
It started with the Fold8
The unfolded display looked less like a phone and more like a pocket-sized tablet. It felt like the right shape for occasional access to my MacBook Pro.
The first remote test was already better than expected. At home the stream felt immediate, and over SKT 5G it remained stable enough for real work with almost no perceptible delay.
But merely connecting a streaming host and client was not enough. The Mac still needed a display whose shape, resolution, and refresh rate matched the Fold.
The Fold was ready for a Mac workspace. macOS was not.
02 · THE PROBLEM
Remote streaming does not create the right display
Chrome Remote Desktop and many paid tools can show a Mac screen, but they do not automatically give macOS a client-matched workspace.
Fill and stretch
Fill cuts off the desktop. Stretch distorts the interface. Neither is a real solution.
Host-side limitation
Sunshine can capture a display that exists, but macOS does not create a Fold-shaped display just because Artemis connects.
03 · THE DISPLAY
The missing piece was a native HiDPI display
The Fold8 profile renders at 2448×1848 and 120Hz while macOS presents a comfortable Looks like 1224×924 workspace.
HiDPI does not reduce the physical output to 1224×924. macOS renders the interface with four physical pixels for each logical point, keeping text and controls sharp.
Matching the Fold ratio means Artemis can stay in Fit mode without black bars, cropping, or distortion.
| Profile | Native output | HiDPI workspace | Refresh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Z Fold8 | 2448 × 1848 | 1224 × 924 | 120 Hz |
| iPad Pro 11-inch | 2420 × 1668 | 1210 × 834 | 120 Hz |
04 · THE APP
From a shortcut to a menu bar app
The first version was a set of shortcuts and display tools. Repeating the same fragile steps made it clear that the workflow needed a dedicated app.
Device profiles
Creates the Fold or iPad display with the correct resolution, HiDPI scale, and refresh rate.
Sunshine integration
Finds the display that was just created and points Sunshine at its current identifier.
Safe restore
Saves the physical display arrangement first and restores it when the managed display turns off.
Main display
Makes the remote workspace the main display so menus and apps open where the client can see them.
Tailscale
Shows whether Tailscale is connected without signing in or controlling the VPN account.
Clamshell workflow
Keeps the managed workspace available after the physical monitor is turned off in the tested order.
05 · HOW IT CONNECTS
Four components, one remote workspace
Mac Virtual Display handles the display. Sunshine, Artemis, and Tailscale each keep their own focused role.
Creates and restores the device-matched macOS workspace.
Captures and encodes the managed display on the Mac.
Shows the stream on Galaxy Fold and sends touch, mouse, and keyboard input.
Provides a private route to the Mac when connecting from outside.
Tailscale is optional on the same local network. I still keep it available because a wired Mac and wireless client are not always discovered automatically.
06 · SETUP
The complete Fold8 setup
Install Mac Virtual Display, Sunshine, and Tailscale on the Mac. Install the non-root game APK of Artemis and Tailscale on the Fold.
- Open Mac Virtual Display, choose Galaxy Z Fold8, enable Sunshine integration, and press Turn On.
- Sign in to Tailscale on both devices and add the Mac's 100.x.x.x address manually in Artemis.
- Enter the four-digit Artemis PIN in Sunshine at https://localhost:47990.
- Choose Desktop in Artemis and apply the tested 120Hz preset below.
Tested Artemis preset
| Artemis setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Video resolution | Custom 2448 × 1848 |
| Frame rate | 120 FPS |
| Video bitrate | 65 Mbps |
| Video codec | Prefer HEVC |
| Video frame pacing | Balanced |
| Video Scale Mode | Fit |
| HDR | Off |
| Use Virtual Display | Off |
Use Virtual Display stays off because Mac Virtual Display has already created the host-side display. If the network is unstable, lower bitrate before lowering resolution or frame rate.
07 · REAL USE
Touch, 5G, and clamshell use
The setup became useful only after it worked away from the desk, not just during a local demo.
Artemis trackpad mode maps one-finger movement to the pointer, two-finger movement to scrolling, two-finger tap to right-click, and three-finger tap to the software keyboard.
For Korean text, the Fold keyboard stays in English and the input source changes on the Mac. This lets the macOS input method compose the text from ordinary key events.
My host Mac uses wired Ethernet on a gigabit connection, while the home client uses Wi‑Fi 7. Outside, the same 2448×1848, 120Hz, HEVC, 65Mbps preset remained stable on SKT 5G.
For clamshell use: connect power and Ethernet, turn on the Fold profile while the physical monitor is still available, verify the Artemis stream, and only then turn the physical monitor off.
08 · LIMITS
What it does not pretend to solve
The app removes the display-side friction, but it cannot override every network or macOS limitation.
Mobile conditions vary
Latency depends on location, carrier conditions, and whether Tailscale can establish a direct path.
Test before leaving
Long-term clamshell and reboot behavior can differ by Mac model and macOS version.
macOS text path
Composed Android text may not reach Sunshine correctly, so language switching happens on the Mac.
A display built for the device in your hands.
Mac Virtual Display is free, signed, and notarized for Apple silicon Macs running macOS 14 or later.