Uses macOS's built-in Screen Sharing instead of installing a VNC server

vnc-macOS.sh

#!/bin/bash

# Check if running on macOS
if [ "$(uname)" != "Darwin" ]; then
    echo "This script is for macOS only"
    exit 1
fi

# Check if running as root
if [ "$EUID" -eq 0 ]; then 
    echo "Please do not run as root/sudo"
    exit 1
fi

# Enable Remote Management
echo "Enabling Remote Management..."
sudo /System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app/Contents/Resources/kickstart \
    -activate -configure -access -on \
    -restart -agent -privs -all

# Enable VNC with password
echo "Setting up VNC password..."
read -s -p "Enter VNC password: " VNC_PASSWORD
echo
read -s -p "Confirm VNC password: " VNC_PASSWORD_CONFIRM
echo

if [ "$VNC_PASSWORD" != "$VNC_PASSWORD_CONFIRM" ]; then
    echo "Passwords do not match!"
    exit 1
fi

# Set VNC password
sudo /System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app/Contents/Resources/kickstart \
    -configure -clientopts -setvnclegacy -vnclegacy yes \
    -clientopts -setvncpw -vncpw "$VNC_PASSWORD"

# Configure firewall if it's enabled
if [ "$(sudo defaults read /Library/Preferences/com.apple.alf globalstate)" != "0" ]; then
    echo "Configuring firewall..."
    # Allow screen sharing through firewall
    sudo /usr/libexec/ApplicationFirewall/socketfilterfw --add /System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app
    sudo /usr/libexec/ApplicationFirewall/socketfilterfw --unblock /System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app
fi

# Enable Screen Sharing
echo "Enabling Screen Sharing..."
sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.screensharing.plist
sudo defaults write /var/db/launchd.db/com.apple.launchd/overrides.plist com.apple.screensharing -dict Disabled -bool false

# Get IP address
IP_ADDRESS=$(ifconfig | grep "inet " | grep -v 127.0.0.1 | awk '{print $2}')

echo "VNC server setup complete!"
echo "Your Mac's IP address is: $IP_ADDRESS"
echo "To connect from another machine:"
echo "1. Use a VNC viewer and connect to: vnc://$IP_ADDRESS"
echo "2. Enter the password you just set"
echo ""
echo "Note: You can also enable/disable Screen Sharing through:"
echo "System Preferences → Sharing → Screen Sharing"
echo ""
echo "For enhanced security, consider using SSH tunneling:"
echo "ssh -L 5900:localhost:5900 username@$IP_ADDRESS"
echo "Then connect your VNC viewer to: localhost:5900"