In HiLookVision vs HikGrid, HikGrid is the better choice on a Mac. HikGrid (our app) is a native Mac app for viewing Hikvision and HiLook cameras. HiLookVision, now called HiLook, runs on a Mac only as an iPad app for M1 or later that Hikvision hasn't verified for macOS. HikGrid runs on Intel and Apple silicon and connects by IP or Hik-Connect.
Updated November 2026.
Verdict: For a Mac with a Hikvision or HiLook recorder, HikGrid is the better choice because it is a native Mac app for viewing Hikvision and HiLook cameras that runs on Intel and Apple silicon, with no emulator, no Windows and no Rosetta. HiLookVision (now HiLook) is the better choice if you only watch your cameras on a phone or tablet.
- The HiLook app (formerly HiLookVision) is offered on a Mac as an iPad app labelled "Not verified for macOS", for macOS 12 and M1 or later (App Store, checked 3 November 2026).
- Hikvision's HiLook camera guide (2020) has you register a HiLookVision account, while distributors now point HiLook owners to Hik-Connect (Security Wholesalers, October 2025; Megateh, November 2026).
- HikGrid runs natively on Intel and Apple silicon Macs with macOS 13 Ventura or later, and costs £39.95 one-time per Mac, including VAT.
HiLookVision vs HikGrid at a glance
| HiLookVision (now HiLook) | HikGrid | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Free phone and tablet app from Hikvision for HiLook recorders | Native Mac app for viewing Hikvision and HiLook cameras |
| On a Mac | iPad app, "Designed for iPad. Not verified for macOS"; macOS 12 or later, M1 or later | Universal Mac app, macOS 13 Ventura or later |
| Intel Macs | Not available: the Mac version needs M1 or later | Supported, macOS 13 to macOS 26 Tahoe |
| Computer route | Hikvision recommends iVMS-4200 (HiLook guide, 2020; support articles, 2022); its Mac build is Intel-only and needs Rosetta on Apple silicon | Native Mac app; no iVMS-4200 or Rosetta needed |
| Emulator route | Third-party guides use BlueStacks: macOS 11 or later, 4 GB RAM, 10 GB disk | Not needed |
| Account | HiLookVision account in Hikvision's 2020 guide; distributors now point to Hik-Connect | Local IP, remote IP or domain, or Hik-Connect sign-in |
| Layouts | iPad layout; a June 2026 review says a redesign made the interface oversized | Custom camera layouts in a Mac window |
| Live view and playback | Yes, on phone, tablet and Apple silicon Macs | Yes, on Intel and Apple silicon Macs |
| Price | Free | £39.95 one-time per Mac (including VAT), free trial |
| Version | 6.13.851 (App Store, 3 September 2026) | HikGrid 1.4 |
| Best for | Watching HiLook cameras on a phone, with alerts | Viewing, playing back and downloading HiLook and Hikvision footage on a Mac |
HikGrid is independent and not affiliated with Hikvision, HiLook or the other products compared here. Prices and versions checked 3 November 2026.
HiLookVision vs HikGrid: where does HiLookVision fall short on a Mac?
Mixed advice on which app and account to use
HiLook is Hikvision's value brand, and Hikvision publishes the HiLook app. Yet the advice on which app to use has shifted. Hikvision's HiLook camera guide (2020) tells you to register a HiLookVision user account. Distributors now point HiLook owners to Hik-Connect instead: Megateh (updated November 2026) and Security Wholesalers (October 2025) say HiLook NVRs use "the same Hik-Connect platform". For how the two brands' apps relate, see HiLook vs Hikvision software.
If you move a HiLook recorder to the Hik-Connect cloud, note that Hikvision says Hik-Connect's cloud live view stops after five minutes by design. Its fix is a direct IP or domain connection with port forwarding. We cover this in why Hik-Connect stops after 5 minutes.
HikGrid keeps it simple: one Mac app for HiLook and Hikvision recorders. Connect directly by local IP, or by remote IP or domain (which may need a port forward), or sign in with your Hik-Connect account.
No Mac app, only an iPad app Hikvision hasn't verified for macOS
The HiLook App Store listing offers the Mac version as an iPad app for macOS 12 and M1 or later, labelled "Not verified for macOS" (checked 3 November 2026). Apple explains that verification is how developers tell you to expect "a great experience on macOS". The same page shows iPad apps run only on Apple silicon Macs.
HikGrid is native on both. It runs on Intel Macs from macOS 13 Ventura to macOS 26 Tahoe, and on Apple silicon from M1 to M5. Our guide to HiLook cameras on a Mac walks through setup.
Hikvision's computer route is iVMS-4200
The same 2020 HiLook guide includes a section on accessing the camera through iVMS-4200. Hikvision's support articles from late 2022 (software for a PC or Mac, viewing cameras on a Mac) recommend iVMS-4200 too. Rosetta Check lists its Mac build as Intel-only (30 October 2026), so Apple silicon Macs run it through Rosetta, and Apple says Rosetta stays a general-purpose tool only through macOS 27. Our iVMS-4200 for Mac guide has the details.
HikGrid needs no iVMS-4200 and no Rosetta. For the full comparison, read iVMS-4200 vs HikGrid.
Emulator workarounds add a whole Android layer
Search for HiLookVision on a computer and third-party guides suggest an Android emulator. BlueStacks' HiLookVision page (updated July 2025) lists macOS 11 or later, 4 GB of RAM and 10 GB of disk space. That's a phone app, inside an emulator, inside your Mac.
HikGrid is a native app. Download it, add your recorder and watch.
Layout changes and connection errors in reviews
A US App Store review from June 2026 says the switch from Favorites to Groups made the iPad interface oversized and no longer lets you repeat a camera in a group. Another, from 1 June 2026, reports lag, freezing and distorted images after an update. UK reviewers reported "network unstable" errors stalling playback in January 2023, May 2023 and January 2024, and views that got smaller (March 2023).
HikGrid gives you custom camera layouts on a Mac screen, with playback and recording search in the same window.
What HiLookVision does well
- It's free, with live view, playback and motion alerts on your phone.
- It's well rated: 4.7 stars from about 23,000 US App Store ratings (checked 3 November 2026).
- It's still updated. Version 6.12.0 (May 2026) added two-factor login and intercom support, and 6.13.851 followed on 3 September 2026.
- A 2022 App Store review reported a local mode that keeps viewing working on Wi-Fi without internet.
Which is better for a HiLook or Hikvision NVR on a Mac, HiLookVision or HikGrid?
In the HiLook vs HikGrid choice, the screen decides. On a phone, the HiLook app is free and handy. On a Mac, HikGrid is the HiLookVision alternative built for the job: a HiLookVision replacement for the desk, while the phone app stays in your pocket.
Choose HikGrid if:
- You want to watch HiLook cameras on any Mac with macOS 13 or later, Intel or Apple silicon.
- You'd rather not run iVMS-4200 under Rosetta, Windows or an Android emulator.
- You aren't sure which account to use: HikGrid connects by IP or with Hik-Connect.
- You want playback, recording search and footage download at your desk.
- You have HiLook and Hikvision recorders and want them side by side in one Mac window.
Choose HiLookVision if:
- You only watch your cameras on a phone or tablet.
- You want motion alerts pushed to your phone. Keep it for that and add HikGrid on the Mac.
If your HiLook recorder is now on Hik-Connect, read Hik-Connect vs HikGrid. For every Hikvision option side by side, see Hikvision's Mac software compared with HikGrid.
Switching from HiLookVision to HikGrid
You keep the HiLook app on your phone. HikGrid doesn't change your recorder's settings or your phone app; each app connects to the recorder separately.
- First, check your recorder on HikGrid's compatibility page. Then download the free trial and open HikGrid.
- Add your HiLook recorder. At home, use its local IP address. Away from home, use a remote IP or domain (this may need a port forward), or sign in with your Hik-Connect account, which needs no port forwarding.
- Allow Local Network access when macOS asks. On macOS 15 Sequoia and later, you may need to switch it on in System Settings.
- Build a layout. Add any Hikvision systems too, so everything sits in one window.
- Test playback and download a short clip.
Watch your HiLook cameras on your Mac, natively. HikGrid (our app) gives you live view, playback, recording search and footage download in one native macOS window. It runs natively on Apple silicon and Intel Macs (macOS 13 Ventura or later), connects to several Hikvision and HiLook systems at once, and costs £39.95 one-time per Mac with monthly feature upgrades included and no subscription.
FAQ
What happened to HiLookVision?
It was renamed. The app is now called HiLook in the App Store, published by Hikvision, and version 6.13.851 came out on 3 September 2026. It still runs on iPhone and iPad. On a Mac it is the iPad app, for M1 or later, and Hikvision has not verified it for macOS.
HiLookVision vs Hik-Connect: which app should a HiLook owner use?
Hikvision's 2020 HiLook camera guide uses a HiLookVision account, but distributors now point HiLook owners to Hik-Connect, saying HiLook NVRs use the same Hik-Connect platform. Both are phone and tablet apps. On a Mac, HikGrid is a native Mac app for viewing Hikvision and HiLook cameras, and it can sign in with Hik-Connect or connect by IP.
Does HikGrid work with HiLook NVRs and DVRs?
Yes. HikGrid is a native Mac app for viewing Hikvision and HiLook cameras through your NVR or DVR, with live view, playback, recording search and footage download. It connects by local IP, remote IP or domain, or a Hik-Connect account. Check the requirements on the compatibility page at hikgrid.com, and try the free trial with your own recorder before you buy.
Do I need BlueStacks or Windows for HiLook on a Mac?
No. Third-party guides suggest an Android emulator such as BlueStacks, which asks for 4 GB of RAM and 10 GB of disk space, and Hikvision's computer route is iVMS-4200, whose Mac build is Intel-only under Rosetta. HikGrid is a native Mac app for viewing Hikvision and HiLook cameras, so it needs no emulator, no Windows and no Rosetta.
Can I use the HiLook app and HikGrid together?
Yes. Keep the HiLook app on your phone for alerts and quick checks, and use HikGrid on your Mac. Each app connects to the recorder separately, and HikGrid doesn't change the recorder's settings. HikGrid is a native Mac app for viewing Hikvision and HiLook cameras, at £39.95 one-time per Mac.
Sources
- App Store (US): HiLook, listing, versions and reviews (checked 3 November 2026)
- App Store (UK): HiLook reviews
- Hikvision: HiLook camera guide, Set Up HiLookVision (2020)
- Megateh: Hik-Connect remote access on a HiLook NVR (updated November 2026)
- Security Wholesalers: remote viewing on a HiLook system (October 2025)
- Hikvision USA: What software do you use on a PC or Mac? (2022)
- Hikvision USA: How can I view my cameras on a Mac? (December 2022)
- Hikvision USA: cameras time out after 5 minutes on Hik-Connect (October 2022)
- BlueStacks: HiLookVision on PC and Mac (July 2025)
- Apple Developer: iPhone and iPad apps on Apple silicon Macs
- Rosetta Check: iVMS-4200 (verified 30 October 2026)
- Apple Developer: About the Rosetta translation environment
- HikGrid
- HikGrid compatibility page