Run your computer from the couch.
Couchpad turns your phone into a trackpad, a keyboard and a media remote for your Mac or Windows PC. Pause the film, skip the song, type the search, all without getting up.
Version 0.1.0, for macOS 11 or later on Apple silicon and Intel. Then get the phone app from the App Store or Google Play.
Try it: drag on the phone, then tap play.
The remote for whatever's playing
Play, pause and skip with one tap. Slide to set the exact volume, or mute. The buttons work with any player that responds to your keyboard's media keys.
You also see what's playing. On a Mac that's Spotify and Music; on Windows it's most players, browsers included.
A trackpad in your hand
Move the pointer with one finger and tap to click. Two fingers scroll, or tap with two for a right click.
To drag a window or select text, hold for a moment, then move. Lift and touch again to keep dragging across the screen, and tap to drop.
Type without the keyboard
Type on your phone and the text appears on your computer, as you type or when you press Return. Arrow keys, Esc, Tab and the modifier keys are one tap away.
Shortcuts for copy, paste, undo, switching apps, search and full screen use the right keys for a Mac or a PC.
Lives in your menu bar
The helper sits in the menu bar on a Mac and in the system tray on Windows. To pair a phone, choose Show code & QR, scan it with the phone, then click Allow on the computer.
It lists your paired phones and how each one is connected, and you can remove one at any time. Switches turn Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth on or off, and open the helper at login.
Wi‑Fi first, Bluetooth when it can't
Your phone finds your computer on the same Wi‑Fi without any setup. If the network blocks devices from seeing each other, or there's no Wi‑Fi at all, Couchpad switches to Bluetooth and keeps working within a few meters. When Wi‑Fi is back, it moves over on its own.
Private by design
- Local only. It never works over the internet. The helper ignores anything that isn't on your network or in Bluetooth range.
- Paired with a code, approved by you. The pairing code is never sent, not even encrypted, and nothing pairs until you click Allow on the computer.
- Encrypted, every message. Each connection starts with fresh keys. A message that's been tampered with ends the connection.
- No account, no ads, no tracking. Read the privacy policy.
Set up in a minute
- 1
Install the helper
Download it for your Mac or PC. It sits quietly in the menu bar or system tray.
- 2
Get the phone app
Install Couchpad on your iPhone or Android phone.
- 3
Pair them
Click the helper's icon, choose Show code & QR, and scan it with your phone's camera. Click Allow, and you're on the couch.
Questions
Does it work over the internet?
No. Couchpad only works when your phone and computer are on the same local network, or within Bluetooth range. The helper ignores connections from anywhere else, so it can't be reached from outside your home.
What do I need to install?
The Couchpad app on your phone, and the small helper on your computer. The helper lives in the menu bar on a Mac and in the system tray on Windows.
Which computers and phones does it support?
Macs running macOS 11 or later, with Apple silicon or Intel, and PCs running Windows 10 or later. On the phone side, iPhone and Android.
Is my typing sent anywhere?
Only to your computer. Everything you type, every pointer movement and every media command goes straight from your phone to your computer, encrypted, and nothing is stored.
What if Wi‑Fi is down or blocks devices?
Turn on Bluetooth on both and stay nearby. Couchpad switches to Bluetooth on its own, and back to Wi‑Fi when it can reach your computer again.
Can more than one phone control the same computer?
Yes. Pair each phone once. You can see and remove paired phones from the helper at any time.
Why does my Mac ask for Accessibility access?
macOS only lets apps move the pointer and press keys with that permission. The helper's Setup window opens the right settings page for you.
Put the remote on the couch.
Version 0.1.0, for macOS 11 or later on Apple silicon and Intel. Then get the phone app from the App Store or Google Play.