# Glasspad > Glasspad is a free, open source (MIT) app that turns an iPhone or Android phone into a trackpad, keyboard, media remote and button deck for a Mac or Windows PC, over Wi-Fi, with no account. - Modes: 12 named modes, buttons for more than 70 apps, up to 3 modes on one screen, 39 themes, and a game controller with 7 layouts and 10 skins - Made for: an iPhone (iOS 18 or later) or an Android phone (Android 10 or later), with a Mac (macOS 14 or later) or a Windows PC (Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit). Either phone works with either computer. There is no iPad or Linux version. - Price: free, with nothing to buy and no subscription. License: MIT (open source). Source code: https://github.com/Soham109/glasspad - Latest version: 0.5.0, released 2026-10-17. Release notes: https://github.com/Soham109/glasspad/releases/tag/v0.5.0 - Not on the App Store or Google Play yet. On a Mac, one command in Terminal builds the Mac and iPhone apps with Xcode 26 or later and installs them with a free Apple ID; that iPhone install stops opening after 7 days, so the Mac renews it over Wi-Fi. The iPhone app needs a Mac for this even when it controls a PC. The Windows installer and the Android app are downloads from GitHub Releases; the Windows installer is not code signed yet, so SmartScreen warns once. - Private: paired once by QR code, encrypted, talks only over your Wi-Fi, no account and no cloud. - Made by Soham Aggarwal (https://sohamaggarwal.com, https://github.com/Soham109) A small app on your Mac or Windows PC and an app on your iPhone or Android phone, on the same Wi-Fi. Pick a mode on the phone and it controls the computer. With a PC, the phone shows only what Windows can do. ## Features - Trackpad: Move, click, scroll, pinch, swipe between Spaces and open Mission Control, with a tap you can feel on every click. It follows your Mac's own trackpad settings. On a PC, the same gestures do what Windows does with them. - Scroll strip: An optional slim strip at the edge of the trackpad that scrolls with one thumb, for holding the phone upright. Choose its edge, width, length (full or half), speed and momentum, and whether resting the thumb at an end keeps scrolling, like a jog wheel. Settings, Trackpad, Scroll Strip. - Keyboard: Type or dictate. Modifier keys, shortcuts, arrows and F1 to F12, with any Mac keyboard layout. - Media: What is playing in Spotify, Music, Podcasts or a browser: artwork, scrubbing, sound output, volume and screen brightness. - Dock: Your Mac's Dock. Tap to open, hold to hide or quit, and hide the Mac's own Dock. - Actions: Buttons that follow the app in front, for more than 70 apps. - Pinned: Your own buttons: Do Not Disturb, Night Shift, Keep Awake, Split Screen and window tiling, screenshots, apps, and websites with their real logos. Folders keep them tidy; the Library finds anything. - Macros: Record steps on your Mac once, replay them with a tap. - Shortcuts: Run any shortcut from the Shortcuts app on your Mac. - Remote: A touch pad like the Siri Remote: tap to pause, swipe to skip 10 seconds, up or down for volume. The keys follow 11 players, among them YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, VLC and Spotify, and Search types on the Mac. - Present: Next and Back, a timer, and a laser you steer with one finger. - Clipboard: Text and images, both ways. - Displays: Every display and its windows. Move a window to another display or tile it, and set brightness, resolution and Night Shift. - Game: The phone as a game controller: seven layouts (Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, Simple, Racing, Fight, Retro), ten skins, a layout editor, profiles that tie keys to each game, tilt aim, and haptics with safety limits. Feel the game turns the computer's sound into haptics; the sound is never recorded or sent. A Windows PC tries a virtual controller and falls back to keys and mouse; a Mac gets keys and mouse. - Layouts: Up to three modes on one screen. The divider rests on thirds and the middle; your layouts sit in the mode menu. - StandBy: A clock beside Now Playing or your calendar while the iPhone charges, in dim red at night. - Siri and Shortcuts: On iPhone: Open a mode or a layout from Siri or the Shortcuts app, plus a Control Center control, a Lock Screen widget and a Live Activity with Remote or Present keys. - Themes: 39 themes: 6 classic, 12 glass, 9 color, 4 with a fine grain, 7 tinted in one color down to the app icons, and Photo, which blurs a picture of yours behind everything. - Connection: Reconnects by itself and says why the computer is away. It can wake a Mac with Wake for network access on, or a PC with Wake on LAN on. Between an iPhone and a Mac on Wi-Fi that keeps devices apart, it tries a direct Wi-Fi link. - More than one computer: Pair another Mac or PC in Settings, then tap to switch. - Private: Paired by QR code, encrypted, no account. Your phone and computer talk only over your Wi-Fi. Website buttons fetch their site's logo and the Mac may fetch album art. - Windows and Android: The Android app has the same modes, layouts and themes as the iPhone app. Either phone works with a Mac or a Windows PC; with a PC, the phone shows only what Windows can do. ## Requirements Mac and iPhone: - A Mac on macOS 14 or later - Xcode 26 or later - An iPhone on iOS 18 or later - A free Apple ID - A USB cable for the first install - One Wi-Fi for the Mac and the iPhone Windows PC: - A PC on Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit (Intel, AMD or Arm) - One Wi-Fi, or one network, for the PC and the phone Android phone: - An Android phone on Android 10 or later - A camera, to scan the pairing code - One Wi-Fi for the phone and the computer ## Install Full steps with pictures: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/install On a Mac (this also installs the iPhone app), paste this into Terminal: ```bash curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Soham109/glasspad/main/install.sh | bash ``` 1. Xcode: Install Xcode, then enter your Mac password once. 2. Build tools: The script downloads XcodeGen. 3. Source: The script downloads Glasspad. 4. Apple account: Sign in to Xcode with your Apple ID and pick your team. 5. Mac app: Allow Accessibility for Glasspad in System Settings. 6. iPhone: Trust the Mac, turn on Developer Mode, and trust the app. 7. Automatic renewal: Your Mac keeps the app opening by renewing it over Wi-Fi. 8. Pair: Click Glasspad in the menu bar, choose Pair Your iPhone, scan the code, then click Allow on the Mac. With a free Apple ID, apps you install yourself stop opening after 7 days. Your Mac checks every hour and reinstalls Glasspad over Wi-Fi once the install is 5 days old, as long as the Mac is on and the iPhone is on the same Wi-Fi at some point. If it cannot, it tells you. On a Windows PC: 1. Download: Download the Glasspad installer for Windows: for an Intel or AMD PC, https://github.com/Soham109/glasspad/releases/latest/download/Glasspad-0.5.0-windows-x64-setup.exe (for Windows on Arm, https://github.com/Soham109/glasspad/releases/latest/download/Glasspad-0.5.0-windows-arm64-setup.exe). 2. Run it: Open the installer. It is not code signed yet, so if Windows SmartScreen says it protected your PC, click More info, check that the name is Glasspad, then click Run anyway. It installs for your user, with no administrator prompt. 3. Allow it on your network: The first time Glasspad starts, Windows asks whether it may use your network. Allow Private networks, so your phone can reach the PC. 4. Pair: Click the Glasspad icon in the notification area, choose Pair Your Phone, scan the code with the Glasspad app on your phone, then click Allow on the PC. On an Android phone: 1. Download: On the phone, download the Glasspad app for Android (https://github.com/Soham109/glasspad/releases/latest/download/Glasspad-0.5.0-android.apk). 2. Allow the install: Open the file. If Android asks, allow your browser to install unknown apps (Settings, Apps, Special app access, Install unknown apps), then go back and tap Install. 3. Open it: Open Glasspad and allow the camera when you scan, and Nearby devices if Android asks, so it can find your computer. 4. Pair: Show the pairing code on your Mac or PC, scan it with the Glasspad app, then click Allow on the computer. On a Mac used with an Android phone (no Xcode): 1. Run the command: Paste curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Soham109/glasspad/main/packaging/macos/install-app.sh | bash into Terminal. It downloads the Mac app, checks it, puts it in Applications and opens it. No Xcode needed. It needs a Mac with Apple silicon. 2. Allow Accessibility: When asked, switch Glasspad on in System Settings, Privacy & Security, Accessibility, so it can move the pointer. 3. Pair: Click Glasspad in the menu bar, choose Pair Your iPhone (it pairs Android phones too), scan the code with Glasspad on the phone, then click Allow on the Mac. On an iPhone used with a Windows PC (no Mac): 1. Set up AltStore or SideStore: On the PC, set up AltStore with AltServer (altstore.io), or SideStore (sidestore.io), which needs the computer only once. 2. Download: On the iPhone, download the Glasspad app file (https://github.com/Soham109/glasspad/releases/latest/download/Glasspad-0.5.0-ios-unsigned.ipa). 3. Install: Open it in AltStore or SideStore (My Apps, then +) and sign in with your free Apple ID. Turn on Developer Mode if the iPhone asks. 4. Keep it renewed: Free Apple ID installs stop opening after 7 days. AltStore renews the app while the iPhone and the PC running AltServer share a Wi-Fi; SideStore renews it on the phone. 5. Pair: On the PC, click the Glasspad icon in the notification area, choose Pair Your Phone, scan the code with the iPhone Camera or Glasspad, allow Local Network, then click Allow on the PC. ## Demo video Use Your iPhone as a Mac Trackpad (Free, Open Source) | Glasspad (64 seconds, on YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AArTWOADGc Glasspad turns your iPhone into a wireless trackpad, keyboard and remote for your Mac. Free, open source (MIT), no account, no cloud. Chapters: - 0:00 Your iPhone as a Mac trackpad - 0:13 Click with haptics and swipe between Spaces - 0:26 Your Mac's trackpad settings, mode menu and Dock - 0:39 Actions for the app in front, and media - 0:50 Private: no account, no cloud, encrypted Transcript: Your Mac is over there. Your phone is right here. Glasspad turns it into a trackpad. Slide a finger, and the pointer glides, in step with your display. Tap, and you feel the click. Swipe three fingers, and your Spaces move with your hand. It follows your Mac's own trackpad settings, so it already feels like yours. Tap the top for everything else. Open Word without getting up. Actions follow the app in front. Switch to Safari, and the buttons switch with you. Play Spotify on your Mac, and scrub it from your phone. No account. No cloud. Every touch is encrypted, and stays on your Wi-Fi. Glasspad is free and open source. ## Questions ### What is Glasspad? Glasspad is a free, open source (MIT) app that turns an iPhone or Android phone into a trackpad, keyboard, media remote and button deck for a Mac or Windows PC, over Wi-Fi, with no account. It has 12 modes: Trackpad, Keyboard, Media, Dock, Actions, Pinned, Macros, Clipboard, Present, Remote, Displays and Game, a game controller. Actions has ready-made buttons for more than 70 apps, Layouts put up to three modes on one screen, and there are 39 themes. Either phone works with either computer; with a PC, the phone shows only what Windows can do. It is made by Soham Aggarwal. ### Is Glasspad free? Yes. It is free and open source under the MIT License, with no account and nothing to buy. The code is public on GitHub under that license, so no feature in it can be moved behind a paywall later. ### Is Glasspad on the App Store or Google Play? Not yet. On a Mac, one command in Terminal builds it with Xcode and installs it on your iPhone with your free Apple ID. The Windows installer and the Android app are downloads from GitHub Releases. Every step is on the install page. ### Does the iPhone app stop opening after 7 days? Not while your Mac can reach it. With a free Apple ID, apps you install yourself stop opening after 7 days, so your Mac renews Glasspad over Wi-Fi before then. If it cannot, it tells you. The Android app and the Windows app do not expire. ### What if my computer sleeps or the Wi-Fi drops? The phone reconnects by itself when the Wi-Fi is back or the computer wakes, and says why the computer is away. The phone can also wake a Mac that has Wake for network access on (not one on battery), or a PC whose network adapter has Wake on LAN on. ### Does anything leave my Wi-Fi? Almost nothing. Glasspad pairs once with a QR code, encrypts everything, and your phone and computer talk only over your Wi-Fi. There is no account. Website buttons fetch their site's name and logo, and the Mac may fetch album artwork for what is playing. ### What do I need? A computer: a Mac on macOS 14 or later, or a PC on Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit. A phone: an iPhone on iOS 18 or later, or an Android phone on Android 10 or later. One Wi-Fi for both. The iPhone app installs from a Mac with Xcode 26 or later, a free Apple ID and a USB cable. ### Can I use an iPhone with a Windows PC? Yes, once the iPhone app is on the phone. Apple lets you install an app from outside the App Store only from a Mac with Xcode, so the iPhone app needs a Mac for the install, and with a free Apple ID that Mac renews it every 7 days. An Android phone needs no Mac. ### Can I use my iPhone as a trackpad for my Mac? Yes, with an app on both devices; macOS has no built-in way, and Universal Control does not work with iPhone. Glasspad is a free, open source one: one finger moves the pointer, a tap clicks and the iPhone taps back, two fingers scroll and pinch, and three fingers swipe between Spaces or open Mission Control. More in iPhone as a Mac trackpad. ### How do I control my Mac from my iPhone? Install an app on both. If you are away from the Mac and need to see its screen, use a screen sharing app. If you are in the same room, Glasspad makes the iPhone a trackpad, keyboard, media remote and button deck for the Mac: install it with one Terminal command, pair the iPhone by QR code, and both talk over your Wi-Fi. See Install. ### Can I use my iPhone as a keyboard for my Mac? Yes. In Glasspad's Keyboard mode, what you type or dictate on the iPhone lands where the cursor is on the Mac. It has Control, Option, Command and Shift, arrows, and F1 to F12, and works with any Mac keyboard layout. More in iPhone as a Mac keyboard. ### Can I use my iPhone as a remote for Netflix or YouTube on my Mac? Yes. Glasspad's Remote is a touch pad like the Siri Remote: tap to play or pause, swipe sideways to skip 10 seconds, up or down for volume. Its buttons follow 11 players: YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV, QuickTime Player, IINA, VLC, Infuse, Spotify and Music, with Skip Intro on Netflix. More in iPhone remote for Mac. ### Can I split the screen on my Mac from my iPhone? Yes. Add Split Screen to Actions to put windows side by side, or touch and hold a window in Displays for the halves, Fill, Center and Split With. More in Split screen from iPhone. ### What is a free Stream Deck alternative for Mac? Glasspad is one: a free, open source iPhone app that puts buttons for your Mac on the phone, with no key limit. Its Actions mode has ready-made buttons for more than 70 apps that follow the app in front, and you can pin your own: apps, websites, keyboard shortcuts, macros, Shortcuts and Mac controls. Elgato's Stream Deck Mobile is free for 6 keys and $2.99 a month for up to 64. Glasspad has no physical keys and no streaming plugins, so for OBS or Twitch a Stream Deck fits better. More in Glasspad vs Stream Deck Mobile. ### How is Glasspad different from Universal Control? Universal Control is built into macOS: it lets one Mac's keyboard and trackpad control up to two nearby Macs or iPads. Apple lists no iPhone support. Glasspad makes your iPhone the trackpad, keyboard and remote for your Mac, and works alongside Universal Control. More in Glasspad vs Universal Control. ### How is Glasspad different from Remote Mouse? Remote Mouse turns a phone into a mouse and keyboard for a Mac, Windows or Linux computer, on iPhone and Android, and is free with ads and paid extras. Glasspad is for iPhone and Android with a Mac or Windows PC (not Linux), is free with no ads or purchases, is open source, and adds buttons for the app in front, a couch remote, a slide clicker, your displays and layouts. More in Glasspad vs Remote Mouse. ### Can I use my iPhone as a presentation clicker for my Mac? Yes. Glasspad's Present mode has Next and Back, a timer, and a laser pointer you steer with one finger, for slides in Keynote, PowerPoint and other apps on the Mac. Next, Back and the timer also show on the iPhone's Lock Screen. ### Can I use Glasspad with more than one computer? Yes, Macs and PCs together. Pair another one in Settings on the phone, then tap a computer to switch. With two or more, the computer's name at the top of the screen is a menu to switch too. One computer is connected at a time. ### Can I control my Mac without opening Glasspad? Partly. A Control Center control and a Lock Screen widget open the trackpad. While Remote, Media or Present is open, a Live Activity puts its keys on the Lock Screen. Siri and the Shortcuts app can open a mode or layout, play or pause, send the clipboard, open Mission Control, or run a button or macro. ### Does Glasspad work with Windows, Android or iPad? Windows and Android, yes: a PC on Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit and an Android phone on Android 10 or later, in any mix with a Mac and an iPhone. With a PC, the phone hides what only a Mac can do, such as running Mac shortcuts. There is no iPad or Linux version. ### Does it work as a real controller? Partly, depending on the computer. In Game mode, a Windows PC tries to add a virtual controller that games read like an Xbox style gamepad; if Windows does not allow it, Glasspad falls back to keys and mouse and the phone tells you. A Mac gets keys and mouse, because a true controller on a Mac needs an Apple entitlement this app does not have. Most games read keys and mouse. More in Phone as a game controller. ### What is Feel the game? A Game mode setting that turns the computer's sound into haptics on your phone: a crash or a shot is a tap, an engine is a rumble. The computer listens to its own sound only while Game is open and Feel the game is on. The sound is never recorded or sent; only the haptic signals go to the phone. On a Mac it needs the Screen Recording permission. ### Is Glasspad safe? Glasspad pairs once by QR code, keeps the pairing key in each device's own secure storage, and encrypts every message (ChaCha20-Poly1305) with a fresh key for each connection. There is no account or server. The code is open to read on GitHub, and the details are in SECURITY.md. ## iPhone as a Mac mouse and trackpad Page: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/iphone-as-mac-trackpad macOS has no built-in way to use an iPhone as a mouse or trackpad, so you need an app on both devices. Glasspad is a free, open source one: it turns your iPhone into a trackpad for your Mac, MacBook or Mac mini over Wi-Fi. One finger moves the pointer, a tap clicks and you feel it, two fingers scroll and pinch, and three fingers swipe between Spaces or open Mission Control, following your Mac's own trackpad settings. ### Can I use my iPhone as a mouse for my MacBook? Yes. Glasspad works with any MacBook, iMac, Mac mini or Mac Studio on macOS 14 or later. The iPhone works as a trackpad rather than a mouse you push around: you move the pointer with your finger, as on a MacBook's own trackpad. ### Can I use my iPhone as a trackpad without an app? No. Universal Control works between Macs and iPads, not iPhones, and iPhone Mirroring goes the other way: the Mac controls the iPhone. You need an app on the iPhone and a small helper on the Mac. Glasspad vs Universal Control. ### Does it use Bluetooth? No. The iPhone and the Mac talk over the same Wi-Fi network. They pair once with a QR code, and every message is encrypted. ### Does it feel like a real trackpad? It reads your Mac's trackpad settings and pointer acceleration, draws in step with the Mac's display, and keeps motion smooth over short Wi-Fi gaps. Touches are read at 120 Hz on ProMotion iPhones. On a crowded or weak network you will notice more lag than with a Magic Trackpad. ### My Mac's trackpad is broken. Can this replace it? Once it is set up, yes. Installing it needs a few clicks on the Mac (Xcode, your Apple ID, Accessibility), so borrow a mouse for the first install. ### Is it free? Yes, all of it. There are no ads, accounts, subscriptions or in-app purchases, and the code is on GitHub under the MIT License. ## iPhone as a Mac keyboard Page: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/iphone-as-mac-keyboard To type on your Mac from your iPhone, you need an app on both. Glasspad is a free, open source one: in its Keyboard mode, what you type or dictate on the iPhone lands wherever the cursor is on your Mac, over Wi-Fi. It has Control, Option, Command and Shift, the usual shortcuts, arrows, and F1 to F12, and it works with any Mac keyboard layout. ### Can I dictate on my Mac with my iPhone? Yes. In Keyboard, tap the microphone on the iPhone keyboard and speak. The words are typed on the Mac. ### Does it work with my keyboard layout? Yes. Keys are sent for the Mac's own keyboard layout, whichever it is. ### Can I send a long text from my iPhone? Copy it on the iPhone, tap Clipboard at the end of Keyboard's shortcut row, then tap Paste under Send to Mac. It is then on the Mac's clipboard, ready to paste. ### Can I use my iPhone as a mouse and keyboard together? Yes. The Type layout puts the trackpad beside the keyboard on one screen, with the iPhone held sideways. It is useful with a Mac mini that has no keyboard or mouse nearby. ### Is what I type sent over the internet? No. Glasspad pairs once with a QR code, encrypts everything, and your iPhone and Mac talk only over your Wi-Fi. There is no account. ## iPhone remote for Mac Page: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/iphone-remote-for-mac Glasspad's Remote mode turns your iPhone into a remote for whatever plays on your Mac, much like a Siri Remote: tap the pad to play or pause, swipe sideways to skip 10 seconds, and up or down for volume. Its buttons follow the player, such as Skip Intro on Netflix and Subtitles and Next on YouTube. It works with YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV, QuickTime Player, IINA, VLC, Infuse, Spotify and Music. Glasspad is free and open source. ### Does it work with Netflix in Safari or Chrome? Yes. Netflix and YouTube on a Mac play in the browser, and Remote works in Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave and Arc. ### Do I need an Apple TV? No. The iPhone talks to the Mac directly over your Wi-Fi. Nothing else is needed. ### Can I change the Mac's volume from the couch? Yes. Swipe up or down on the pad, or use Media for the volume slider and the sound output. ### Can I keep the trackpad close by? Yes. The Couch layout puts Remote and a trackpad on one screen. ### Can I control Spotify on my Mac from my iPhone? Yes. Media plays, pauses, skips and scrubs the Spotify app on your Mac, and shows what it plays. It controls the app on the Mac itself, so it works whatever your Spotify plan. ### Can I put the Mac's display to sleep from the couch? Yes. Remote's More menu has Sleep Display, Do Not Disturb and the sound output. ### Does it work with a MacBook plugged into a TV? Yes. Remote controls whatever plays on the Mac, on any display, and the Mac's volume, which is the TV's sound when the TV is the sound output. ## iPhone presentation remote Page: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/iphone-presentation-remote-mac Glasspad's Present mode turns your iPhone into a clicker for your Mac. Its large Next and Back buttons press the right and left arrow keys, so it works with PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides and any slideshow that moves on with the arrow keys. Touch and hold the pad to point with a red laser dot on the display the slides are on, and let the timer count up, or down from a talk length with a tap you feel at 5 and 1 minute left. It does not show your slides or speaker notes on the iPhone. Glasspad is free and open source. ### Can I use my iPhone as a PowerPoint clicker on a Mac? Yes. Open Present in Glasspad and start the slideshow in PowerPoint. Next and Back press the right and left arrow keys, which PowerPoint uses to move between slides. ### Does it work with Google Slides? Yes. Start the slideshow in the browser and keep it as the window in front. Next and Back press the arrow keys, which Google Slides follows. ### Can I see my speaker notes on the iPhone? No. Present shows Next, Back, the laser pad and the timer. Use presenter view on the Mac, or Keynote Remote if you present in Keynote. ### Keynote Remote is not connecting. What can I try? Apple's steps: turn on Wi-Fi on both devices, allow Keynote under Local Network in the iPhone's Settings, then in Keynote on the Mac open Settings, click Remote, select Enable and click Link next to your iPhone. If it still will not connect, Glasspad's Present works with Keynote too. ### Does the laser show on the projector? Yes. The dot is drawn on the display the slides are playing on. With presenter view on your Mac's own screen and the slides on a projector, it goes to the projector. ### Will my iPhone's screen turn off during the talk? No. In Present the screen stays on, until the iPhone is left alone for 30 minutes. ### Does it work on conference or hotel Wi-Fi? The iPhone and the Mac need to reach each other on the same Wi-Fi. Some networks keep devices apart; then Glasspad tries a direct Wi-Fi link between the iPhone and the Mac for a minute. Try it in the room before you speak. ## Free Stream Deck alternative Page: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/stream-deck-alternative-mac Glasspad turns your iPhone into a deck of buttons for your Mac, free. Its Actions mode shows buttons for the app in front, ready made for more than 70 apps, and below them your own: apps, websites, keyboard shortcuts, recorded macros, shortcuts from the Shortcuts app, and Mac controls like Do Not Disturb, Night Shift, Keep Awake and Split Screen. There are no key limits, ads or subscriptions, and it is open source (MIT). It has no physical keys and no plugins for tools like OBS, so for live streaming a Stream Deck is still the better fit. ### Is it really free? Yes. Every feature, with no limit on pinned buttons, no ads and no subscription. The code is under the MIT License. ### Can it run my Shortcuts? Yes. Any shortcut from the Shortcuts app on your Mac can be a button. ### Can a button press a keyboard shortcut? Yes. Add a Keyboard Shortcut button and set the keys, such as Command-C, or a hotkey you set in another app. ### Does it work with OBS or Twitch? Only through keyboard shortcuts you set up in those apps. Glasspad has no streaming plugins; Stream Deck has many. Glasspad vs Stream Deck Mobile. ### Does it work with Windows or Android? Yes. Glasspad also works with a Windows PC and an Android phone, in any mix with a Mac and an iPhone. With a PC, the phone hides what only a Mac can do, such as Mac shortcuts. ### Will an iPhone X or iPhone 8 work? No. Glasspad needs iOS 18, which starts with the iPhone XS and XR. ## Split screen from iPhone Page: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/mac-split-screen-from-iphone On a Mac you split the screen from the green button at the top left of a window, or, on macOS 15 and later, by pressing fn, control and the left or right arrow. Glasspad puts this on your iPhone: tap Split Screen, choose Left & Right, Top & Bottom, Quarters or Full Screen (Split View), pick the windows and the display, and see where each one will go before anything moves. Window buttons put the front window on a half or a quarter, Fill or Center. ### What is the keyboard shortcut for split screen on a Mac? On macOS 15 and later, Fn-Control-Left Arrow puts the front window on the left half and Fn-Control-Right Arrow on the right. Add Shift to arrange the next window on the other half too. The same moves are in Window › Move & Resize. ### How do I split my Mac screen top and bottom? On macOS 15 and later, press Fn-Control-Shift-Up Arrow to put the front window on top and the next one below it, or choose Window › Move & Resize › Top & Bottom. In Glasspad, tap Split Screen and choose Top & Bottom. ### Can I split my Mac screen into three or four? Into four, yes: Quarters, in Window › Move & Resize or in Glasspad's Split Screen. Into three, macOS 15 has the & Quarters moves (one half and two quarters) with Fn-Control-Option-Shift and an arrow; Glasspad does not offer those. ### Why is split screen not working on my Mac? Tiling shortcuts need macOS 15 or later. Some apps have a minimum width and will not fit a half or a quarter. If dragging a window to the edge does nothing, check that tiling by dragging is on in System Settings, under Desktop & Dock. ### What is the difference between tiling and Split View? Tiled windows stay on your desktop with everything else. Split View puts two windows side by side in full screen, in a Space of their own. Glasspad does both: Left & Right tiles, Full Screen makes a Split View. ### Does it work with two displays? Yes. Pick the display in Arrange. If the windows are on different displays, the second one moves over first. ### What if an app's window will not get narrow enough? Some apps have a minimum width. Glasspad tells you which window will not fit instead of leaving them overlapped. ### Does it leave room for Stage Manager? Yes. Tiling keeps clear of Stage Manager's strip of apps. ## Displays and windows Page: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/control-mac-displays-from-iphone Glasspad's Displays mode shows your Mac's displays on your iPhone the way System Settings draws them, with every window on them. Tap a window to bring it forward, drag it to another display, or touch and hold it to tile, split, enter full screen, minimize or close it. Its settings set brightness, resolution, Night Shift, the main display, mirroring and the arrangement, and a new resolution goes back after 15 seconds unless you keep it. ### Can I move a window to another monitor from my iPhone? Yes. Drag it onto the other display in Displays, or tap a Next Display button in Actions. ### Can I change the resolution from my iPhone? Yes, in the settings in Displays. A new resolution or mirroring goes back after 15 seconds unless you keep it, so a blank screen fixes itself. ### Does it work with one display? Yes. You still get the list of windows, and tiling, brightness, resolution and Night Shift. ### What does the Mac need to allow? Accessibility, in System Settings › Privacy & Security, so Glasspad can move windows. The installer walks you through it. ## Copy from iPhone to Mac Page: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/iphone-to-mac-clipboard Apple's Universal Clipboard copies between iPhone and Mac when both share an Apple Account with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Handoff on. When it will not paste, Glasspad's Clipboard sends text, links and images on a tap, both ways, over your Wi-Fi. It is free and open source. ### Why is copy from iPhone to Mac not working? Universal Clipboard needs the same Apple Account on both devices, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Handoff on, and the devices near each other. What you copy stays available only briefly. If all of that is right and it still fails, send it with Glasspad's Clipboard instead. ### Does Glasspad replace Universal Clipboard? No. Universal Clipboard is automatic; Glasspad's Clipboard is a tap to send or get. Use it when the automatic way does not work, or when the devices are on different Apple Accounts. ### Can I send a photo from my iPhone to my Mac this way? Yes. Copy the image on the iPhone, then tap Paste under Send to Mac. Images up to 11 MB go at once. For many photos or full-size files, AirDrop is the better tool. ### Can I get what my Mac copied onto my iPhone? Yes. Tap Get from Mac. Large images from the Mac are scaled down to fit, so they arrive quickly. ### Get from Mac says my Mac does not allow it. What do I do? macOS can stop apps from reading the clipboard. Allow Glasspad in System Settings, under Privacy & Security. ## Phone as a game controller Page: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/phone-as-game-controller Glasspad's Game mode turns your iPhone or Android phone into a full screen game controller for your Mac or Windows PC, over Wi-Fi. It has seven layouts, from a full Xbox style pad to a two button retro pad, ten skins, a layout editor, and profiles that say which key or mouse button each control presses. On Windows it tries to be a real controller that games can read; on a Mac it presses keys and moves the mouse, which most games read. Glasspad is free and open source. ### Does it work as a real controller? On Windows, Glasspad tries to add a virtual controller that games read like an Xbox style gamepad. If Windows does not allow it, Glasspad falls back to keys and mouse, and the phone tells you. On a Mac you get keys and mouse: a true controller on a Mac needs an Apple entitlement this app does not have. Most games read keys and mouse, and each profile shows which key each control presses. ### What is Feel the game? Does it record my sound? Feel the game turns the computer's sound into haptics on your phone: a crash or a shot is a tap, an engine is a rumble. The computer listens to its own sound only while Game is open and Feel the game is on. The sound is never recorded or sent; only the haptic signals go to the phone. On a Mac it needs the Screen Recording permission, which is how macOS lets an app hear its sound. ### Can the haptics wear out my phone? Glasspad keeps every game haptic short and spaced out: one short tap at a time, at most 16 a second, at 80% strength or less, and the motor busy less than a quarter of the time. They stop when the phone is hot, in Low Power Mode or battery saver, or under 15% battery, and after 20 minutes of game haptics without a break they rest for 3 minutes. ### Is it fast enough for games? The phone sends the controller on every change, up to 125 times a second, over your Wi-Fi. That is fine for most games. A crowded or weak network adds lag, so for fast competitive games a wired or Bluetooth controller is still the better choice. ### Does it work on Android? Yes. The Android app has the same layouts, skins, editor, profiles and haptic limits as the iPhone app, and tilt aim uses the phone's gyroscope on both. ### Can I make my own layout? Yes. Open the settings button in Game and tap Edit under Layout. Drag, resize, add or remove controls; a built-in layout is copied first. Your layouts and profiles are kept on the computer, so every phone you pair with it gets them. ## Control your Mac from your iPhone Page: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/control-mac-from-iphone It depends on what you want. To see your Mac's screen on the iPhone and use it, even away from home, turn on Screen Sharing on the Mac and connect with a screen sharing (VNC) or remote desktop app. To drive the Mac without a screen of its own, Apple's Switch Control can, but it is built for people who use switches and is slow for everyday use. To use the iPhone as a trackpad, keyboard and remote while you look at the Mac, use an app made for that. Glasspad is a free, open source one; it works on the same Wi-Fi and does not show the Mac's screen. ### Can I control my Mac from my iPhone without an app? Only with Switch Control, Apple's accessibility feature, which is slow for everyday use. Screen Sharing is built into the Mac, but the iPhone needs a VNC or remote desktop app to connect to it. ### Can I control my Mac from my iPhone when I am away from home? Not with Glasspad: it works only when the iPhone and the Mac are on the same Wi-Fi. Use a remote desktop app that works over the internet. ### Does Glasspad show my Mac's screen on the iPhone? No. You look at the Mac, and the iPhone is the trackpad, keyboard or remote. It sends touches and key presses, not video. ### How do I control a Mac mini from my iPhone? Install Glasspad on the Mac mini, then use the iPhone as its trackpad and keyboard. The first install needs a few clicks on the Mac (Xcode, your Apple ID, Accessibility), so keep a mouse and keyboard nearby for that. ### Does it work with Universal Control? Universal Control does not work with iPhone. Glasspad vs Universal Control explains what it does and does not do. ### Is Glasspad free? Yes, all of it. There are no ads, accounts, subscriptions or in-app purchases, and the code is on GitHub under the MIT License. ## Glasspad vs Stream Deck Mobile Page: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/compare/stream-deck-mobile Stream Deck Mobile, from Elgato, turns an iPhone or iPad into Stream Deck keys for a Mac or PC, free for 6 keys and paid for more. Glasspad is free and open source for iPhone and Android with a Mac or PC, with no key limit and buttons that follow the app in front. For live streaming plugins, Stream Deck is stronger. ### Is Glasspad a free alternative to Stream Deck Mobile? For everyday Mac work, yes: apps, websites, shortcuts, macros and Mac controls, with no key limit. It has no streaming plugins. ### How many keys does Stream Deck Mobile give for free? Six, with unlimited actions. Pro raises it to 64. ### Can I use both? Yes. They do not get in each other's way. ### Does Glasspad work on iPad? No. Glasspad is made for iPhone. ## Glasspad vs Remote Mouse Page: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/compare/remote-mouse Remote Mouse turns an iPhone or Android phone into a mouse, keyboard and media remote for Mac, Windows or Linux, free with ads and paid extras. Glasspad is free with no ads, open source, and for iPhone and Android with a Mac or Windows PC. It adds a haptic trackpad with Mac gestures and buttons for the app in front. ### Is Glasspad an open source alternative to Remote Mouse? Yes. Glasspad's code is on GitHub under the MIT License, and every feature is free. It works with an iPhone or Android phone and a Mac or Windows PC, not Linux. ### Why is Glasspad not on the App Store or Google Play? The App Store needs Apple's paid developer program ($99 a year). Building from source with a free Apple ID keeps Glasspad free. The Android app and the Windows installer are free downloads from GitHub Releases. ### Does Glasspad work on Windows or Linux? Windows, yes: Glasspad works with a PC on Windows 10 or 11. There is no Linux version; for Linux, Remote Mouse is a good choice. ### What other Remote Mouse alternatives are there for Mac? Mobile Mouse is a paid one for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, with Mac and Windows. Glasspad vs Mobile Mouse compares them. ### Do I need to pay Apple to install Glasspad? No. A free Apple ID is enough for the iPhone app. Apps installed that way stop opening after 7 days, and your Mac renews Glasspad over Wi-Fi before then. Android and Windows need no account. ## Glasspad vs Mobile Mouse Page: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/compare/mobile-mouse Mobile Mouse, from R.P.A. Tech, turns an iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch into a trackpad, air mouse, keyboard and remote for a Mac or PC, for $9.99. Glasspad is free with nothing to buy, open source, and for iPhone or Android with a Mac or PC, with haptics on every click and buttons for the app in front. ### Is there a free alternative to Mobile Mouse for Mac? Yes. Glasspad is free and open source, with no ads or in-app purchases. It works with an iPhone or Android phone and a Mac or Windows PC. On a Mac it installs with a Terminal command instead of the App Store. ### How much does Mobile Mouse cost? On the US App Store it is $9.99, with two in-app purchases: Advanced Communications for $0.99 and Pro Presentation Mode for $1.99. The server app on the computer is free. ### Does Glasspad work on Windows or Apple Watch? Windows, yes: Glasspad works with a PC on Windows 10 or 11. There is no Watch or iPad app. Glasspad's Lock Screen controls on the iPhone also show on Apple Watch. ### Do I need to pay Apple to install Glasspad? No. A free Apple ID is enough for the iPhone app. Apps installed that way stop opening after 7 days, and your Mac renews Glasspad over Wi-Fi before then. Android and Windows need no account. ## Glasspad vs Coast Page: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/compare/coast Coast, from LeShan Chen, turns an iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch into decks of controls, a trackpad and a keyboard for a Mac, free with a $2.99 Pro upgrade. Glasspad is free with nothing to buy, open source, and for iPhone or Android with a Mac or Windows PC, with buttons for 70+ apps and a remote for Netflix and YouTube. ### Is Coast free? The app and its Mac app are free. Coast Pro, $2.99 once on the US App Store, adds macros, screen mirroring, the air mouse, drawing and a laser, the Apple Watch app, iCloud sync and more grids. ### Is there a free and open source alternative to Coast? Yes. Glasspad is free with nothing to buy, and its code is public under the MIT license. It works with an iPhone or Android phone and a Mac or Windows PC. On a Mac it installs with a Terminal command instead of the App Store. ### Can Glasspad show my Mac's screen on the iPhone? No. Glasspad has no screen mirroring. Its Displays mode shows a map of your displays and windows to move and tile them. For the screen itself, Coast Pro or a screen sharing app fits better. ### Does Glasspad work on iPad or Apple Watch? There is no Watch or iPad app. Glasspad's Lock Screen controls also show on Apple Watch. For an iPad, Coast is a good choice. ## Glasspad vs Universal Control Page: https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/compare/universal-control Universal Control does not work with iPhone. It lets one Mac's keyboard and trackpad control up to two other Macs or iPads nearby (macOS 12.4 and iPadOS 15.4 or later, signed in to the same Apple Account). iPhone Mirroring goes the other way: your Mac controls your iPhone. To control a Mac from an iPhone you need an app. Glasspad is a free, open source one that makes the iPhone a trackpad, keyboard, remote and button deck for the Mac over Wi-Fi. ### Does Universal Control work with iPhone? No. Apple lists Macs and iPads only. For the iPhone, Apple points to iPhone Mirroring, which lets your Mac control your iPhone. ### What is iPhone Mirroring? A macOS 15 feature that shows your iPhone's screen on your Mac so you can use its apps there. It needs iOS 18, a Mac with Apple silicon or the T2 chip, and the same Apple Account. ### How do I control my Mac from my iPhone? With an app on both devices. Glasspad is free and open source: install it on the Mac, pair the iPhone by QR code, and use it as a trackpad, keyboard or remote over Wi-Fi. ### Does Glasspad need an Apple Account? Only a free Apple ID to install the app on your iPhone. Glasspad itself has no account, and the iPhone and Mac talk only over your Wi-Fi. ## Latest release Version 0.5.0, released 2026-10-17. Full history: https://github.com/Soham109/glasspad/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md ### Added - **Game mode:** the phone as a full screen game controller for a Mac or a Windows PC, on iPhone and Android. Open it from the mode menu. Tap ✕ to go back to the mode you were in, or tap the name at the top to open the mode menu; the first time, a line under the bar says so. On Android, Back leaves Game too. - **Game layouts:** Xbox, PlayStation (shape labels), Nintendo, Simple, Racing (tilt steering, big pedals), Fight (eight buttons) and Retro. - **Game skins:** Glass, Graphite, Classic, Mono, Arcade, Neon, Retro, Paper, Minimal and Pro. - **Game layout editor:** drag, resize, add or remove controls on a grid, with a dead zone, turbo or toggle for each control. A built-in layout is copied before you edit it. - **Game profiles:** they say which key or mouse button each control presses (Shooter, Platformer, Racing and Emulator to start from). A profile tied to a game is picked when that game is in front. Labels can show letters, shapes or the mapped keys. Profiles and layouts are kept on the computer for every phone you pair. - **Tilt aim:** aim with the phone's gyroscope, off unless you turn it on. - **Haptic limits:** every game haptic is a short tap, at most 16 a second and 80% strength, a rest after 20 minutes, and nothing while the phone is hot, in Low Power Mode or battery saver, or under 15% battery. - **Feel the game:** the computer turns its own sound into taps and rumble on the phone, only while Game is open and the setting is on. Sound is never recorded or sent. On a Mac it needs the Screen Recording permission. - **Game on Windows:** Glasspad tries a virtual controller that games read as a gamepad, and falls back to keys and mouse when Windows refuses; the phone says which one is in use. Keys are pressed by scan code so games that read raw input see them. The virtual controller has not yet been tested with a game on a real PC. - **Game on a Mac:** keys and mouse, with relative mouse motion for games that lock the pointer. A true controller on a Mac needs an Apple entitlement this app does not have. - **Scroll strip:** an optional slim strip along the right, left or bottom edge of the trackpad that scrolls with one thumb, for holding the phone upright. It scrolls with the same speed, natural scrolling and momentum as two fingers, with light ticks while it turns. Off by default; Settings, Trackpad, Scroll Strip, with a live preview. Works with a Mac or a PC, on iPhone and Android, with no protocol change. Two-finger scrolling on the trackpad is unchanged. - **Scroll strip options:** Speed from Slow to Fast (how far the page moves per bit of thumb travel, and the flick with it); Width as a slider from thin to a little past the old Wide; Length, the full edge or half of it (centered, or the lower half where the thumb rests); Momentum on or off (off stops the moment you lift); and Keep Scrolling at the Ends, where resting the thumb near an end keeps scrolling, faster nearer the end, like a jog wheel, with a small chevron at each end. Ticks and the scroll direction stay as they were, and every default matches the strip's first version exactly. ### Fixed - **Split screen:** full-screen split puts both windows in place without macOS asking you to pick the second one; if it can't, the windows go side by side and your phone says why. ## Pages - [Home](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/): What Glasspad does, the demo video, how to install it, and common questions. - [Guide](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/guide): How to use every mode, Layouts, Actions, StandBy and themes, how Glasspad compares with similar tools, and help. - [Install](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/install): How to install Glasspad for each pair of computer and phone (Mac or Windows PC, iPhone or Android), with downloads, pairing, troubleshooting and uninstall. - [About](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/about): Who makes Glasspad, how to contact the developer, and where the source code is. - [Privacy](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/privacy): Privacy policy: no data collection, no account, encrypted Wi-Fi link, no cookies on the site. - [Terms](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/terms): Terms of use: MIT license, no warranty, not affiliated with Apple or other companies named. - [Support](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/support): Where to get help: the guide, install troubleshooting, renewal, GitHub issues for bugs and ideas, and email. - [Changelog](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/changelog): Every release, newest first, built from CHANGELOG.md, with an Atom feed at /changelog.xml. - [Press kit](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/press): Press kit: descriptions, facts, app icon, real screenshots as files or one zip, logo use and press contact. - [Accessibility](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/accessibility): Accessibility statement: what the apps and site support (VoiceOver, Reduce Motion, Dynamic Type, contrast), known gaps, and contact. ## Feature pages - [iPhone as a Mac mouse and trackpad](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/iphone-as-mac-trackpad): Use your iPhone as a mouse and trackpad for your Mac over Wi-Fi: click with haptics, scroll, pinch, and swipe between Spaces. Why there is no built-in way, and setup steps. - [iPhone as a Mac keyboard](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/iphone-as-mac-keyboard): Type or dictate on your iPhone and the text lands on your Mac, with modifier keys, shortcuts, arrows and F1 to F12. - [iPhone remote for Mac](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/iphone-remote-for-mac): Your iPhone as a remote for your Mac: Netflix, YouTube and Apple TV with a Siri Remote style pad, Spotify and Music with Media, and the Mac's volume and sound output. - [iPhone presentation remote](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/iphone-presentation-remote-mac): Use your iPhone as a presentation remote for PowerPoint, Keynote and Google Slides on a Mac: Next and Back, a laser on the slides' display and a talk timer. No speaker notes on the phone. - [Free Stream Deck alternative](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/stream-deck-alternative-mac): Your iPhone as a Stream Deck for your Mac: buttons that follow the app in front, plus your own apps, websites, shortcuts and macros. - [Split screen from iPhone](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/mac-split-screen-from-iphone): Put two Mac windows side by side, top and bottom or in quarters with one tap on your iPhone, on any display. - [Displays and windows](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/control-mac-displays-from-iphone): See every display and window on your Mac from your iPhone, move and tile windows, and set brightness, resolution and Night Shift. - [Copy from iPhone to Mac](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/iphone-to-mac-clipboard): Why Universal Clipboard fails between iPhone and Mac, the fixes, and how Glasspad's Clipboard sends text, links and images both ways on a tap. - [Phone as a game controller](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/phone-as-game-controller): Game mode: the phone as a game controller for a Mac or Windows PC, with seven layouts, ten skins, a layout editor, profiles, haptics with safety limits and Feel the game. Windows tries a virtual controller and falls back to keys and mouse; a Mac gets keys and mouse. - [Control your Mac from your iPhone](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/use/control-mac-from-iphone): Every way to control a Mac from an iPhone, and which to pick: Screen Sharing or remote desktop apps to see the screen, Switch Control, or Glasspad as a trackpad, keyboard and remote on the same Wi-Fi. ## Comparison pages - [Glasspad vs Stream Deck Mobile](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/compare/stream-deck-mobile): How Glasspad and Elgato's Stream Deck Mobile compare: keys, price, plugins and what else your iPhone can do for your Mac. - [Glasspad vs Remote Mouse](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/compare/remote-mouse): How Glasspad and Remote Mouse compare: platforms, price, install, trackpad and extras. - [Glasspad vs Mobile Mouse](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/compare/mobile-mouse): How Glasspad and Mobile Mouse compare: price, platforms, install, trackpad gestures and extras. - [Glasspad vs Coast](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/compare/coast): How Glasspad and Coast compare: price, Coast Pro, devices, install, trackpad and buttons. - [Glasspad vs Universal Control](https://glasspad.sohamaggarwal.com/compare/universal-control): Universal Control does not work with iPhone: what it does, how it differs from iPhone Mirroring, and how to control a Mac from an iPhone. ## Project - [Source code](https://github.com/Soham109/glasspad): Swift, Rust and Kotlin, MIT License - [Release 0.5.0](https://github.com/Soham109/glasspad/releases/tag/v0.5.0): release notes - [License](https://github.com/Soham109/glasspad/blob/main/LICENSE): MIT - [Demo video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AArTWOADGc): one minute, on YouTube - [Changelog](https://github.com/Soham109/glasspad/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md): every release, newest first