Mac Remote
A native iPhone and Mac app pair that turns a phone into a full remote display, trackpad, and keyboard for a Mac.
What needed to be solved
Remote-desktop tools generally route screen and input traffic through a hosted relay and ask for an account before the first connection, which puts a third party in the middle of something that only needs to happen between two devices the same person already owns.
What I designed and implemented
I built a macOS host and an iPhone client in SwiftUI that discover each other over Bonjour, pair with Ed25519 keys through CryptoKit, and then exchange frames and input directly. The host captures the display with ScreenCaptureKit and encodes it with VideoToolbox, while Tailscale or UPnP port mapping extends the same connection beyond the local network.
What the project now proves
The project ships as an MIT-licensed macOS host and iOS package with a documented setup path that runs on a free Apple ID, so a reviewer can read the source, follow the pairing flow, and run it without a hosted service in between.
Key contributions
- Built paired macOS and iOS SwiftUI targets over a shared networking and input layer.
- Implemented Bonjour discovery and Ed25519 device pairing so screen and input traffic stays between the two devices.
- Streamed the Mac display through ScreenCaptureKit and VideoToolbox, with a fit mode that keeps the full screen visible.
- Published a landing page carrying the setup steps, FAQ, and download options for the host and client.
Technical context
- Role
- IOS app architecture, networking, and interface design
- Timeline
- Personal build · 2026
- Last updated
- Aug 24, 2026
- Repository
- MacRemote