A trackpad in your hand.
Move the pointer, scroll, click, drag and use multi-finger gestures from the iPhone. The trackpad and live screen preview are still being checked on physical devices.
Mac + iPhone
Your iPhone remote. Your Mac, in control.
Relay is a two-part system: a native iPhone remote sends trackpad, keyboard, media, browser and supported app controls to the selected Mac companion.
Relay Mac 0.2.2 · Build 45
macOS 14 or later · Apple silicon and Intel
Apple notarized · Signed update checks · Saved pairing stays in place
Already using Relay on iPhone? Download this Mac companion to connect it. The iPhone app is required; public iPhone downloads are being prepared.
A practical setup
Pair the native iPhone remote with Relay Mac to use your phone as a trackpad, keyboard and control surface for the Mac you choose.
Pair the phone. Choose a Mac. Send a control.
- 01
Open Relay Mac and keep the Mac awake. In Relay on iPhone, scan that Mac’s pairing QR code.
- 02
Choose the Mac you want to control, then use the phone’s trackpad, keyboard, media controls or supported app panel.
- 03
Connect over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth nearby. For remote access, configure the same private device network on the iPhone and Mac.
Before you begin
Relay Mac must stay open and the Mac awake. Accessibility enables pointer, keyboard and window control; macOS Automation may be requested for specific app actions. Screen Recording is needed only for live preview. Preview needs Wi-Fi or a private network; Bluetooth supports controls only.
What it does
An iPhone remote for Mac, with trackpad, keyboard, media and studio controls. The signed Mac testing companion is downloadable for existing iPhone testers; public iPhone distribution is being prepared.
Phone and Mac.
Send keyboard input, media controls and saved shortcuts to a paired Mac over authenticated Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Private-network access is available when configured.
Built for studio routines.
Relay includes app-specific controls and named studio modes for supported Mac apps, plus a timed Practice screen and guarded shutdown. A Mac companion must be open and the Mac awake.
Honest expectations
Relay remains in testing. Mac build 43 is Developer ID signed and notarized for existing Relay iPhone testers. It shows actual Accessibility and Screen Recording status, provides a one-time repair for obsolete development-signed permission entries, and tests preview without saving or transmitting its frame. Signed Sparkle discovery and 41-to-43 replacement were verified on the studio Mac with pairing, ten modes and preferences retained; a real 960×540 preview passed. It also skips expensive desktop polling while disconnected. macOS approval is still required on each Mac, and older copies without an updater need one initial download. Public iPhone TestFlight/App Store distribution remains blocked by Apple account-provider access. Physical phone gestures, second-Mac acceptance, clean-user recovery and a live NSM Call Intake recording remain separate; Watch testing is deferred. No checkout is open.
Founder note
Relay is a personal remote for my teaching and recording setup. Its controls are designed around the Macs, apps and studio routines I use every day. — Jason Zac
What's new
- New OBS control surface for the Relay iPhone and Apple Watch apps. Relay Mac reads the scenes in OBS's current scene collection and shows which one is on air, so the phone can switch scene with one tap. Helper scenes such as the MIDI keep-warm scene are hidden.
- If the studio class rig is installed on this Mac, four big class buttons (Piano view, Class Apps, MIDI strip, Notation) run through that rig exactly like the Stream Deck pedals, not through raw OBS calls.
- The phone also shows, read-only, whether OBS is recording, streaming or has the virtual camera on. Relay never starts or stops recording or streaming.
Downloads
macOS 14.0+ · Apple silicon and Intel
The normal Mac testing companion is signed and notarized. An existing Relay iPhone installation is required; public iPhone distribution is being prepared. Later macOS releases still need testing.
Known issues
- Mac 0.2.2 build 45 is the downloadable testing companion; the Relay iPhone app is required and public iPhone delivery is not available yet. No checkout is open.
- Older Mac copies require one initial download before signed automatic update checks work. Installation is confirmed by the user.
- Physical gestures, clean-user/device recovery, second-Mac acceptance and final privacy review remain open; Watch testing is deferred.
Follow Relay
Release notes and early build calls for this product.
FAQ
Can I download Relay now?
The signed, notarized Mac testing companion is available below for existing Relay iPhone testers. The iPhone app is required and has no public TestFlight/App Store delivery yet, so downloading only the Mac app does not provide the complete product.
How do updates work?
Download the current Mac companion once to replace a copy without an updater. Relay then checks the signed stable feed automatically and asks before installing; remote sessions are protected. iPhone automatic distribution is not enabled until its Apple upload and TestFlight/App Store delivery succeed.
Why is control or preview blocked when a permission switch is on?
An older development-signed Relay can leave a permission entry that does not match the official app. Use Permission repair help in Relay Mac: remove only Relay Mac from the affected privacy list, add /Applications/Relay Mac.app, approve on that Mac, then quit and reopen Relay after ending remote sessions. Check permissions again and Test preview verify actual access. Updates do not grant OS permissions for you.
Does Relay use a Relay cloud account?
No Relay-operated cloud account, analytics service or relay server is documented. Pairing credentials stay in device Keychains and the paired devices communicate directly. The privacy declarations still need review against a distribution build.
What do I need to use it?
You need the Relay iPhone app and a Mac with Relay Mac open and awake. Pair the phone with the Mac, then connect over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth nearby. Remote access needs the same private device network configured on both.
What will it cost?
Relay is in development and no price is set. If you buy Relay when it becomes available, one purchase will include lifetime use and all future updates, including future major versions. No subscription. The intended personal licence covers up to three Macs you use.
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