kakitiro.com

QuickPad for Mac

QuickPad turns your iPhone or iPad into a wireless trackpad and keyboard for your Mac. Install the QuickPad host app on your Mac, pair your iPhone or iPad over Wi-Fi, and start controlling your Mac from your phone.

Why this app is not on the Mac App Store

Apple's Mac App Store policy (guideline 2.4.5) does not permit apps to inject system-wide input events. QuickPad's host functionality requires this in order to forward your phone's gestures and keystrokes to the Mac. We therefore distribute the macOS host app directly, signed with Apple's Developer ID program and notarized by Apple, instead of through the Mac App Store.

The download below is fully signed and notarized. macOS Gatekeeper accepts it the same way it accepts apps installed from the Mac App Store — no security warnings, no right-click "Open" workaround.

Download

The download link, file size, version and SourceForge mirror are rendered automatically below. Click the card to start the download.

Download for macOS (Developer ID)
v5.0.14 21.7 MB
Direct download (Developer ID, notarized). Requires macOS 12+.
Mirror / Alternate site

Installation

  1. Download the DMG from the link above.
  2. Open the DMG by double-clicking it in Finder.
  3. Drag QuickPad.app into the /Applications folder.
  4. Eject the DMG (right-click in Finder → Eject).

First launch — granting Accessibility permission

The first time you launch QuickPad, macOS asks for permission to control your Mac. This is required so QuickPad can forward input events from your iPhone or iPad to system-wide apps.

  1. Open QuickPad from the /Applications folder.
  2. If macOS shows "QuickPad was downloaded from the internet. Are you sure you want to open it?", click Open.
  3. QuickPad will prompt for Accessibility permission. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.
  4. Find QuickPad in the list and turn it on.
  5. Quit QuickPad and re-open it. The host server will start automatically.
If you skip the Accessibility step, QuickPad runs but cannot forward any input. You'll see a "Permission required" notice in the host dashboard until you grant it.

Pairing your iPhone or iPad

  1. Make sure your Mac and your iPhone / iPad are on the same Wi-Fi network.
  2. Open QuickPad on your iPhone or iPad. Get it from the App Store if you haven't yet.
  3. Tap Connect to Peer. Your Mac appears in the discovered devices list within a few seconds.
  4. Tap your Mac to start pairing. The Mac shows a confirmation dialog — click Allow.
  5. You're connected. Swipe the trackpad surface on your phone to move the cursor on your Mac.
Once paired, the connection auto-restores when both apps are running on the same network. You don't need to reapprove every time.

System requirements

  • Mac: macOS 12 (Monterey) or later, Apple Silicon or Intel
  • iPhone / iPad: iOS 16 or iPadOS 16 or later
  • Network: Wi-Fi (both devices on the same local network)
  • Storage: about 30 MB on the Mac

Troubleshooting

"Accessibility access denied" / nothing happens when I swipe

Re-open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility and verify QuickPad is in the list and toggled on. If it appears toggled on but still doesn't work, toggle it off and on again, then quit and re-open QuickPad.

"No devices found" on the iPhone

Check that:

  • Both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network (not separate guest networks).
  • QuickPad is open and running on the Mac (the host server runs only while the app is open).
  • Your router doesn't have client isolation enabled. Some mesh routers and public networks block device-to-device discovery; toggling AP isolation off in the router settings usually fixes it.

Connection drops after a while

Keep QuickPad on the Mac open and visible (not minimized to a hidden state). The host server stops when the app exits. If the drop happens repeatedly, check the Energy Saver / Battery settings: macOS may put Wi-Fi into low-power mode on battery, which interrupts background TCP sessions.

Update / uninstall

To update, download the latest DMG above and drop the new QuickPad.app over the old one in /Applications. To uninstall, drag /Applications/QuickPad.app to the Trash and remove the Accessibility entry under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.