Sofatap support
Use your iPhone to control a paired computer from the sofa. Sofatap needs an iPhone running iOS 17 or later, a desktop receiver, and a reachable home network. Your computer keeps displaying its picture on the monitor or TV.
For help, open a Sofatap issue. Include your iPhone/iOS version, computer operating system, receiver version, and the steps that failed. Do not post pairing QR codes, pairing links, passwords, private text or unredacted logs.
Install the receiver
Receiver 0.7.1 beta.1 adds device type and name to its native pairing QR. Install iPhone 1.0 (15) or newer before updating the receiver; earlier phone builds cannot read the new codes. All five packages and matching SHA256 files are available below. See the release and device-test record for validation scope. Live editing remains limited to supported Windows/Mac fields; Linux and unsupported fields use review-and-send.
| Computer | Download | Installation guide |
|---|---|---|
| Windows x64 | Windows ZIP | Windows setup. Extract the full package and run SofaTap.exe. Allow the receiver on a trusted private network when prompted; do not disable the firewall. Windows binaries are not Authenticode-signed. |
| Mac, macOS 15+ | Apple Silicon ZIP · Intel ZIP | Both packages are signed and notarized. Place Sofatap Receiver.app in Applications, open it normally, and grant it Accessibility permission. Mac permission guide; older examples there use the historical app name. |
| Linux | x64 archive · ARM64 archive | Linux setup and dependencies. X11 is the initial desktop path; Wayland is experimental and depends on the desktop's RemoteDesktop portal. |
The iPhone 1.0 (15) build is available to invited internal TestFlight testers, and installation on the resident test iPhone has been verified. The October 14 distribution snapshot records build 12 waiting for external review; Apple deferred build 15 while that review remained open. The public TestFlight invitation was not yet open for installation. TestFlight installation and receiver pairing/input acceptance are separate checks; see the current verification record.
The ordinary receiver requires an unlocked, interactive desktop. A Windows Remote Desktop session and the desktop shown on a TV can be different sessions. Sofatap does not unlock the computer or enter a Windows sign-in PIN in this release.
Pair your iPhone
- Open the receiver on the computer and choose a home-network address reachable by the phone.
- Connect the iPhone to the same home network. A wired computer is fine; guest Wi-Fi client isolation may prevent access.
- Tap the top-left device selector and choose Scan QR Code under Add Device, then scan the receiver code or paste the complete pairing link. The camera appears above the platform information; computers and Android/Google TV use the same scanner without a device-type choice.
- Allow Local Network access on the phone. If it was denied, enable it for Sofatap in Settings.
- Check the connection indicator, then look at the computer screen while controlling it.
Build 15 identifies the connection type automatically and displays any platform/name supplied by the code. After the authenticated connection succeeds, keep the suggested name or save a new one. You can rename it later in My Devices; this changes only the name on your iPhone. LG webOS still requires manual IP entry and approval on the TV. Android/Google TV requires its development receiver and remains experimental, with no qualified physical TV model or third-party TV app.
Receiver 0.7.1 beta.1 includes platform and name in its desktop codes. iPhone 1.0 build 15 or newer is required. If your phone cannot update yet, keep receiver 0.7.0 beta.1; build 15 also accepts that older code format. Platform/name labels do not replace certificate and pairing-credential checks.
Gestures and text
- Slide one finger to move the pointer.
- Tap once for a left click; tap twice in succession for a right click.
- Hold still for 0.3 seconds, then move to drag; lift your finger to release.
- Slide two fingers to drag content naturally. The strip inside the touchpad's right edge follows scrollbar direction: slide down to scroll down.
- Tap the keyboard icon to type, or the microphone to dictate where on-device recognition is supported.
A compatible receiver can open the keyboard when a supported text field gains focus. Live editing is available only for certain native Windows and Mac fields. It imports the field's text and synchronizes editing automatically. Many browser and custom fields, Linux and older receivers use a draft with a Send action instead. No extra Return is appended to text input, but line breaks included in the text may act as Enter.
If live input pauses after a focus change or a connection problem, check the computer and reopen the editor. Do not resend uncertain text before checking whether it already arrived. If the microphone is unavailable, check the permissions or use keyboard input; Sofatap does not silently switch to a cloud recognizer.
Privacy
Read the Sofatap Privacy Policy. Pairing codes and links are credentials; keep them on your own devices. Camera, microphone and speech permissions can be changed in iPhone Settings. Quit the desktop receiver to stop remote control.
Managing paired devices (build 13+)
Tap the device name at the top left to switch between saved computers or TVs. Each row shows its name, type and address; the active target is marked explicitly. The ellipsis menu renames the device on this iPhone, disconnects it, or removes its local pairing. Removal does not revoke other phones. The top-right question mark opens the illustrated guide. Interface and permission prompts follow the device language, with the same 12 languages as the website.