ReachManual Direct IP
Enter an address and port without an account. The address must be reachable; a Mac behind a router may need UDP port mapping. The default port is 8443.
REACH / GUIDE
Your first screen. Step by step.
Host on your Mac, Viewer on your iPad. Start locally, then build your workspace and set up remote access.
On this page
1. Install and grant permissions
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Install Host on your Mac
Open the installer, move Reach Host to Applications, and launch it. macOS 14 or later is required.
Download Host for Mac -
Allow the required macOS permissions
Allow Screen Recording to share the screen, and Accessibility to control keyboard and pointer input. Nearby discovery needs Local Network access. Follow the permission prompts shown in Host.
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Install Viewer on your iPad
Install Reach Remote from the App Store. iPadOS/iOS 17 or later is supported. iPhone support is experimental.
View on the App Store ↗
2. First connection
Keep both devices on the same network and run Reach Host on the Mac. Select the nearby Mac in Viewer, then confirm the pairing code displayed on the Mac. Trusted devices can reconnect using saved trust.
Devices can share a Wi-Fi name but still be isolated on a guest network. If discovery fails, check network isolation and Local Network permissions first.
3. Workspaces and presets
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Choose a layout
Choose one, two, three, or four screens in a landscape or portrait layout. Select a Mac for each slot.
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Choose the display and size
Select an existing physical or virtual display, or create a new virtual display. Choose Fit to tile or Keep Mac original, then the available 1×/HiDPI and size options. An unsupported size is not silently replaced with another choice.
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Save and connect
Editing does not change the Mac display. Save and apply the configuration to connect. Adding or removing a running screen does not automatically overwrite the saved preset.
The × on a stream disconnects it and leaves an empty slot. The × on the empty slot removes the slot and rearranges the remaining screens. It does not change other displays’ resolution or HiDPI.
Remembering app window positions is optional and requires Accessibility permission on the Mac. It applies to supported, open windows; it does not reopen closed apps, documents, or tabs, and restoration is not guaranteed in every app.
Display size and quality
| Setting | What changes? |
|---|---|
| Fit to tile / Keep Mac original | Configures the Mac workspace. Choose before connection or in preset editing. |
| 1× / HiDPI | Selects logical workspace size and rendering scale. Available combinations depend on the Mac and display. |
| Native | A streaming setting based on the current iPad display area in pixels. It is not the Mac’s logical workspace size. |
In-session settings focus on controls that apply immediately. Multiple screens share device and network resources, so frame rates may differ from a single-screen session.
Connect from outside
Outside your local network, first check the route. Trusting a device through a Reach account and having a reachable network path are separate requirements.
Internet Direct
Signed-in devices try available direct candidates, including public IPv6, NAT traversal, and router mappings. Additional setup may still be needed on your network.
Relay is optional and uses a Reach account plus your Cloudflare configuration. It is an alternative when no direct path works, not a way through every firewall. Viewer still needs UDP, even when Host uses TLS 443.
Cloudflare setup →Account and devices
Nearby/LAN and manual Direct IP work without a Reach account. Internet Direct and Relay require sign-in. Account data supports authentication, device discovery, and connection setup; the account database does not store screen, audio, or input content.
Sign-out, device removal, and account deletion are different actions. The account deletion control removes related account-database records, but not all operational logs, abuse-prevention state, or local preferences on each device.
See deletion scope →Input, audio, and ending a session
System audio uses the Mac’s Screen Recording/system-audio permission; it is not microphone recording. If keyboard or pointer control fails, check Accessibility permission on the Mac and which screen currently has control.
End the workspace when finished. App-created virtual displays and changed display state are cleaned up or restored according to session lifetime and ownership. If a display or layout remains, capture a support report before manually reconfiguring it.
If something goes wrong
If discovery, connection, display, or input is not working, follow the symptom-based support guide.
Open troubleshooting →