Using your Android phone as a mouse, trackpad and TV remote on Mac, Windows and Linux (X11 and Wayland)

Your phone already has a touchscreen, motion sensors, Wi-Fi and a full keyboard. That makes it a better remote than most gadgets in the drawer. Here is what I think a good phone-as-mouse setup needs, and how I approached it in MouseOS.

The checklist

1. Wi-Fi, not only Bluetooth. Faster pairing, longer range, no conflict with headphones.
2. Automatic discovery. Nobody wants to type an IP address.
3. Pair once. Approve the phone one time on the computer, then it just works.
4. Works offline. A phone hotspot should be enough. No cloud in between.
5. All major desktops. macOS, Windows and Linux, including Wayland, where input injection needs an explicit permission step.
6. Privacy. A tool that moves your cursor and types for you should not need an account or phone home.

What MouseOS does

• Trackpad: tap to click, two-finger scroll, hold-and-drag.
• Air mouse: aim the phone like a TV remote.
• Media remote and keyboard with accents and emoji.
• Presentation mode with a timer and volume-key slide control.
• Direct control of Samsung, LG and Google TV.

Phone and computer talk directly over the local network. There is no server, no account, no ads and no analytics.

Platform notes

• macOS 11+ on Apple Silicon. It needs the Accessibility permission, and early builds are not notarized yet, so you will see a first-launch warning.
• Windows 10/11 64-bit. Early builds are not signed yet, so SmartScreen warns on first launch.
• Linux on x86_64 and arm64, including Raspberry Pi 4, 5 and 400, on X11 and Wayland. On Wayland you click "Allow control" once.

Status

The Android app is in closed beta on Google Play and launches publicly in November 2026. An iPhone version is planned.

Site: mouseos.app. I would love feedback, especially from Linux and Raspberry Pi users.