ControlPad
Alan Bryden Utilities iPhoneiPadiPod touch
ControlPad is a free Utilities app for iPhone and iPad by Alan Bryden. Rated 5.0/5 from 2 ratings. Requires iOS 26.0. Updated October 24, 2026.
- Rating
- 5.0
- 2 ratings
- Price
- Free
- on the App Store
- Size
- 4 MB
- Age 4+
- Updated
- Oct 24
- 2026 · v1.1
Screenshots
About ControlPad
Turn your iPhone or iPad into a trackpad, keyboard and control surface for your Mac, one that automatically adapts to the app you're using. Control your Mac from the couch, across the room or right beside your desk. ControlPad connects directly to your Mac over your local network, with a trackpad tuned to feel like a MacBook's and controls that change as you switch apps. A TRACKPAD THAT FEELS LIKE YOUR MAC'S • Tap to click, two fingers to scroll, press and drag to move windows • Two-finger tap to right-click • Four-finger swipes for Mission Control, App Exposé and switching Spaces • Pointer speed tuned to match a MacBook trackpad, and adjustable to suit you TYPE WITH YOUR OWN KEYBOARD • Type on your Mac with the iPhone or iPad keyboard you already know, including autocorrect, dictation and emoji • Command, Option, Control and Shift, the arrow keys and Escape, always one tap away CONTROLS THAT FOLLOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING Switch apps on your Mac and ControlPad adapts automatically: tabs and navigation in Safari, replies in Mail, formatting in Notes, builds in Xcode, playback for music and video. More than 50 Mac apps have their own controls, and every other app still gets the essentials, like Undo, Copy, Paste and Find. THREE LAYOUTS • Input: the whole screen is your trackpad • Balanced: a trackpad and your app's controls, side by side • Controls: every command at a glance, beside your own keyboard and mouse Switch any time, on iPhone and iPad. MORE • Switch between the apps running on your Mac • Pair as many iPhones and iPads as you like; one controls your Mac at a time • Haptic feedback for clicks, drags, gestures and controls PRIVATE BY DESIGN • Your devices talk directly to each other over your local network, with no cloud service in between • Pair once with a code shown on your Mac; the code is never sent over the network, and every connection is secure. • No account, no sign-up and no in-app analytics GETTING STARTED ControlPad works with ControlPad for Mac, a companion app you download from controlpad.tech. Open it on your Mac, allow Accessibility access when macOS asks (it's what lets ControlPad move the pointer and type for you), then open ControlPad on your iPhone or iPad on the same local network. Your Mac appears by itself; enter the code it shows and you're connected. Requires iOS or iPadOS 26 or later, and a Mac with macOS 26.6 or later on the same local network.
What’s new
Version 1.1 · Updated October 24, 2026
Made for iPhone Duo ControlPad now fits however you hold iPhone Duo: • Closed: your Mac keys and the app's commands move into the column under the battery, so the trackpad gets the rest of the screen. • Laptop: fold it into a mini MacBook, with the app's commands on the raised half and the trackpad and Mac keys on the flat half. The keyboard appears right where a MacBook's is. • Book: the trackpad gets one half to itself, with the app's commands and Mac keys on the other. • Fully open: a bigger trackpad, with room for every control. Appearance Choose Light, Dark or Automatic in Settings. Dark is now the default. Improvements • The layout switcher is now easier to tap on iPhone Duo. • With a hardware keyboard connected, the trackpad stays in place when the keyboard is turned on.
App privacy
The developer, Alan Bryden, reported these privacy practices to Apple.
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
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| App | Rating | Price | Last updated | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ControlPad | 5.0 / 5 (2 ratings) | Free | October 24, 2026 | |
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| Lucid: AI Fact Checker | 5.0 / 5 (3) | Free | Oct 25, 2026 | Compare |
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