In Summary
- Remote Mouse is a remote control app that transforms your phone or tablet into a wireless controller for your computer.
- It lets you use your mobile phone as a wireless mouse, trackpad, or keyboard to control your computer and perform a bunch of other operations on it. Basically, it’s a great tool when you want to control your computer remotely.
- It is mostly free and easy to set up and use. Check out the guide below to learn how to use Remote Mouse to control your computer wirelessly.
Is your laptop’s trackpad or keyboard broken, and do you need to use it urgently? Or, do you want to give a presentation from your laptop but don’t have a controller? Well, Remote Mouse is the solution to your problem.
Remote Mouse transforms any Android or iOS device into a remote controller that you can use as a remote mouse, trackpad, or keyboard to perform various operations on your computer. It’s free, easy to use, and includes numerous features to help you control your computer remotely.
Let’s check out Remote Mouse and see how you can use it to control your computer remotely.
Table of Contents
What Is Remote Mouse?
Remote Mouse is a remote control app for Android and iOS/iPadOS devices that transforms your mobile phone or tablet into a remote controller for your Mac or Windows PC.
It works by simulating the function of a mouse, trackpad, and keyboard on your mobile device to give you the essential remote control functions for controlling a computer.
Additionally, it also provides a bunch of other controls, such as Media Remote, Application Switcher, and Web Remote, all of which allow you to perform specific operations on your computer remotely.
How to Download and Set Up Remote Mouse
Before you can use the app, the first thing you need to do is set it up. Doing so involves installing the Remote Mouse app on your mobile phone and the computer (you want to control).
Download the Remote Mouse desktop app on your computer from the link below.
Download Remote Mouse (Desktop): Mac | Windows
Next, install Remote Mouse on your Android phone/tablet or iPhone/iPad.
Download Remote Mouse (Mobile): Android | iOS
Once the apps are installed on both your devices, follow these steps to link the mobile app with the desktop client:
- Connect your mobile phone/tablet and computer to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Launch Remote Mouse on your computer. If you’re on a Mac, you’ll be prompted to grant Remote Mouse access to a few permissions. Follow the on-screen steps to do this.
On Windows, you’ll get a User Account Control pop-up. Click Yes to allow the app to make changes to your device. - Open the Remote Mouse app on your Android or iOS device.
- It should now display your computer on the Select a computer screen. Click on it to connect. If you don’t see your computer on the list, make sure both your PC and mobile are on the same network and try again.
Alternatively, if you still don’t see your desktop in the Remote Mouse app on your phone, you can connect to the desktop client manually using your desktop’s IP address or by simply scanning a QR code.
Here’s how to connect using a QR code:
- Launch the Remote Mouse desktop client on your Mac or Windows PC.
- i. On Mac: Click on the app icon in the menu bar and select Settings.
ii. On Windows: Right-click the app icon in the system tray and select Preferences. - While on the Status tab in the Remote Mouse settings page, click on the Show QR Code button.
- Open the Remote Mouse app on your Android or iPhone.
- Tap the plus (+) button in the top-right corner and select Scan QR Code.
- Point your phone’s camera to the QR code on the desktop, and the device will connect automatically.
If you want to connect using an IP address, follow steps 1 and 2. Then, go to the Status tab on the preferences window. Next, launch the app on your phone, click the plus (+) sign, and select Connect by IP.
Now, enter the IP address as shown on the Remote Mouse client on your desktop in the Enter IP Address field and hit the check mark next to it. The Remote Mouse mobile app should now be linked to your desktop.
Much like Wi-Fi, Remote Mouse also allows you to link the mobile app with the desktop client over Bluetooth. However, since Bluetooth brings along latency and range issues, you may want to use it only when you don’t have a stable Wi-Fi connection.
Related Read: How to Install and Use Intel Unison App on Windows, Android, and iOS
How to Control Your Computer Using Remote Mouse
When you’ve successfully linked Remote Mouse’s mobile app with its desktop client, you’ll see a green screen on its mobile app with your computer name at the top and a bunch of controls along the bottom edge of the screen.
The empty green area you see here is your trackpad, and below that are your mouse buttons: the left mouse button, the middle mouse button, and the right mouse button. And lastly, at the bottom of the screen, you have the settings tab along with media playback controls, dock, browser, keyboard, and special keys.
If you want to scroll through items or menus on your computer’s screen, move your finger around on the trackpad—just like you do on your laptop—accordingly. Here are some Remote Mouse gestures you must know:
- Two-finger scroll: Move up/down, left/right
- Two-finger pinch/spread: Zoom in/zoom out
- Double-tap and drag: Select and move
- Drag with three fingers: Select items/text
Additionally, you also get a scroll bar on the right edge of the app, which you can use, too, to scroll through a vertical list on the screen.
At any point, if you want to click/select an item, simply take the mouse cursor over it and tap on the screen once, or alternatively, click the left button below the trackpad. On the other hand, to perform a right-click hit the right mouse button. Or simply do a two-finger tap on the screen area/item to open it.
Limit Who Can Connect to Your Computer Using Remote Mouse
As you’d have probably noticed, when you try to link the Remote Mouse’s mobile app with its desktop client, there’s no security or authentication mechanism in place. While this offers convenience, it isn’t safe.
To fix this, you must set up a connection password on the desktop client as soon as you start using it to prevent others from connecting to your desktop and controlling it.
Follow these steps to do this:
- Launch the Remote Mouse client on your Mac or Windows computer.
- i. On Mac: Tap on the app’s menu bar icon and select Settings.
ii. On Windows: Right-click the app’s icon in the system tray and select Preferences. - Click on the Settings tab in the preferences window.
- Enter the password twice in the text fields under Password for Connection.
- Click Apply.
With the password in place, when you now try to connect to your desktop via Remote Mouse, you’ll be prompted to enter a password. Enter the connection password to authenticate and connect your phone to your desktop.
Enter Text Using the Built-In Keyboard
Besides allowing you to select and control the contents on your computer’s screen, Remote Mouse also lets you input text.
To do this, bring up the built-in keyboard by tapping on the fourth icon (with the keyboard icon) in the bottom toolbar. Then, when the keyboard comes up, start typing on it, and the text should appear on your computer’s screen.
Input Text Using Voice
Although Remote Mouse’s built-in keyboard works just fine and doesn’t display any noticeable lag in displaying text on the screen, for times when you do experience latency, Remote Mouse also has the voice typing feature.
To use it, select the keyboard action in the Remote Mouse app on your phone. When this brings up the keyboard, click the mic icon located at the bottom-right of the keyboard (in iOS), or click the ?123 key or something similar (in Android) and tap on the mic icon.
Bring your phone closer to your face and start speaking text into its mic. As you do this, you should see the text on your computer’s screen. If you’ve got a spotty internet connection, there can be a delay sometimes. After you’ve finished dictating, click the mic icon again to stop the dictation.
Launch Apps in Your Dock/Taskbar
Both macOS and Windows give you a dock and a taskbar, respectively, to offer quick access to your most frequently used apps. Remote Mouse takes this into account and allows you to launch apps in your computer’s dock (Mac) or taskbar (Windows) right from your mobile phone.
To use this function, open the app on your phone and click on the third button (with a window icon) in the toolbar. Remote Mouse will now show you a list of all your dock/taskbar apps. Tap on an app to launch it on your computer.
Shut Down or Restart Your Computer Remotely With Remote Mouse
One of the advanced features of Remote Mouse is the power options, which allow you to put your Mac or Windows PC to sleep, log off your current session, shut down the system, and restart it. So if you’re ever stuck in a situation where you need to do any of it remotely, you can do it through the app.
Here’s how to carry out any of these power operations:
- Open the Remote Mouse app on your mobile phone/tablet.
- Swipe across the control options tab at the bottom to reveal more actions.
- Tap on the last action (with the power icon), and you’ll see all the available power options.
- Click on the power action you want to carry out, and Remote Mouse will perform it.
On Windows, the operation is carried out automatically, and you aren’t prompted to confirm it from your desktop. On the other hand, if you’re using macOS, you’ll need to confirm the operation on your Mac to execute it.
More Advanced Operations
Although it is free to download and use on both Android and iPhone, some features, such as data syncing, media controls, advanced connection, and shortcuts, are reserved for the Remote Mouse Pro version.
To unlock and use these, you’ll need to either purchase a monthly/annual subscription or unlock lifetime access by paying a one-time fee.
Here’s what you get with Remote Mouse Pro:
- Media Remote: Quick media controls to control playback and presentation software
- Web Remote: Most common browser commands and the ability to add and manage bookmarks
- Shortcuts: Keyboard shortcuts to perform various operations
- Application Switcher: Quick app switcher to launch and switch between open apps
- Apple Watch Widget: Easy access widget that lets you send commands from your wrist
How to Customize the Remote Mouse App
By default, Remote Mouse is configured to be easy to use for a wide range of users. As such, some of the advanced options aren’t enabled on it after you install it. However, the app does let you enable them and modify its other aspects as per your preference.
To do this, open the app on your mobile and click on the hamburger icon in the bottom-left corner of the toolbar to bring up its settings. From here, you can enable/disable features, change the trackpad speed, and modify other aspects of the app as you like.
Remotely Control Your Computer Using Remote Mouse
Remote Mouse is a very useful tool for times when you need to control your computer wirelessly. It’s simple, intuitive, and has all the necessary features you’d need to control your computer using your mobile phone.
So the next time you need to give a presentation or you forgot to carry a mouse/keyboard along or have a broken mouse/keyboard that wouldn’t work, you can easily transform your mobile phone into a wireless controller for your computer.
FAQs About Using Remote Mouse
Is Remote Mouse free?
Remote Mouse is a free app to download and use and gives you access to almost all the essential functions you'd need to control your computer. However, some of its advanced features, such as data syncing, media controls, advanced connection, and shortcuts, are reserved for the Remote Mouse Pro version.
Can I turn my iPhone into a wireless mouse?
Yes, you can turn your iPhone (or even your Android phone) into a wireless mouse to control your Mac or Windows PC. For this, all you need is a remote mouse app, like Remote Mouse, which involves linking your computer and your mobile phone together, after which you can use your iPhone as a mouse, trackpad, or keyboard to control your computer, input text, or perform a range of other operations remotely.
Is Remote Mouse safe?
On May 2021, a security researcher released a report disclosing some vulnerabilities found in the Remote Mouse app and reported the program to be "lacking in encryption" and having "bad authentication mechanisms" and "poor default configuration". As per this report, these zero-day vulnerabilities reportedly unlock full remote code execution capabilities and allow any remote attacker to target a user's computer and execute code on it remotely.
However, as of writing this guide, there has been no acknowledgment or response from Remote Mouse on the matter, nor do we have any update on the same from the researcher.
In our opinion, though, while these vulnerabilities put users at high risk due to poor authentication mechanisms and configuration, we feel it's still safe to use Remote Mouse, granted you aren't doing it on a public network or in a public setting where there's a risk of someone monitoring the network and intercepting its traffic.
Does Remote Mouse work with Bluetooth?
Yes, Remote Mouse works with Bluetooth, too. To set this up, turn on Bluetooth on your computer and mobile phone. Find the desktop in your mobile's Bluetooth settings and connect to it. Now, launch Remote Desktop on both devices. On the mobile app, tap on the computer name that appears on the Select a computer screen, and you're now connected.
Now, you can access all the available options on the Remote Mouse app to control your computer, similar to how you did it when connected over Wi-Fi. Check out the guide above to learn more.