Help & Support

XDECK is an open-source application that turns your phone into a customizable Stream Deck. It lets you create custom buttons on your phone to control your PC — trigger hotkeys, launch apps, control media playback, and more. It works over WiFi for low-latency local control, or via cloud relay so you can control your PC from anywhere in the world.

The desktop app runs on Windows 10+, macOS 12+ (Apple Silicon), and Linux (.deb and .AppImage). On the phone side, any device with a modern web browser works — just scan the QR code or enter the IP address. There's also a native Android APK available, and iPhone users can install the PWA directly from Safari. No app store download needed for iOS.

Head to the Download section and grab the installer for your operating system. Run the installer and XDECK will start automatically, displaying a QR code and local IP address. The whole process takes about 30 seconds. No account creation is required.

Open the XDECK desktop app on your PC. It will show a QR code and an IP address. On your phone, scan the QR code with your camera app, or manually enter the IP address in your browser. The web app will install as a PWA. Make sure both devices are on the same WiFi network for local connections. For remote access, enable cloud relay in the desktop app settings.

No. XDECK requires no account, no sign-up, and no cloud account to use locally. Simply install the desktop app, pair your phone, and start using it. If you want to use cloud relay (control from anywhere over the internet), you'll need to purchase a license key, but that's it — no account creation required.

XDECK supports several button types: Hotkeys (trigger any keyboard shortcut like Ctrl+C, Alt+Tab, or media keys), Text (type text snippets instantly), URL (open a website in your browser), App Launcher (start any application with optional command-line arguments), and Media Controls (play, pause, skip, volume). Each button can have a custom icon, label, and background color or image.

Yes. You can set a custom image as the button icon or as the button's background. You can also use emojis as button icons. Background images can be set per-button or as a grid/page background, giving your deck a fully personalized look.

When you create a Hotkey button, you press the key combination you want to trigger (e.g., Ctrl+Shift+M) on the button configuration screen. When you tap that button on your phone, XDECK sends the exact key combination to your PC. This works with any shortcut — system-wide hotkeys, app-specific shortcuts, media keys, function keys, and more. The action fires instantly over WiFi with sub-50ms latency.

Absolutely. XDECK has built-in media control buttons for play/pause, next track, previous track, volume up, volume down, and mute. These use standard system media keys and work with Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, VLC, and any other media player running on your PC. You can also create custom hotkey buttons mapped to specific media shortcuts.

Cloud relay lets you control your PC from anywhere, not just your local WiFi network. When enabled, your desktop app connects to our relay server, and your phone connects through it. Commands are forwarded in real-time. This means you can trigger a hotkey on your home PC while you're at a coffee shop. Cloud relay requires a valid license key. All communication is encrypted end-to-end.

Yes. The App Launcher button type lets you start any application or executable on your PC. You can also pass custom command-line arguments — for example, open a specific Chrome PWA, run a script with flags, or launch an app in a specific mode. Just provide the path to the executable and any arguments you need.

XDECK costs $10 as a one-time purchase. There are no subscriptions, no recurring fees, and no hidden costs. Your purchase includes a lifetime license for one computer and one phone, plus all future updates at no extra charge.

Your license unlocks: unlimited buttons and pages, cloud relay access (control from anywhere), all button types (hotkeys, app launcher, media, text, URL), custom layouts and backgrounds, and free updates forever. The license is tied to one computer and one phone.

The standard license covers one computer and one phone. If you need to use XDECK on additional computers, you can purchase additional licenses. Contact us at support@xdeck.app for multi-device pricing options.

After purchase, you'll receive a license key via email. Open the XDECK desktop app, go to Settings, and enter your license key in the activation field. Click Activate and you're done. The license will be validated instantly and cloud relay will be enabled. You only need to activate once per computer.

We offer a full refund within 30 days of purchase if you're not satisfied. Just email us at support@xdeck.app with your order details and we'll process it promptly. No questions asked.

Make sure both your phone and computer are connected to the same WiFi network. Check that no firewall is blocking the connection on port 9000. Try restarting both the desktop app and your browser. If the issue persists, try entering the IP address manually instead of scanning the QR code. You can also check the desktop app's status indicator to confirm the server is running.

Try using your phone's native camera app to scan the QR code — it should open the URL in your browser. If that doesn't work, manually type the IP address shown below the QR code into your phone's browser. Make sure you're on the same WiFi network. If the QR code appears distorted, try resizing the desktop app window or restarting the app.

On Windows, some hotkeys require the desktop app to run with elevated privileges. Try right-clicking the XDECK app and selecting "Run as administrator." On macOS, you may need to grant accessibility permissions in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Accessibility. On Linux, ensure your desktop environment supports global hotkeys (most X11 and Wayland environments do).

Check your internet connection on both your phone and PC. If your PC's connection is unstable, the relay may drop. Ensure your license key is active and hasn't expired. You can check the relay connection status in the desktop app's settings. If the relay server itself is temporarily down, the app will automatically reconnect when it comes back online.

When a button is set to Open App, XDECK originally waited for the process to exit before acknowledging the trigger. If an app (like Chrome or VS Code) remained open for more than 5 seconds, the mobile app reached its 5-second timeout and showed a red dot. To resolve this, use Start App or update to XDECK v1.4.1+ where both Open App and Start App acknowledge immediately with green.

Set the button Action to Start App. On Windows, set Application Path to "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" (with quotes) and Arguments to --profile-directory="Profile 1". On macOS, use Run Command with open -na "Google Chrome" --args --profile-directory="Profile 1". On Linux, use Application Path google-chrome with Arguments --profile-directory="Profile 1". See our full Commands Guide for more details.

XDECK checks for updates automatically when the desktop app starts. If an update is available, you'll see a notification in the app. You can also manually check by going to Settings > About > Check for Updates. Download the latest version from the Download page and install it over your existing installation — your settings and configuration will be preserved.

Cloud relay is a feature that allows your phone to communicate with your PC over the internet, not just over your local WiFi network. When enabled, your desktop app maintains a persistent connection to our relay server. Your phone connects through the relay, and commands are forwarded in real-time. This lets you control your PC from anywhere — while traveling, from another room, or from a different city.

Yes. Cloud relay is a premium feature included with your $10 license. Local WiFi control works without any license. Once you activate your license key in the desktop app, cloud relay is automatically available in the settings.

Yes. All communication between your phone, the relay server, and your PC is encrypted. The relay server only forwards command data — it does not store your button configurations, usage data, or any personal information. XDECK is also open source, so you can verify the security implementation yourself.

If the relay server experiences downtime, cloud relay connections will temporarily fail. Your local WiFi control will continue to work normally. The desktop app will automatically attempt to reconnect when the relay comes back online. In the meantime, you can still use XDECK over your local network without any interruption.