Phone and Browser Access

Before connecting

• Keep Termdock running on the desktop with the local terminals you want to use. Create terminals and complete AI CLI sign-in there first.
• Connect your phone and desktop through a trusted, reachable network. Do not publish the LAN HTTP entry directly to the internet.
• In the published 1.24 build, a paired LAN browser can see local workspaces. The sharing list for mounting from other Termdock computers is not this version’s browser filter. Review local workspaces and sensitive content before pairing.

1. Pair a phone or browser

1. Open Peer Sessions on the desktop and enable the host and browser access.
2. Scan its QR code or open the displayed URL on your phone. The QR code is generated locally and contains the URL, not a pairing secret.
3. Choose Pair, compare the verification code on both devices, and approve on both sides.
4. Choose a workspace, then an existing terminal. A paired LAN browser can type without a separate approval for each terminal.

2. Switch terminals, send input, and check the result

Narrow screens show one terminal at a time, with previous/next controls and a terminal selector. Change workspace first when moving to another project. Other terminals continue on the desktop, and phone navigation does not change the desktop’s selected view. Reconnection prefers the browser’s last terminal when it still exists.

• Compose or paste commands and agent instructions in the touch input bar. Enter/Send submits; Shift+Enter inserts a newline.
• Esc and Ctrl+C go to the terminal without submitting your unfinished draft.
• Inspect the response after sending. If input delivery is uncertain, check the terminal or host before resending to avoid duplicate actions. Offline input is not queued.
• Use Fit to pane when needed. A LAN browser can own the shared terminal’s size; geometry is not independent on each device. Expect the view to change when rotating, opening the keyboard, or returning to the desktop.

3. View files and PDFs

File browsing and text previews are read-only and confined to the workspace root. Version 1.24 adds phone and web PDF preview with paging and zooming without reloading the file. HOME and filesystem-root workspaces expose terminals, not files. Oversized, damaged, or denied PDFs show their status.

Browser boundaries

• You can operate existing terminals and answer a waiting CLI prompt through terminal input. This is not the full desktop Workstream approval panel.
• The browser cannot create/delete terminals, edit/save/rename/delete files, perform Git UI operations, or change full desktop settings.
• It cannot chain into peer or SSH workspaces. Use desktop Termdock remote workspaces to create terminals on another computer.
• Paired LAN browsers can type concurrently, so coordinate before operating the same prompt. This differs from desktop peer terminals with single-writer takeover.
• When the desktop app quits, broker terminals may keep running, but browser access is unavailable. Reopen the app and restore connectivity before reconnecting.

Remember devices, revoke access, and connect away from home

The browser stores a device key for the current URL. Revoke one or all browsers in Peer Sessions; revoked browsers must pair again. Revoke a lost phone immediately. Choose a stable address and port to avoid changing the URL on restart; a different IP or port requires pairing again.

The LAN entry uses HTTP, so pairing does not protect the initial web page from an active network attacker. No domain or certificate setup is needed for basic access, but use only trusted networks. For access away from home, configure Tailscale, ZeroTier, or a similar network yourself and select its address. Termdock does not deploy a public relay for you. Full PWA installation requires trusted HTTPS; a home-screen shortcut is not offline operation.

If the connection or output fails

• Confirm that the app, host, and browser access are enabled, then use the URL currently shown by the desktop.
• Check network reachability. Guest Wi-Fi client isolation or firewall policy may block access; do not simply disable security protections.
• An occupied fixed port reports an error rather than silently changing ports. If you change it, use the new URL and pair again.
• For an ended terminal, revoked device, or unavailable workspace, inspect the host. Version 1.24 streams live broker output, but the app must still provide the connection.