Macky is a secure mobile client that lets you connect to your Mac's screen and terminal from your iPhone using end-to-end encrypted WebRTC. It supports native shell (Zsh, Bash), Claude Code by Anthropic, Codex by OpenAI, and full remote desktop.

How does Macky connect my iPhone to my Mac?

Macky uses peer-to-peer WebRTC with DTLS-SRTP encryption. A signaling server coordinates the initial handshake, but all screen and terminal data flows directly between your devices without passing through any cloud server.

Yes. Macky uses four layers of security: E2E encrypted WebRTC transport, dual-layer identity verification (account tokens plus a master password), device allow-listing, and blind signaling where screen and terminal data never touches Macky's servers.

Does Macky log my terminal commands?

No. Macky has a zero-logs policy. Terminal commands, output, and screen data are never recorded, stored, or accessible by Macky's servers. All data is end-to-end encrypted between your devices.

What AI tools does Macky support?

Macky supports Claude Code (by Anthropic) and Codex (by OpenAI) in addition to native Zsh and Bash shells and full remote desktop, all accessible from your iPhone.

What are the system requirements for Macky?

The Mac host app requires macOS 15 or later. The iPhone remote app requires iOS 18 or later.

How much does Macky cost?

Macky offers a free Basic plan with 5-minute sessions, 1 Mac host, and 1 iPhone remote. The Pro plan costs $29 as a one-time lifetime payment and includes unlimited sessions, unlimited devices, 30-day connection logs, and background connect.

October 10, 20266 min read

Claude Code Remote Control Not Working? Every Error and Fix (2026)

Download for Mac Download for iOS

Claude Code Remote Control usually fails for one of three reasons. You are signed in the wrong way, a setting sends Claude somewhere other than Anthropic, or the session on your Mac stopped.

Find the message you see below. Each one has a short fix based on Anthropic's own docs.

Error or symptom	Cause	Fix
"Remote Control requires a claude.ai subscription"	Not signed in with claude.ai	`claude auth login`
"Remote Control requires claude.ai subscription auth"	An API key or token is set	Remove the variable
"Remote Control requires a full-scope login token"	Token from `claude setup-token`	`claude auth login`
"Remote Control isn't enabled for this account"	Old plan info is cached	Log out and back in
"Couldn't verify Remote Control eligibility"	Offline or blocked by a proxy	Retry, then `claude doctor`
"Remote Control is only available when using Claude via api.anthropic.com"	Bedrock, Google Cloud, Foundry or `ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL`	Unset the variable
"Remote Control is disabled by your organization's policy"	Team or Enterprise toggle is off	Check `/status`, ask an Owner
"could not reach the Remote Control server for about 30 minutes"	Lost contact for a long time	Run `/remote-control`
Session missing in the app	Remote Control was never started	Run `/rc`
Session went offline	The `claude` process stopped	`claude remote-control --continue`
Desktop app session never on the phone	Known bug, issue #92306	Start it in Terminal
Forked session missing	Known bug, issue #94396	Run `/remote-control` in it
`/remote-control` prints nothing	Reported in issue #96591	Use `claude remote-control`
Session gone after hours with no messages	Reported in issue #98879	Send a message or run `/remote-control`
"Couldn't reconnect to your Remote Control session"	App quit, relaunch or update	Retry, then start a fresh session

“Remote Control requires a claude.ai subscription”

You see this when Claude Code is not signed in with a claude.ai account. From claude remote-control it reads "You must be logged in to use Remote Control."

Remote Control works on Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans. API keys do not work. Sign in with your claude.ai account:

claude auth login

“Remote Control requires claude.ai subscription auth”

You are signed in, but an API key or token takes priority. The message names it, for example "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY is set, so this session is using API-key auth".

Remove that variable from your shell profile and from the env block of your Claude settings file. Then start Claude again:

unset ANTHROPIC_API_KEY ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN
claude --remote-control

If the message names apiKeyHelper, remove that setting.

“Remote Control requires a full-scope login token”

You signed in with a long-lived token from claude setup-token or CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN. Those tokens can only send model requests. Sign in the normal way:

claude auth login

“Remote Control isn't enabled for this account”

Claude Code checked your account and the check came back off. This usually happens after a plan change, while old account info is still cached. Older versions said "Remote Control is not yet enabled for your account".

Log out, log back in and update Claude Code. claude doctor shows which check failed:

claude auth logout
claude auth login
claude doctor

“Couldn't verify Remote Control eligibility”

Claude Code could not reach the service that checks your account. You are offline, or a proxy is blocking the request. Try again on a normal connection, or run claude doctor for details.

“Remote Control is only available when using Claude via api.anthropic.com”

This one comes up a lot. Remote Control needs Claude Code to talk to Anthropic's API directly. It fails on Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud and Microsoft Foundry. It also fails when ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL points to a proxy or LLM gateway, even if you signed in with claude.ai.

The message names the cause, such as CLAUDE_CODE_USE_BEDROCK or a custom ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL. Unset it, remove it from the env block of your settings, and restart the session:

env | grep -i -e ANTHROPIC -e CLAUDE_CODE_USE
unset ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL
claude --remote-control

“Remote Control is disabled by your organization's policy”

Remote Control is off by default on Team and Enterprise plans. An Owner turns it on in the Claude Code admin settings. If you pay for Pro or Max, Claude Code may still be signed in to an old Team organization.

Run /status to check your plan and organization. If it shows the wrong one, run claude auth logout and then claude auth login. If the message mentions disableRemoteControl, your IT team turned it off on this device.

“could not reach the Remote Control server for about 30 minutes”

Your session lost contact with Anthropic's servers for a long stretch. Run this inside the session to reconnect:

/remote-control

The session doesn't show up in the Claude app

Remote Control only starts when you ask for it. Run /rc in your session or start Claude with claude --remote-control. In the Claude app, tap Code to see your sessions. Both devices need the same account.

To connect every session on its own, run /config and turn on Enable Remote Control for all sessions. In the Desktop app, go to Settings > Claude Code > Connect new sessions to Remote Control.

The session went offline

Remote Control runs inside the claude process on your Mac. Close the terminal or quit the app, and the session goes offline.

If you used server mode, bring it back within about four hours:

claude remote-control --continue

For a session started with --remote-control or /rc, run claude --continue and then /rc. Start long jobs inside tmux so closing a window does not stop them.

It stopped when my Mac went to sleep

Work pauses while your Mac sleeps. Claude Code reconnects on its own when the Mac wakes up.

To keep the Mac awake while a task runs, start Claude through caffeinate:

caffeinate -i claude --remote-control

Most MacBooks still sleep when you close the lid, unless an external display and power are connected.

The session doesn't show on your phone, or it disappears

These are known bugs reported on GitHub. As of October 2026 most are still open. Here is what happens in each case and what you can do now.

Sessions from the Claude Desktop app never appear

On macOS, interactive Code sessions in the Desktop app can stay off Remote Control even with auto-connect turned on. Scheduled tasks from the same app still show up on the phone. This is reported in issue #92306 and is still open.

There is no official fix yet. The report says the separately installed CLI is not affected. Starting the session in Terminal with claude --remote-control may get you around it.

A forked session never shows up

A session you forked from another one is never marked for Remote Control. It stays missing from the Code tab on your phone. See issue #94396, still open.

The workaround from the reporter: turn it on by hand with /remote-control inside that session. Send a message first. If you don't, you get "Remote Control requires an active session. Send a message first."

`/remote-control` prints nothing and the session never appears

Some people run /remote-control and get no link and no confirmation. Running it again prints "Remote Control disconnected." This was reported in issue #96591 and closed as not planned.

Run claude doctor to check your login and network. Then try server mode with claude remote-control. It prints a session URL and a QR code, so you can open the session directly.

The session disappears after hours with no messages

One report on Android says a session dropped off the Code list after about 8 hours without messages. The computer was still awake. It came back after the desktop app was used again. See issue #98879, still open.

There is no fix yet. Send a message from your Mac to bring it back, or reconnect with /remote-control.

"Couldn't reconnect to your Remote Control session"

When the Desktop app quits, relaunches or updates itself, its sessions stop and Remote Control does not come back on. Turning it on again can fail with "Couldn't reconnect to your Remote Control session. Retry, or start a fresh session without --resume." See issue #98504, still open.

Do what the message says. Retry once, then start a fresh session. A stopped session has to run a turn on your Mac before Remote Control can be turned on again.

A community workaround from that thread: run claude inside tmux, outside the Desktop app. App restarts then don't stop it.

When you need more than the Claude session

Remote Control is great for Claude Code chats. Sometimes you need the rest of your Mac too. Macky opens your Mac's own terminal and screen on your iPhone.

It works with an API key, Bedrock or a proxy. It is your own shell, so your setup stays the same.
Dedicated Claude Code and Codex modes, plus a plain terminal for git, Docker and anything else.
A key bar with Esc, Tab and Ctrl. Approve steps with y and Enter.
Your SSH keys stay on your Mac. Type ssh my-vps and you are in.
With Pro, use your MacBook with the lid closed and keep sessions connected in the background.

Install Macky on your Mac and your iPhone, sign in on both, and connect. It is free with 5 minute sessions. Pro is a one-time $29. Get it on the App Store.

New to Remote Control? Read the Claude Code Remote Control setup guide. To compare both, see Macky vs Claude Code Remote Control.

FAQ

Why is Claude Code Remote Control not working?

Usually it is your sign-in, an API key or ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL setting, or the claude process stopped on your Mac. The error message tells you which one.

How do I fix "Remote Control is only available when using Claude via api.anthropic.com"?

Unset ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL or the Bedrock, Google Cloud or Foundry variable the message names. Then restart Claude Code while signed in with claude.ai.

Does Claude Code Remote Control work with an API key?

No. It needs a claude.ai login on a Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan.

Why doesn't my session show up in the Claude app?

Remote Control only starts when you run /rc or claude --remote-control, unless you turn on auto-connect in /config. Both devices must use the same account.

What happens if my Mac goes to sleep?

The session pauses. Claude Code reconnects on its own when the Mac wakes up.

Can I control Claude Code from my phone without Remote Control?

Yes. Macky opens your Mac's own terminal on your iPhone, so Claude Code works with any login, including an API key.

Why doesn't my Claude Code session show up in the mobile app's Code tab?

First make sure Remote Control is on with /rc or claude --remote-control. If it is, you may be hitting a known bug. Sessions started in the Claude Desktop app and forked sessions can stay missing. Starting the session in Terminal, or running /remote-control by hand after sending a message, gets around most cases.

What does "Couldn't reconnect to your Remote Control session" mean?

It appears when Remote Control can't attach to a session that stopped, often after the Desktop app quit, relaunched or updated. Retry once. If it fails again, start a fresh session. A stopped session has to run a turn on your Mac before Remote Control can be turned on again.