GetHoldwire
Download & setup

Get Holdwire. Get your computer ready.

Install the app on your phone. On the computer there is nothing to download: turn on SSH, and Holdwire brings its small helper the first time you connect.

MacWindowsLinuxIn the app

On your phone

One app. No account to create.

Android: get it onGoogle Play iPhone: not on the App Store yet

The Android app has the terminal with held sessions, files and port forwarding. The computer screen, agent approvals and Reach from anywhere are in the iPhone app. Android 8.0 or later.

Mac

Intel or Apple silicon. About two minutes.

  1. Turn on Remote Login

    Open System Settings › General › Sharing and turn on Remote Login. Choose which users may log in.

  2. For the screen, turn on Screen Sharing

    In the same place, turn on Screen Sharing. Holdwire uses the Screen Sharing built into macOS and asks once for the password you use at the Mac's lock screen; it keeps it in your iPhone's Keychain.

  3. Note the address

    Sharing shows it, for example youruser@your-mac.local. A .local address works at home only. Away from home, turn on Reach from anywhere (Pro) for this Mac, or add a second address that works from outside.

  4. Keep it awake

    A sleeping Mac cannot answer. Keep it awake while you need it.

Windows

Windows 10 (version 1803 or later) and Windows 11. Needs OpenSSH Server today.

  1. Add OpenSSH Server

    In Settings, open Optional features (Windows 11: System › Optional features; Windows 10: Apps › Optional features), choose Add a feature and install OpenSSH Server. Or, in PowerShell as administrator:

    Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Server~~~~0.0.1.0
Start-Service sshd
Set-Service -Name sshd -StartupType Automatic

  2. Add the PC in Holdwire

    Use the PC's name or local IP address and your Windows user name. Tap Install my key; it also sets up the key for administrator accounts.

  3. For the screen, tap “Turn on screen”

    Holdwire puts its small screen helper in %USERPROFILE%\.holdwire and adds a per-user scheduled task, without administrator rights. Be signed in at the PC, with the screen not locked.

Linux

Desktops and servers, x86-64 and ARM.

  1. Install and start the SSH server

    Most servers already have it. On a desktop:

    # Debian, Ubuntu
sudo apt install openssh-server
# Fedora
sudo dnf install openssh-server && sudo systemctl enable --now sshd

  2. Add it in Holdwire

    Enter user@address, or import your ~/.ssh/config. Tap Install my key.

  3. For the screen, tap “Turn on screen”

    Holdwire adds its screen helper in ~/.holdwire. On a desktop that uses Wayland, click Share on the computer once. A server without a desktop gets a private desktop that exists only while you look at it.

In the app

The same on every computer.

  1. Tap “Add your computer”

    Choose Mac, Windows or Linux and follow the steps, or tap + › Import to paste your ~/.ssh/config or a list of user@host lines. Only addresses are imported, never keys or passwords.

  2. Keep sessions alive

    On first connect Holdwire offers to copy holdwired into ~/.holdwire over your SSH login. No root, no open ports, no system changes. Turn it off per computer with “Keep sessions alive”. What runs on your computer.

  3. Remove it any time

    Open the computer and choose “Remove Holdwire from this server”. It ends the sessions, removes the scheduled tasks and deletes the .holdwire folder.

Coming next: a one-click setup for Windows PCs and pairing a computer by scanning a QR code on its screen. Until then, the steps above are all it takes. Stuck? Write to support@jijilabsdigital.com or read Support & FAQ.