Helm 0.3.0

Control your Windows PC from your Android phone. Free, open source, no accounts.

Download

• Windows: Helm-windows-x64-setup.exe (installer) or Helm-windows-x64.exe (no install)
• Android 8+: Helm-android.apk

Windows SmartScreen may ask: choose More info → Run anyway. Android asks you to allow installs from your browser.

Upgrading the phone app: uninstall once

This release moves to a permanent signing key, so Android won't install it over 0.2.0. Uninstall the old Helm app first, install this one, and pair again. From now on, updates install from inside the app.

New in 0.3.0

• Landscape touchpad: the pad fills the screen, with a right panel you choose (clicks, keys, media, volume, deck, or nothing).
• Floating keyboard: drag, resize and fade it, on the touchpad and over the live screen.
• More accurate cursor: Windows' pointer speed and "Enhance pointer precision" no longer distort movement. Normal mouse input is kept for full-screen games. Set it to auto, absolute or relative.
• Full-screen sharing: turn the phone sideways and your PC fills the display. Fit or Fill, a self-hiding toolbar, and touches landing on the right pixel.
• Connect from anywhere: one switch on PC and phone, and you can pair by QR without being on the same network. Tested through a live relay.
• In-app updates: both apps check, download, verify the signature and install. Tampered files are refused.

Known limits

• Not yet tried on a real phone: the new layouts, floating keyboard, cursor feel and the Android install flow. Cursor speed values may need tuning.
• In-app updates start working from the next release, and the desktop silent install hasn't been run for real yet.
• Away from home is slower than Wi-Fi: about 170–250 ms of delay in testing, so the touchpad feels laggy and live screen is about 20–28 fps at 720p. Buttons, media and files are fine.
• "Connect from anywhere" is off by default.

Report problems in Issues.