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PlexiChore 1.0.0 (beta) — Mac + Android

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@pntapps pntapps released this 21 Oct 19:37
v1.0.0
f70eeb1

Turn an Android tablet into a portable monitor for your Mac — as an extended display, your main display, or a mirror — over a USB cable or Wi-Fi. Touch, pen and an on-screen keyboard work on the tablet.

Beta. Tested on a MacBook Air (Apple Silicon, macOS 27) with a Galaxy Tab S8 (Android 16). Other Macs and tablets should work but haven't been tested yet — please report issues.

Downloads

File For
PlexiChore-Mac-1.0.0.dmg Mac — macOS 13 or newer, Apple Silicon and Intel. Signed with Developer ID and notarized by Apple.
PlexiChore-Android-1.0.0.apk Android tablet — Android 8 or newer.
SHA256SUMS.txt Checksums of both files.

Install

Mac

  1. Open the DMG and drag PlexiChore into Applications, then open it (it lives in the menu bar).
  2. Allow Screen Recording, Accessibility (for touch and keyboard input) and Local Network when macOS asks.

Android tablet

  1. Download the APK on the tablet and open it. Android asks to allow installing apps from this source (your browser or Files) — allow it once.
  2. Open PlexiChore and follow the short setup.

Connect

  • USB (best): turn on USB debugging on the tablet (Settings › Developer options), plug it into the Mac and accept the prompt. Requires Android platform-tools (adb); the Mac app's USB page can download it for you.
  • Wi-Fi: tablet and Mac on the same network. The first time, the tablet shows a 4-digit code — approve it on the Mac.
  • On the tablet pick Extend, Primary or Mirror and tap Connect.

What's in it

  • Extend, Primary (tablet becomes the main display; your layout is restored on disconnect, quit or crash) and Mirror; portrait when you rotate the tablet.
  • ~60 fps hardware H.264 with low latency over USB.
  • Touch, pen, scroll; on-screen keyboard with Esc / Tab / Ctrl / ⌥ / ⌘ / arrows (⌘C, ⌘V… work) and physical keyboards on the tablet.
  • − / + text size from the in-stream controls (swipe down from the top edge or tap with three fingers).
  • Optional Keep the tablet on with the lid closed (Mac: Extended display › Options, charger connected).
  • Help pages in both apps.

If the screen ever looks wrong

Press ⌃⌥⌘D (Control-Option-Command-D) on the Mac, or use the menu bar › Release Extended Display. The tablet display is removed instantly and your displays are restored. Quitting PlexiChore does the same.

Known limits

  • The Wi-Fi stream is not encrypted. Anyone on the same network who captures traffic could see the tablet's picture. Use the USB cable, or Wi-Fi only on networks you trust (connecting still needs your approval on the Mac).
  • Rotating the tablet or changing the text size blanks the tablet for about a second while macOS rebuilds the display.
  • Extend and Primary use a private macOS display API; a future macOS update could break them (Mirror keeps working).
  • Not yet verified by hand: pinch-to-zoom, two-finger scroll / right-click, S-Pen pressure on the Mac, sleep/wake, Intel Macs.
  • The Windows host isn't packaged in this release — build it from source (see the README).
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