Relative trackpad control
Move anywhere on the iPad surface to control the Mac pointer without treating each touch as a fixed screen coordinate.
Remote Rat · iPad trackpad for Mac
Use your iPad as a
full-screen Mac trackpad.
Remote Rat streams a dedicated Mac display to iPad, then turns the whole view into a responsive relative trackpad for macOS.
Get Remote Rat →
Native input
Send pointer movement, clicks, scrolling, gestures, keyboard input, dictation and Apple Pencil interactions back to macOS.
Display and audio
The iPad is more than an input pad: it receives a dedicated Mac display and system audio in the same private session.
— Step by step
Set it up
without guessing.
- 01
Install both apps
Set up the paid Remote Rat host on your Mac and install the free Remote Rat companion on your iPad.
- 02
Put both devices on your network
For the simplest setup, connect the Mac and iPad to the same local network and allow Local Network access on iPad.
- 03
Open and activate the Mac host
Open Remote Rat on the Mac, activate your subscription and grant the requested macOS permissions. Sign both devices into the same iCloud account so the iPad can privately discover your Mac.
- 04
Join and choose Trackpad mode
Open Remote Rat on iPad and choose your Mac if prompted. Use Trackpad mode for relative pointer control rather than direct touch. The whole streamed surface is the trackpad, not just a small control area.
— Good to know
Clear limits.
Useful answers.
Trackpad rather than direct touch
Relative control behaves like a laptop trackpad, which keeps small macOS controls precise. Direct-touch input is also available when that interaction fits better.
Window shortcuts
Three-finger double-tap toggles full screen. Bring two fingers inward from the left or right edge to tile the focused Mac window on that side. Open the gesture guide from the menu to practise Remote Rat’s shortcuts without moving real Mac windows.
Type without leaving your Mac apps
Tap Keyboard to show the iPad keyboard and Mac modifier row. Use Command, Option, Control and Shift for shortcuts. Dictation inserts your completed text when you stop recording; hold its button to choose Apple recognition or the downloadable Parakeet engine.
Local by default, direct when away
Remote Rat prefers a verified local connection. Away from home it tries built-in peer-to-peer networking. Screen, audio and input are never relayed by Rat Systems. Restrictive networks may need a user-managed Tailscale route.
Performance varies
Remote Rat can run up to 90 Hz on supported hardware and networks. Wi-Fi conditions, Mac performance and display settings affect the result.