Mobile Access
Access PandaOS from your phone over local WiFi or remotely via Tailscale.
What mobile access is
PandaOS runs on your desktop, but you can access it from your phone or tablet through a mobile companion. When enabled, your desktop runs a local server that your phone connects to, giving you a full mobile interface to your PandaOS workspace: chat, files, git, terminal, and more.
The mobile companion is a progressive web app (PWA) that runs in your phone's browser. You can install it to your home screen for a native-app experience. Your desktop must be awake and the companion enabled for the connection to work.
Mobile access is currently an experimental feature.
Pairing your phone
Enable the mobile bridge in Settings, then pair your phone in one of two ways:
- QR code - scan the QR code displayed in settings with your phone's camera. It opens the companion and authenticates automatically.
- Manual token - copy the 64-character auth token and paste it on your phone. Useful when the QR scanner is not available.
Once paired, your phone stays connected. The token persists across browser sessions, so you do not need to re-pair every time.
Local WiFi vs. Tailscale
Two connection modes:
- Local WiFi - your phone and desktop are on the same network. This is the default and requires no extra setup. Lowest latency.
- Tailscale - access PandaOS from anywhere, even when you are not on the same network. Requires Tailscale installed on both your desktop and your phone, signed into the same account. Once set up, PandaOS exposes itself over your Tailscale mesh network with WireGuard encryption. Enable it in Settings under the Remote Access section.
Tailscale is optional. If you only use PandaOS from home or the office, local WiFi is all you need.
What you can do on mobile
The mobile companion gives you access to most of what PandaOS offers on desktop:
- Chat - full conversation interface with real-time streaming, plan approvals, and question prompts
- Files - browse your project's file tree and view code
- Git - see commit history, branches, diffs, and changes
- Terminal - read terminal output
- Voice input - dictate messages instead of typing
The mobile interface streams updates in real time. If you start a task on desktop and walk away, you can follow its progress and approve decisions from your phone.
Managing devices
The settings page shows all currently connected mobile clients. You can disconnect individual devices or regenerate the auth token to force all devices to re-pair.
If a connection drops, the companion reconnects automatically with exponential backoff.