Can I use my phone as a keyboard for my PC?
Yes. A remote app on the PC sends whatever you type on your phone's own keyboard to the window in front, over your Wi-Fi, and autocorrect and the phone's dictation key work too. SofaDeck's keyboard screen is free on Windows and opens in the browser on iPhone or Android after you scan the PC's QR code. On Android, Bluetooth keyboard apps can also pair the phone as an ordinary Bluetooth keyboard.
- Install SofaDeck on your PC (free)
- Scan the QR code with your phone
- Tap
Works on iPhone & Android — no app needed. Scan the QR code on your PC with the phone's camera and the remote opens in its browser. On Android you can also add the optional Google Play app.
Disclosure: we make SofaDeck, which is one of the options below. Facts about other products were checked on 16 October 2026 and can change.
Typing a search on a TV-connected PC, a Wi-Fi password on a living-room laptop or a quick reply while the keyboard is across the room is much easier on the keyboard you already hold: your phone's. Windows has no built-in way to do it, but a small app fills the gap. Here are the three ways, and what each needs.
The three ways
| Method | Phones | PC needs | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi remote app | iPhone and Android | A small helper program | Works with any phone keyboard, autocorrect and dictation |
| Android as a Bluetooth keyboard | Android 9 and later | Bluetooth, nothing to install | Works even at the BIOS and sign-in screen; iPhone can't do this |
| Remote desktop | iPhone and Android | Remote desktop enabled | Shows the whole screen; heavy for just typing |
Type on your PC with SofaDeck (Windows, free)
- Install SofaDeck 1.0.4 or later on the Windows PC, from the Microsoft Store or sofadeck.com.
- Scan the QR code SofaDeck shows with your phone's camera; the deck opens in the phone's browser.
- Type the 6-digit PIN shown on the PC to pair the phone.
- Tap the mouse button (🖱) at the top of the deck to open the trackpad and keyboard screen.
Tap the text box and type with your phone's normal keyboard, swipe typing and dictation included. SofaDeck sends text as you type, and it compares the box with what it already sent, so autocorrect fixing a word on the phone fixes it on the PC too. Under the box are the keys a phone keyboard doesn't have: Esc, Tab, the arrows, Backspace and Enter. The same screen is a trackpad, so you can click into the search field first.
Direct installer .exe · 3.7 MB Store version signed by Microsoft No account Local network only Signed updates SofaDeck installs on your Windows PC. Your phone is the remote — it works in the phone’s browser.One email from support@dixonappstudio.com. No list unless you tick the box. PrivacyOr on your PC, go to sofadeck.com/getFor phrases you type often (an email address, a sign-off, a game search), make a button instead: SofaDeck buttons can type a fixed piece of text in one tap. Hotkey combos such as Ctrl+C and multi-step macros are part of Pro ($9.99 once).
Android as a Bluetooth keyboard
Android 9 and later can present itself to a PC as a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Apps built on this pair with Windows in Settings → Bluetooth & devices like a normal keyboard. Because Windows sees real keyboard input, it works where Wi-Fi apps can't, such as the sign-in screen. The catch: support varies by phone maker, and iPhones don't allow it at all.
When a real keyboard is better
If you write more than a few lines from the sofa, a compact wireless keyboard with a built-in touchpad is more comfortable and never needs unlocking. Many living-room setups use both: the phone for quick searches and playback, the keyboard for longer sessions. See our HTPC keyboard guide or browse couch keyboards on Amazon.
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Related: use your phone as a trackpad, phone as a mouse and keyboard and every way to control a PC from your phone.
Frequently asked questions
Can an iPhone work as a Bluetooth keyboard for a PC?
Not on its own: iOS doesn't let apps act as a Bluetooth keyboard. iPhone keyboard apps for PCs work over Wi-Fi with a helper program on the computer instead.
Can I use my phone as a keyboard over USB?
Generally no. A phone plugged in by USB shows up as storage or a camera, not a keyboard, unless it runs special software (some rooted Android setups can). Wi-Fi or Bluetooth is the practical route.
Does voice typing work through the phone keyboard?
Usually yes: the phone keyboard's own dictation button fills the text box, and the remote app sends the text to the PC like any other typing.
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