SofaDeck
Download

Setup guide

From download to your first button press takes about a minute. This guide also covers the network settings that trip people up, so you can fix them in one pass.

On this page

  1. Install on the PC
  2. Pair your phone
  3. Add it to your home screen
  4. Build your first page
  5. Turn on voice
  6. Troubleshooting

1. Install SofaDeck on your PC

Download the installer from the download page and run it. SofaDeck needs Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit). If Windows shows a blue SmartScreen box, the download page explains why and how to check the file's SHA-256 checksum before clicking More info → Run anyway.

On a Mac? Download the .dmg from the Mac section of the download page, drag SofaDeck to Applications and open it — it sits in the menu bar. Allow Local Network when asked, then turn on Accessibility if you want hotkeys and typing. Pairing and everything below work the same.

When it's installed, SofaDeck lives in the system tray by the clock. If you don't see its icon, click the small ^ arrow; you can drag the icon onto the taskbar so it's always visible.

Allow it on your home network

The first time SofaDeck starts, Windows Firewall may ask whether it can accept connections. Tick Private networks (your home network) — that's what lets your phone reach it. There's no need to allow Public networks. While you're at it, check that Windows treats your home Wi-Fi as Private: Settings → Network & internet → your connection → Network profile type → Private.

2. Pair your phone with the QR code

  1. Open SofaDeck from the tray. It shows a QR code.
  2. Open your phone's camera and point it at the code. Tap the link that appears.
  3. Your phone offers a one-time step to trust SofaDeck's local certificate (needed for voice) — do it now or tap Continue and accept the browser warning.
  4. Type the 6-digit PIN shown next to the QR code on the PC.

The phone is now paired. It can press buttons on this PC until you unpair it. If someone photographs the code without seeing the PIN on your PC screen, nothing happens — see how pairing works.

Same network, always. The phone must be on the same Wi-Fi as the PC (or the PC wired to the same router). Mobile data and guest Wi-Fi networks won't work.

3. Add the deck to your home screen

So it opens full-screen with one tap, like an app:

  • iPhone / iPad (Safari): tap the Share button → Add to Home Screen.
  • Android (Chrome): tap the ⋮ menu → Add to Home screen (or Install app).

4. Build your first page

Edit your deck from SofaDeck on the PC: add a button, pick what it does (app or game, website, key, media, volume, text, PC power, or a macro with Pro), give it a short label and an icon, and it appears on the phone right away. Good first buttons:

  • Play/Pause, Volume +, Volume − and Mute — an instant media remote.
  • The three apps you open most often.
  • A hotkey you always forget — Win+Shift+S for a screenshot, or your meeting app's mute shortcut.
  • Show desktop and Sleep for when you walk away.

Short labels work best — they're also what you say to trigger a button by voice. Guides with ready-made layouts: streaming, living-room PC, LaunchBox & Big Box and presentations.

5. Turn on voice

Tap the microphone button at the bottom of the deck. The first time, your phone asks for microphone permission — tap Allow. Voice only works on the secure https link: if the mic button explains that instead, trust SofaDeck's certificate (SofaDeck on the PC → Help shows the iPhone and Android steps) or tap Proceed on the browser warning. The keyboard's own dictation key works in the text box either way. Say a command such as "volume down" or a button's label. The voice commands page lists everything it understands.

Troubleshooting

My phone says the page can't be reached.

The phone and PC must be on the same network. Check the phone isn't on mobile data or a guest Wi-Fi, that your router doesn't have 'AP/client isolation' turned on, and that Windows Firewall allowed SofaDeck on Private networks. On the PC, make sure your home network is set to Private, not Public, in Windows Settings → Network & internet.

The camera doesn't recognise the QR code.

Make the SofaDeck window larger, turn your screen brightness up, and hold the phone about 20–30 cm away. On older Android phones, use Google Lens or the QR scanner in Quick Settings.

Voice doesn't work on my phone.

Browsers only allow the microphone on secure pages, and they ask permission the first time. Tap Allow when the phone asks for microphone access. On iPhone, speech recognition must be enabled in Settings → Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions if those are on. Chrome on Android and Safari on iOS are the most reliable.

The deck disconnects when my phone sleeps.

That's normal — the browser pauses when the screen turns off. SofaDeck reconnects as soon as you wake the phone. For a phone that lives on a stand, set a longer auto-lock time while charging.

Still stuck? Email support@dixonappstudio.com with your Windows version, phone model and browser, and what you see.