Support for even more apps NEW

Remote Buddy can now control an additional 30+ apps out of the box:

An updated list of supported apps can be found here.

Virtual Media Remote NEW

The media keys on keyboards and Touch Bars are now available as actions from the Virtual Media Remote:

Desktop Actions NEW

These Desktop Actions are now available:

Send IR commands NEW

Remote Buddy can now record and replay IR codes, allowing you to control many devices like TVs or amplifiers through Remote Buddy.

Requires a compatible IR transmitter such as Flirc USB.

Please see this article to learn how to create an IR command action.

Improved Behaviours

Support for many apps has been updated to integrate with the new Smart Remote in Remote Buddy Mobile 2 and to provide default actions for playback control buttons on remote controls.

On macOS 10.13 and later, the iTunes/Music library browser no longer uses the Music Library XML file, but takes advantage of new macOS APIs instead.

The Spotify Behaviour has gained additional actions.

Siri Remote support NEW

Siri Remotes paired to your Mac can be used with Remote Buddy 2. Press the Voice button to switch between the three different touchpad modes:

Trackpad

Use the touchpad of the Siri Remote as a trackpad for your Mac. Scroll by running your finger along the D-pad ring (2nd generation Siri Remote) or a two finger gesture (1st generation Siri Remote). With integrated automatic Mousespot spotlight effect.

Remote control

Use the D-pad (2nd generation Siri Remote) - or one of two modes translating clicks and/or swipes (1st generation Siri Remote) - to send up, down, left, right and Select button presses to apps, in addition to the dedicated buttons on the remote.

Virtual Keyboard

A long press on the Voice button brings up the Virtual Keyboard and allows you to type text using the touchpad. Press the Voice button shortly to return to the previous mode.

You can find an overview with images here. For more details on the system requirements and supported Siri Remote models, please see this page.

Flirc USB (IR transceiver) support NEW

Flirc and IOSPIRIT have teamed up to deliver an integrated software and hardware experience - with new features that weren't possible before:

Apple Remote wake-up support

When using an Apple Remote with Flirc USB and Remote Buddy 2, you can put your Mac to sleep - and then wake it up again through any, a single or multiple Apple Remote - depending on settings. Which is not just matching, but surpassing the capabilities of Apple's IR Receiver in this area.

IR transmitter support

Flirc USB contains an IR transmitter that Remote Buddy 2 can use to send commands to other devices, such as TVs. At the time of writing, the IR transmitter of Flirc USB has a relatively short range. If the sensor of the device you want to control is not that close, a USB extension cable could be used to bring it into range.

Special offer

If you have a valid license for the latest version of Remote Buddy 2, you might be able to get a steep discount when purchasing a Flirc USB.

Setup Guide NEW

The new Setup Guide takes you through setting up Mobile Access, adding remote controls and configuring macOS Privacy permissions.

New Mapping Preferences NEW

The new mapping preferences make it even easier and more fun to fine tune button mapping.

Privacy & Security settings NEW

For the past couple of years, macOS privacy and security settings have becoming increasingly complex to navigate with every macOS release.

Remote Buddy's new Privacy and Security settings make it simple again, by providing an overview and guiding you through setting up all permissions for Remote Buddy.

Backup Manager NEW

The new Backup Manager can create, restore, export and import snapshots of your Remote Buddy settings. It also can create snapshots automatically when you perform particularly "risky" operations, like f.ex. resetting to defaults the mapping of a Behaviour.

Please see this article to learn more on how it works and what it can do for you.

Improved device settings NEW

Device settings are now available on a per-receiver or per-remote basis and generally offer more and finer control and choices.

Support for multiple Apple Remotes, f.ex. is no longer limited to Apple IR Receivers. And different remote models can be chosen for many remotes.

Migration from Remote Buddy Express NEW

Remote Buddy now supports migration from the discontinued Remote Buddy Express. Depending on when you purchased your copy of Remote Buddy Express, free or discounted upgrades to Remote Buddy 2 are available.

64-Bit support NEW

Remote Buddy is now a 64-Bit application, supports the Hardened Runtime and has been rewritten in large parts. It now runs on macOS 10.13 and later, including macOS 11 Big Sur.

Apple silicon / M1 support NEW

Remote Buddy now runs natively on Macs with Intel and Apple silicon processors.

Rewritten drivers NEW

RCKit is the project name for our new family of frameworks for developing powerful and efficient remote control apps for the Mac. Remote Buddy 2 is the first app to adopt it and benefits from completely rewritten drivers that work entirely in user space and no longer need their own kernel extension.

We've discontinued Candelair, but on systems where it is installed, RCKit can still take advantage of it.

DiagnosticsNEW

The new diagnostics feature detects most issues before you run into them - and helps you solve them quickly.

And in the rare cases where diagnostics are not sufficient, additional tools now allow you to quickly record, collect, compress and send logs. So we can help you and fix issues faster and more efficiently.

Shortcut Bar NEW

The new, scrollable Shortcut Bar makes up to 25 actions (per app) easily accessible directly in the Remote Control, Trackpad and Smart Remote modes.

Smart Remote NEW

The Smart Remote blends actions, shortcut bar, remote control and trackpad elements into a unified view that's optimized for the app you control.

Audio Control NEW

It's now possible to change the default system audio output - including its volume and mute status - directly from within Remote Buddy Mobile.

Dark Mode NEW

Remote Buddy Mobile 2 features refreshed light and dark themes. It also support Dark Mode on iOS and iPadOS now.

Secure Connection NEW

Strong, certificate-based TLS encryption secures the connection between Remote Buddy Mobile on your iOS device and Remote Buddy on your Mac.

Haptic feedback NEW

We've added custom designed haptic experiences for remote control button presses, trackpad clicks and scrolling. Requires iPhone 8 or later.

Accessibility / VoiceOver improvements

We've performed an accessibility review of Remote Buddy Mobile and made significant changes for version 2, to make it more accessible and useful for everyone. If you run into an issue (or like the changes), please let us know.

Released as new app IMPORTANT

Due to protocol changes Remote Buddy Mobile 2 only works with Remote Buddy 2. Remote Buddy Mobile 2 therefore is released as a new app. Get it here:

Screen sharing improvements NEW

Screen Sharing now uses the 2nd generation of our engine, bringing many improvements:

• higher image quality levels
• improved Retina resolution support
• lower power consumption
• more efficient encoding

Shortcut Bar NEW

The new, scrollable Shortcut Bar makes up to 25 actions (per app) easily accessible in the mode switcher.

Dark Mode NEW

Remote Buddy Display 2 features refreshed light and dark themes. It also support Dark Mode on tvOS now.

Secure Connection NEW

Strong, certificate-based TLS encryption secures the connection between Remote Buddy Mobile on your iOS device and Remote Buddy on your Mac.