Support

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Getting Started

TermAway lets you access your Mac's terminal from your iPad, iPhone, or any browser on your local network. Here's how to get up and running:

  1. Install the macOS app — Download TermAway from the downloads page and open it on your Mac. It runs as a menu bar app.
  2. Start the server — Click the TermAway icon in your menu bar and start the server. It will display a local URL (e.g. http://192.168.1.x:3000).
  3. Connect from your device — Open the TermAway iOS app or visit the URL in any browser on the same network. Your terminal is ready to use.

Getting Started on Linux

TermAway's server also runs on Linux. Here's how to set it up:

  1. Download the Linux package — Get the latest .tar.gz from the downloads page.
  2. Extract and install — Run tar xzf TermAway-Linux-*.tar.gz && cd termaway-linux && sudo ./install.sh
  3. Start the server — Run sudo systemctl start termaway. The server starts on port 3000 by default.
  4. Connect from your device — Open the TermAway iOS app or visit http://your-linux-ip:3000 in any browser on the same network.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an internet connection?

No. TermAway works entirely over your local network (LAN). Your devices just need to be on the same Wi-Fi network. No internet connection, cloud account, or external server is required.

Is my data secure?

Yes. All terminal data stays on your local network and never leaves it. Nothing is sent to external servers. You can optionally set a password for server access. TermAway is also open source, so you can inspect the code yourself.

My device can't find the server

Make sure both your Mac and your iOS device are on the same Wi-Fi network. If automatic discovery isn't working, try entering the server URL manually. You can find the URL in the macOS menu bar app. Also check that your Mac's firewall isn't blocking incoming connections on the server port.

The terminal is not responding

Try detaching and reattaching the session, or creating a new session. If the server has restarted, existing sessions may have been cleared. You can also restart the server from the macOS menu bar app.

Which shells are supported?

TermAway uses your system's default shell (set in $SHELL). This is typically zsh on macOS and bash on Linux. Fish and other shells work as well — just change your default shell in System Settings (macOS) or via chsh.

Can I run the server on Linux?

Yes. TermAway's server runs on any Linux distribution with Node.js 18+. Download the Linux package from the downloads page and run the install script. The server runs as a systemd service and starts automatically on boot.

Can I use this outside my home network?

TermAway is designed for local network use only. It does not support connections over the internet. This is an intentional security decision — your terminal should not be exposed to the public internet.

Reporting Issues

If you've found a bug or have a feature request, please open an issue on our GitHub Issues page. When reporting a bug, include:

  • What you were trying to do
  • What happened instead
  • Your macOS/Linux version and device model
  • The TermAway version (shown in the menu bar app)

Contact

If you need help or have questions that aren't covered here, you can reach us through: