Touchpad: A Computer Remote Control App for Android

April 2012 ยท 3 minute read

This app is no longer available for download. I have not had the time to keep the app up to date as Android evolves. It is still available as an open-source project.

Touchpad is a free Android app to enable you to control your windows computer from your Android device. It provides a simple multitouch touchpad interface to control the mouse, and accepts keystrokes from the keyboard on your device to send to your computer. Touchpad has the following features:

Why Touchpad and not one of the many other apps on Google Play for controlling your computer? I tried many of these apps, and all of them had annoying issues: bloated with excess features getting in the way, contained ads occupying valuable touchpad space, unstable and complicated server software, or a combination of these. After getting frustrated enough with all of the options I found, I decided to develop my own. If that sounds like your experience with other computer remote control apps, Touchpad is for you! Follow these instructions to get started with Touchpad:

  1. Install and run the Touchpad Server on your windows computer. Make sure to allow TouchpadServer.exe network access if prompted by your firewall software. Optionally, configure a password by double clicking the Touchpad Server icon in the notification area.
  2. Get the free Touchpad App from Google Play.
  3. With the server configured and running on the computer you want to control, run the Touchpad app on your Android device.
  4. Open the options menu and select ‘Connect…’.
  5. Select the server from the list. If the server was not found automatically, you can select ‘Custom server…’ and enter the server adddress and port manually. Hover your mouse over the Touchpad Server icon in your notification area to see the server address.
  6. If you configured a password on the server, enter the password when prompted.
  7. Begin controlling your computer from your Android device! If you have configured a password, Touchpad will remember the password until you are disconnected from the server.

Now that you’re connected, using Touchpad should be straightforward, just move the mouse by moving your finger on the screen of your device, and tap to click. Here are some useful hints and tips to get the most out of Touchpad:

Enjoy!

Version History:

Version 1.3

This version requires at least version 1.3 of the Touchpad Server!

Version 1.2

Version 1.0