The Pocket Board user guide
Connect Pocket Board to a compatible device. Follow Bluetooth pairing steps, use the keyboard, touchpad and video remote, check Mac and car compatibility, and troubleshoot connection problems.
Requires iOS 17 or later. Button names may vary by app version; follow the instructions in the version installed on your iPhone.
Download on the App Store ↗What do I need before starting?
An iPhone running Pocket Board and a target device that accepts Bluetooth keyboard or mouse input. Keep Pocket Board in the foreground while using it; input and connectivity are not guaranteed after locking your iPhone or switching apps.
- Enable Bluetooth on your iPhone and allow Pocket Board to use it when prompted.
- Wake the target device, enable Bluetooth and check that it offers keyboard or mouse pairing.
- Keep both devices nearby. Standard Bluetooth pairing does not require the same Wi-Fi network or a Pocket Board account.
Bluetooth headphone support does not establish keyboard or mouse support. Test compatibility with the free Arrow Keys or Number Pad before deciding to use Pro.
How do I pair a device for the first time?
For standard Bluetooth connections, search for and connect to Pocket Board from the target device. Searching for the target in your iPhone's system Bluetooth list does not replace this step.
- Open the connection screen in Pocket Board on your iPhone, follow the instructions to start a connection or add a device, and keep the app open.
- Open the target device's Bluetooth settings and look for Pocket Board. If you changed the Bluetooth name in the app, look for that name instead.
- Complete any pairing prompts on both devices. If Pocket Board asks you to confirm the target, check it before confirming; you can add a recognizable device note.
- Wait for input to be ready, open a text field on the target and enter a few digits with Number Pad to check that input actually arrives.
A system Connected status does not mean both keyboard and mouse input are available. For Mac, read the dedicated section below. Always test actual input after the app reports readiness.
How do I use the keyboard and touchpad tools?
Open the target app and focus its text field or content area, then select a tool in Pocket Board. The receiving app decides how it responds to keyboard shortcuts and other input.
- Arrow Keys navigate up, down, left and right; Confirm activates a selection. Players with matching shortcuts may respond to arrow keys or Space for playback.
- Number Pad enters digits, operators, Backspace and Return. Select the target text field first.
- Full Keyboard (Pro) offers 59-, 67- and 81-key layouts in landscape. Output characters depend on the target keyboard layout and input method.
- Touchpad (Pro) moves the pointer with one finger, clicks with a tap and scrolls with two fingers. Hold the drag area while moving another finger to drag; adjust sensitivity in settings.
Keyboard-only compatibility mode cannot supply mouse, touchpad or video-browsing input. Selecting a different phone tool cannot add a shortcut that the target app does not support.
How do I switch videos on another device from my iPhone?
Pair a device that accepts mouse input, open its video app, then open Pro Video Browsing in Pocket Board and tap Previous or Next. This tool sends mouse-wheel scrolling or a mouse press and drag.
- First confirm that the target responds to mouse movement and scrolling with Touchpad. A keyboard-only connection cannot support Video Browsing.
- Open Video Browsing and try Next once to check that input reaches the target video area.
- If nothing happens, switch between mouse-wheel and simulated-swipe modes in settings. Reverse the direction if needed and adjust strength if a tap moves too far or not far enough.
- Volume buttons require the target to accept volume commands. Test actual behavior after connecting; readiness does not guarantee support in every video app.
A simulated swipe is mouse dragging, not a native touch gesture. Compatibility with every TV, car display or video app is not guaranteed. Drivers must be safely parked before operating or watching video.
How do I reconnect or switch devices?
Open Pocket Board and keep it in the foreground, then connect to the paired Pocket Board entry in the target's Bluetooth settings. Selecting a device in the app still requires the target to establish an input connection.
- Wake the target, select its paired Pocket Board entry and wait for the app to report input readiness.
- To switch, select the intended device in the app and follow the target-side connection steps. If the previous device reconnects first, disconnect Pocket Board on that device.
- To stop using it, stop the connection or input service in the app, or disconnect in the target's Bluetooth settings.
Deleting an app device record does not remove system Bluetooth pairing. Remove pairing in system Bluetooth settings when necessary; normal reconnection does not require repeatedly forgetting devices.
What if my Mac cannot find Pocket Board?
Bluetooth discovery and input setup can differ on Mac, especially when the Mac and iPhone share an Apple Account. Follow the Mac connection instructions available in your installed app version; the presence of a name in Bluetooth settings alone is not a reliable success check.
- Open System Settings → Bluetooth on the Mac and keep that page open, with Pocket Board in the foreground on your iPhone.
- If the app provides a dedicated Mac connection entry, follow its instructions to select and verify the target. A scan can include other Bluetooth devices.
- Complete system pairing prompts, wait for input readiness and test digits in a Mac text field, followed by any mouse operations you need.
If your version lacks the relevant entry or input never becomes available, send feedback with device and OS versions. Compatibility with every macOS version is not guaranteed, and a Bluetooth link alone does not prove input works.
Does it work with every TV, car display or Tesla?
No. The TV or car display must expose the required Bluetooth input support. Bluetooth audio or phone-key support does not establish support for Pocket Board's keyboard, mouse or video-browsing input.
- Check whether the target permits Bluetooth keyboard or mouse pairing, then test with a free tool.
- For Video Browsing, also check that the target and video app accept mouse-wheel or drag input.
- Do not infer Tesla compatibility from ordinary Bluetooth keyboard and mouse support. If your installed version offers a dedicated Beta entry, follow its in-app permission explanations and setup instructions.
A dedicated Tesla connection is a separate path from ordinary Bluetooth keyboard and mouse input. Previous-track and next-track media commands do not establish native video navigation. Use only when safely parked or in permitted passenger situations that do not distract the driver.
What if discovery fails or a connected device does not respond?
Check Bluetooth permission, foreground app state, target input focus and support for the required keyboard or mouse input, in that order. Test simple digit entry before advanced controls to locate the problem.
- Not discoverable? Check Bluetooth on both devices, target pairing availability and the app's Bluetooth permission. Check any custom Bluetooth name and disconnect other devices occupying the connection.
- Connected without input? Wake the target, select a text field and try Number Pad. Mouse-based tools also require mouse input to be ready.
- Only one app fails? Try a system text field or another app that supports the relevant shortcut, then check the original app's input support.
- Already paired but unable to reconnect? Remove the old Pocket Board pairing on the target, then use the app's connection help to reopen the connection and pair again. Do not delete records preemptively during normal first-time setup.
- Still incompatible? If the app offers keyboard-only compatibility mode, try it for keyboard input. Reconnect as instructed; this mode does not support Touchpad or Video Browsing.
Avoid repeatedly resetting Bluetooth or rebuilding the connection. After each step, wait for the status to change and test actual input once.
What is free, and how do I try or restore Pro?
Arrow Keys and Number Pad are free. Full Keyboard, Touchpad, Video Browsing and extra themes require Pro, with an optional seven-consecutive-day trial followed by a one-time purchase. There is no auto-renewing subscription.
- Test target compatibility with free tools first, then check the app's Pro screen for trial and purchase options. The in-app price applies.
- If an existing purchase is not unlocked, check that the App Store uses the Apple Account that bought it, then use Restore Purchases in the app.
- Free tools remain available after the trial ends. The trial does not automatically become a paid subscription.
Pro unlocks tools; it does not change the target's Bluetooth protocol or a video app's input support. Test compatibility before buying.