Pair the iOS or Android app with your Mac to start and continue Work in shared project folders.
Your Mac projects from your phone
Remote connects the Gab AI iOS or Android app to project folders on your Mac. Start a new Work chat in a shared folder, continue a project chat you started on your Mac, and review changes from your phone. Remote uses the files on your Mac without copying entire folders to your phone.
Set up the connection in the native Mac and mobile apps. The web app does not pair a phone or provide this Remote folder workflow.
Before you begin
Install Gab AI on your Mac and the Gab AI mobile app on iOS or Android. Sign in to the same Gab AI account on both devices.
Use a plan with Work access to start or continue tasks in Mac folders. Your account’s Work limits and credits apply.
Keep the Mac awake, connected to the internet, and Gab AI running while using its files. Keep your MacBook’s lid open. Your phone and Mac can be on different networks; the normal setup does not require port forwarding or a VPN.
Choose a project folder in Work on your Mac, or add one during Remote setup. Check the access you want to share before pairing.
1. Enable Remote on the Mac
Open Remote access settings — In the Mac app, open Remote in the sidebar (some versions label it Remote Access), or Settings → Remote access. Expand Folders & Mac settings to give the Mac a recognizable name under This Mac.
Review Your projects — Choose Review folder access or expand Folders & Mac settings → Your projects. New setup includes folders you already use in Gab AI and folders you add later automatically. They use the access allowed on this Mac unless you restrict it here. Uncheck a folder to exclude it from your phone, or turn off Allow edits, new files and moving files to Trash to share it read-only. Add a folder… opens the Mac folder picker if you need another project.
Enable Remote and display the code — Select Enable Remote and pair a phone. If Remote is already enabled, choose Show pairing code or Pair another phone. If it was turned off for an already paired phone, choose Enable Remote access; that phone can reconnect without pairing again. Leave the code visible while pairing a new phone.
2. Pair the iOS or Android app
Scan with your phone’s camera — Use your phone’s Camera app to scan the QR code displayed on your Mac, then open the link in Gab AI. Make sure the mobile app is signed in to the same account.
Name the phone and connect — On the Connect to your Mac screen, tap Connect to Mac. Optionally choose Change phone name first to replace My phone with a recognizable name. The phone then shows Confirm on your Mac with a verification code and waits for approval.
Compare both codes — Check that the verification code on the phone matches the code beside the pairing request on the Mac. If they match, select Codes match — pair device on the Mac. If they do not match, select Reject pairing and start again.
Check the connection — Open Remote in the mobile app and confirm your Mac is Online. Before you have used the Mac app, Remote is under More; after signing in on the Mac with this account, it appears in the main mobile menu. Pairing codes expire after three minutes. If one expires, choose Create a new pairing code on the Mac and scan again.
3. Work from your phone
Find a project or chat — Open Remote to see Projects and their chats. Use Search chats and projects to find existing work. Open a saved project chat to read it and continue working in the same folder.
Start new Work in a folder — Use the new-chat button beside a project in Remote. You can also start a Work chat, tap Mac folder in the composer, and select a shared folder on an online Mac before sending the task. The folder shows Edits allowed or Read only. No Mac folder clears the selection for a new cloud Work chat.
Follow progress and review — Send instructions and follow-ups in the chat. Tap its Mac folder control or open its project changes panel to review available changes. Use the Mac app for restoring supported local file changes and managing recovery history.
Keep the Mac available — Saved chats remain readable when the Mac is offline. Working on local files requires the Mac to be awake and online with Gab AI open. If a task is interrupted, restore the connection and reopen the same chat to continue.
What Remote provides
Remote lets the paired mobile app use shared project files and continue project chats. It is not a screen-sharing session or remote desktop viewer. Local command execution, development-server permissions, and browser/app control are not granted by sharing a folder with a phone. Use the Mac for those workflows and for file restoration or recovery-history management.
The same cloud AI and account limits apply to Remote Work. Files read for the task are sent to Gab AI; pairing does not download a full copy of the project to your phone. Closing the Mac app’s main window keeps it running, but quitting the app or letting the Mac sleep makes its local resources unavailable.
Control sharing and edit permissions
On the Mac, open Remote → Folders & Mac settings (also available in Settings → Remote access) to exclude a folder or change its edit permission. Changes save immediately when Remote is enabled. A folder that is read-only on the Mac cannot allow Remote edits; change its local permission in Settings → Mac app → Folder access if you intend to allow writing.
Older setups may show only manually selected folders. Use my Mac projects automatically opts into sharing existing and future saved folders, preserving current read-only restrictions. Review Your projects after switching.
Files the agent reads are sent to Gab AI’s cloud agent for the task. Recovery copies saved before edits remain on the Mac.
Disconnect a phone or turn off Remote
On the Mac, open Settings → Remote access → Paired devices and choose Unpair followed by the phone’s name. To stop Remote for all paired devices, select Turn off Remote access.
On the phone, open Settings → Connect to Your Mac, choose Disconnect beside the Mac, and confirm Unpair from that Mac. Reconnecting requires a new pairing code and approval on the Mac. Disabling Remote controls remote access; manage local folder access separately on the Mac.
If something goes wrong
QR code opens the wrong place: install the Gab AI mobile app, sign in to the same account as the Mac, then scan a fresh code with the phone’s Camera app.
Waiting for approval or expired code: return to the Mac to compare and approve the codes. After three minutes, generate a fresh pairing code and try again.
Offline or Connection not verified: wake the Mac, open Gab AI, check its internet connection and Remote access setting, then use Refresh connection on the Mac and Refresh in the phone’s connection settings.
No projects: choose a Project folder in Work on the Mac or Add a folder… in Remote access settings. Check that the folder is shared and refresh the phone.
Folder is read-only: check both local Folder access and Remote edit permissions on the Mac. The phone cannot grant itself more access.
Remote Work is not enabled: if the app reports that Remote projects or task control are unavailable, pairing alone does not enable file tasks. Follow the availability message in the app; existing cloud Work and chats remain available.
A new chat seems lost after a connection failure: if the Mac folder picker offers Recover previous Work chat, use it to reopen the pending chat before starting another task.
Already paired but Remote is off: enable Remote access on the Mac, then refresh on the phone. Pair again only if the device was unpaired or the app explicitly asks. Do not send your QR code or pairing link to support; create and approve a fresh code yourself when needed.