I built CrossDesk to move my Magic Keyboard, Mouse, and Trackpad between Macs
Hi r/macapps, I'm Eugene, the developer of CrossDesk.
I built CrossDesk for the setup I use every day: a work Mac and a personal Mac on the same desk, with one Magic Keyboard and Trackpad.
CrossDesk Demo
Problem
Apple's Magic devices normally connect to one Mac at a time. Universal Control is useful, but it still relies on the Mac that owns the devices staying awake, and it does not fit every work/personal or different-Apple-ID setup.
When I wanted to shut down my work Mac and continue on my personal Mac, I was back to connecting cables or going through the Bluetooth pairing routine.
CrossDesk runs on each Mac. From the menu bar, you move the selected devices to another Mac. The destination becomes their actual Bluetooth host, so the previous Mac can be shut down.
Comparison
Universal Control is the built-in option, and it is probably the better choice if it works for your setup and you’re ok to keep both Macs awake.
Synergy is a more established commercial alternative. It keeps your keyboard and mouse connected to one computer and sends their input to the others. That is better if both Macs stay awake and you want seamless cursor movement, clipboard sharing, or Windows and Linux support.
CrossDesk is for a different workflow. It transfers supported Magic devices to the destination Mac instead of relaying their input. The destination becomes the actual Bluetooth host, and the previous Mac can be shut down.
If you want to work across several active computers at once (especially a Mac-Windows setup), Synergy is likely the better fit. If you want to hand the devices over and be done with the previous Mac, that is the gap CrossDesk is built for.
Current beta details
Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad are officially supported
The app is signed and notarized
Touch ID keyboards are supported
macOS Ventura or later, on Intel and Apple silicon
both Macs must be on the same local network
Bluetooth and Local Network permissions are required
CrossDesk does not read or relay keystrokes, pointer movement, clipboard contents, or files
Pricing
The public beta is free. After beta, CrossDesk will likely be a one-time $14.99 purchase for up to three Macs. No subscription.
I would especially appreciate feedback from people with a work Mac and personal Mac on the same desk:
Was linking the Macs understandable?
Did your first transfer complete without intervention?
Was it reliable enough across a normal workday?
Website and download: https://crossdesk.app/
Compatibility: https://crossdesk.app/compatibility/
Privacy: https://crossdesk.app/privacy/
Terms: https://crossdesk.app/terms/
Developer: Eugene Myasyshchev
Contact: support@crossdesk.app
I'll be around to answer questions and hear the unflattering feedback too.
https://redd.it/1wz2ct4
@macappsbackup
Hi r/macapps, I'm Eugene, the developer of CrossDesk.
I built CrossDesk for the setup I use every day: a work Mac and a personal Mac on the same desk, with one Magic Keyboard and Trackpad.
CrossDesk Demo
Problem
Apple's Magic devices normally connect to one Mac at a time. Universal Control is useful, but it still relies on the Mac that owns the devices staying awake, and it does not fit every work/personal or different-Apple-ID setup.
When I wanted to shut down my work Mac and continue on my personal Mac, I was back to connecting cables or going through the Bluetooth pairing routine.
CrossDesk runs on each Mac. From the menu bar, you move the selected devices to another Mac. The destination becomes their actual Bluetooth host, so the previous Mac can be shut down.
Comparison
Universal Control is the built-in option, and it is probably the better choice if it works for your setup and you’re ok to keep both Macs awake.
Synergy is a more established commercial alternative. It keeps your keyboard and mouse connected to one computer and sends their input to the others. That is better if both Macs stay awake and you want seamless cursor movement, clipboard sharing, or Windows and Linux support.
CrossDesk is for a different workflow. It transfers supported Magic devices to the destination Mac instead of relaying their input. The destination becomes the actual Bluetooth host, and the previous Mac can be shut down.
If you want to work across several active computers at once (especially a Mac-Windows setup), Synergy is likely the better fit. If you want to hand the devices over and be done with the previous Mac, that is the gap CrossDesk is built for.
Current beta details
Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad are officially supported
The app is signed and notarized
Touch ID keyboards are supported
macOS Ventura or later, on Intel and Apple silicon
both Macs must be on the same local network
Bluetooth and Local Network permissions are required
CrossDesk does not read or relay keystrokes, pointer movement, clipboard contents, or files
Pricing
The public beta is free. After beta, CrossDesk will likely be a one-time $14.99 purchase for up to three Macs. No subscription.
I would especially appreciate feedback from people with a work Mac and personal Mac on the same desk:
Was linking the Macs understandable?
Did your first transfer complete without intervention?
Was it reliable enough across a normal workday?
Website and download: https://crossdesk.app/
Compatibility: https://crossdesk.app/compatibility/
Privacy: https://crossdesk.app/privacy/
Terms: https://crossdesk.app/terms/
Developer: Eugene Myasyshchev
Contact: support@crossdesk.app
I'll be around to answer questions and hear the unflattering feedback too.
https://redd.it/1wz2ct4
@macappsbackup
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WDM 2.0 is here: one Mac app for downloads, media, conversion, browsing and more
https://preview.redd.it/mkpq6s0l7xth1.png?width=1576&format=png&auto=webp&s=7363ef40047df7f991943127b6266f6bdda94320
I originally built WDM because I was tired of needing a different app for every part of the same workflow.
One app for normal downloads. Another for media. Another for conversion. Another tool for saving groups of images. Browser extensions for capture. And sometimes even a separate browser just to get one stubborn download working.
For WDM 2.0, I decided I did not want to keep stacking features on the old architecture.
I rebuilt the application almost completely from scratch.
WDM 2.0 is now a native Swift/AppKit macOS application. It is no longer Electron.
And the main goal of 2.0 is not to be "another download manager."
The goal is much simpler:
For most download-related work on a Mac, you should not need another app next to WDM.
\## What makes WDM different
There are already well-known Mac apps in this space.
Downie is heavily focused on media downloading.
Folx is mainly a traditional download manager.
WDM 2.0 is built around a different idea:
Combine the entire download workflow into one application.
WDM brings together regular file downloads, browser capture, supported media downloads, a full built-in browser, a built-in converter, browser integration, batch image saving, file artwork, real media thumbnails, download history, notifications, and automatic media-engine updates.
I personally have not found another Mac download manager that combines this entire set of tools into one application.
That is really the point of WDM 2.0.
Instead of:
download manager + media tool + converter + browser extension + image saver + fallback browser
I wanted:
WDM.
\## Rebuilt from scratch in Swift
WDM 1.1 used Electron.
For WDM 2.0, I rebuilt the desktop application around Swift and AppKit.
WDM now has native builds for Apple Silicon and Intel, with support for macOS 12 or later.
The main interface, download workflow, windows, settings, converter, browser, notifications, progress handling and desktop integration were rebuilt around the native macOS version.
Both builds are signed with my Apple Developer ID and notarized by Apple.
\## Ready immediately after installation
WDM 2.0 includes its media engine inside the application.
There is no "install WDM and then wait while the rest of the engine downloads" step.
The components WDM uses for extraction, processing and conversion are already bundled.
Install WDM and it is ready to work.
The media engine can still update itself later when newer versions become available. WDM periodically checks automatically, and there is also a manual update option in Settings.
So the bundled engine gets you started immediately while future engine updates can still arrive without requiring a full WDM application update.
\## Download directly from the video
One of the browser-integration features I wanted to make especially convenient is the WDM Download button that appears directly on videos while you browse supported websites.
Instead of copying a link, switching apps and pasting it somewhere else, you can click the WDM button directly on the video you are watching and send that exact item into WDM.
The whole point is to make browser-to-download feel immediate instead of turning every download into a multi-step process.
\## WDM Browser
This is one of my favourite parts of WDM 2.0.
I did not want the built-in browser to be one of those tiny embedded web views that technically counts as a "browser" but exists only as a fallback.
I wanted it to actually be useful.
WDM Browser includes:
\- Multiple tabs
\- Address bar and search
\- Back / Forward / Reload / Home
\- Bookmarks
\- Bookmark folders
\- Bookmark editing and deletion
\- Bookmark import and export
\- Favorites bar
\- Favorites editing
\- Drag reordering
\- Browsing history
\- Open history entries
\-
https://preview.redd.it/mkpq6s0l7xth1.png?width=1576&format=png&auto=webp&s=7363ef40047df7f991943127b6266f6bdda94320
I originally built WDM because I was tired of needing a different app for every part of the same workflow.
One app for normal downloads. Another for media. Another for conversion. Another tool for saving groups of images. Browser extensions for capture. And sometimes even a separate browser just to get one stubborn download working.
For WDM 2.0, I decided I did not want to keep stacking features on the old architecture.
I rebuilt the application almost completely from scratch.
WDM 2.0 is now a native Swift/AppKit macOS application. It is no longer Electron.
And the main goal of 2.0 is not to be "another download manager."
The goal is much simpler:
For most download-related work on a Mac, you should not need another app next to WDM.
\## What makes WDM different
There are already well-known Mac apps in this space.
Downie is heavily focused on media downloading.
Folx is mainly a traditional download manager.
WDM 2.0 is built around a different idea:
Combine the entire download workflow into one application.
WDM brings together regular file downloads, browser capture, supported media downloads, a full built-in browser, a built-in converter, browser integration, batch image saving, file artwork, real media thumbnails, download history, notifications, and automatic media-engine updates.
I personally have not found another Mac download manager that combines this entire set of tools into one application.
That is really the point of WDM 2.0.
Instead of:
download manager + media tool + converter + browser extension + image saver + fallback browser
I wanted:
WDM.
\## Rebuilt from scratch in Swift
WDM 1.1 used Electron.
For WDM 2.0, I rebuilt the desktop application around Swift and AppKit.
WDM now has native builds for Apple Silicon and Intel, with support for macOS 12 or later.
The main interface, download workflow, windows, settings, converter, browser, notifications, progress handling and desktop integration were rebuilt around the native macOS version.
Both builds are signed with my Apple Developer ID and notarized by Apple.
\## Ready immediately after installation
WDM 2.0 includes its media engine inside the application.
There is no "install WDM and then wait while the rest of the engine downloads" step.
The components WDM uses for extraction, processing and conversion are already bundled.
Install WDM and it is ready to work.
The media engine can still update itself later when newer versions become available. WDM periodically checks automatically, and there is also a manual update option in Settings.
So the bundled engine gets you started immediately while future engine updates can still arrive without requiring a full WDM application update.
\## Download directly from the video
One of the browser-integration features I wanted to make especially convenient is the WDM Download button that appears directly on videos while you browse supported websites.
Instead of copying a link, switching apps and pasting it somewhere else, you can click the WDM button directly on the video you are watching and send that exact item into WDM.
The whole point is to make browser-to-download feel immediate instead of turning every download into a multi-step process.
\## WDM Browser
This is one of my favourite parts of WDM 2.0.
I did not want the built-in browser to be one of those tiny embedded web views that technically counts as a "browser" but exists only as a fallback.
I wanted it to actually be useful.
WDM Browser includes:
\- Multiple tabs
\- Address bar and search
\- Back / Forward / Reload / Home
\- Bookmarks
\- Bookmark folders
\- Bookmark editing and deletion
\- Bookmark import and export
\- Favorites bar
\- Favorites editing
\- Drag reordering
\- Browsing history
\- Open history entries
\-
