FAQ
Questions
The things people actually ask before installing it.
Does my code go to your servers?
No. There are no PRCHD servers to send it to. Your phone connects directly to your Mac over your own Tailscale network, and your repositories never leave your machines. The only thing that leaves is anonymous crash diagnostics, which never include code or messages.
Do I really need Tailscale?
Yes, and it is the reason the rest of the model works. Tailscale is what lets your phone reach your Mac without exposing a single port to the internet, so there is no tunnel service, no relay, and nothing public to attack. It is free for personal use and takes about three minutes to set up.
Is this a cloud IDE?
No. Nothing runs on our infrastructure. The agent runs on your Mac, in your real repository, with your real environment and your real dependencies. PRCHD is a remote control for that, not a replacement for it.
Which agents does it work with?
Claude Code and Codex, using your existing subscription and sign-in. You pick the backend per workspace, and the model, reasoning effort, and Plan or Work mode per chat.
Does it work with Cursor or Copilot?
Not today. PRCHD drives agent CLIs that can run headlessly on your machine, which is what makes a long detached session possible.
What does it cost?
Nothing. The Mac host and both phone apps are free, with no accounts, subscriptions, ads, or in-app purchases. You bring your own agent subscription, and you pay whoever provides that agent for the tokens it uses.
What happens if my Mac goes to sleep?
While an agent or process is running, PRCHD holds a wake lock so the machine stays up until the work is done. If the Mac does end up asleep or offline, the phone shows it as a calm "asleep" state rather than an error, and reconnects on its own when it wakes.
What if I lose connection mid-run?
Nothing is lost. The session is running on your Mac, not on your phone — the phone is only attached to it. Everything is recorded to an append-only log on the host, so when you reconnect the app replays what it missed and catches up.
Will it notify me when the agent needs me?
Not yet. There are no push notifications today, so you see updates while the app is open. Reopening the app reconciles everything that happened while it was closed.
Can I use more than one Mac?
Yes. Pair as many as you like — a laptop and a desktop, for example — and every project from every paired Mac appears in one list, each with its own status.
What happens if a merge conflicts?
The close is blocked and nothing is deleted. The workspace is preserved and marked as needing a merge, so you can resolve it at your desk with your usual tools. PRCHD deliberately does not attempt conflict resolution on a phone.
Do Intel Macs work?
Not currently. The build is Apple Silicon only. If Intel support matters to you, say so and it can be reconsidered.
Is there an account to create?
No. There is no sign-up, no email, and no profile. Pairing is a one-time QR scan between two devices you already own.
Where do I report a bug?
Email hello@prchd.app. Include what you were doing and which step failed.
Anything missing? Email hello@prchd.app.