Away Mode
Away Mode locks your desktop screen when you're physically away, preventing unauthorized access while still allowing remote control from your phone.
Away Mode is supported on Windows (full), macOS (full), and Linux/X11 (partial). Linux/Wayland has limited support — no low-level keyboard grab or idle detection.
What It Does
When engaged, Away Mode:
- Displays a full-screen lock overlay on your desktop
- Blocks all keyboard input (except PIN entry digits)
- Prevents screen capture of the overlay content
- Allows your phone to continue controlling the desktop through the overlay
Setting Up
PIN Configuration
- Open Settings → Away Mode in the desktop app
- Set a PIN (4–12 digits)
- Optionally set an emergency recovery PIN (6–12 digits, different from the main PIN)
Auto-Engage
Configure an idle timeout to automatically engage Away Mode when no keyboard or mouse input is detected:
- Default: 5 minutes
- Configurable in Settings
- The system polls for input activity every 30 seconds
Auto-engage is not available on Linux/Wayland due to missing idle-time APIs.
Engaging Away Mode
You can engage Away Mode in two ways:
- From phone — Send an
away_mode_engagecommand from the mobile app - Auto-engage — Triggers automatically after the configured idle timeout
[SCREENSHOT: Away Mode lock screen]
Unlocking
Three independent unlock methods:
| Method | How |
|---|---|
| Screen PIN | Type your PIN directly on the desktop keyboard (only digits 0–9, Backspace, and Enter are allowed) |
| Phone command | Send away_mode_disengage from the mobile app |
| Emergency PIN | Enter the emergency recovery PIN at the desktop (for when you've lost phone access) |
Phone Control Through Lock Screen
While Away Mode is active, your phone retains full manual control capabilities. Mouse events pass through the overlay to the desktop, allowing you to continue working remotely even while the physical screen is locked.
Security Protections
Away Mode uses multiple protection layers to ensure the lock screen cannot be bypassed:
- On Windows and macOS, the overlay is excluded from screen capture software, preventing remote viewing tools from seeing past the lock. Linux does not currently support capture exclusion.
- A low-level keyboard hook blocks most key combinations (Alt+F4, Alt+Tab, etc.). On macOS, Dock, menu bar, and process switching are also disabled. On Linux/Wayland, the overlay relies on fullscreen focus rather than a keyboard hook.
- The PIN is hashed with bcrypt (cost 10) — not stored in plaintext
- Your phone receives a security alert if the protection is disrupted
Related: Away Mode Security · Desktop App · Device Management