Documentation
Everything you need to get started with Cynkli. Learn how to control your desktop IDE from your phone using voice, text, and AI.
Getting Started
What is Cynkli?
Cynkli turns your phone into a remote control for your desktop development environment. Send voice or text commands from anywhere - they execute on your desktop through AI coding assistants or VS Code directly.
Mobile App
Speak or type commands, select your AI provider, browse screenshots, and control your desktop - all from your phone.
Desktop App
A lightweight tray application that receives commands from your phone and forwards them to VS Code. Handles screenshots and live view.
VS Code Extension
Executes commands inside your editor - opens files, runs terminal commands, and routes prompts to AI providers like Claude Code and Copilot.
Getting Started
How It Works
Cynkli connects your phone and desktop through a secure real-time link. Here's the path a command takes from your voice to your code.
Mobile App
Voice or text input
Cynkli Cloud
Secure relay
Desktop App
Receives & routes
VS Code
Executes command
Results travel back the same path in real time - you see the output on your phone within seconds.
Getting Started
Quick Start
Get up and running in under 5 minutes. All you need is your phone and a desktop with VS Code.
Install the Desktop App
Download and install the Cynkli desktop app for Windows or macOS. It runs quietly in your system tray.
Install the VS Code Extension
The desktop app automatically installs the Cynkli VS Code extension. You can also install it manually from the Extensions marketplace.
Download the Mobile App
Get Cynkli on your iOS or Android device. Create an account with your email and password.
Pair Your Devices
The desktop app displays a QR code. Open the Pair Desktoptab on your phone and scan it. That's it - your devices are now linked.
Send Your First Command
Open the Chat tab, choose a provider (e.g. Claude Code), and speak or type a command like "Create a hello world Express server". Watch it execute on your desktop.
Components
Mobile App
The Cynkli mobile app is your command center. Available for iOS and Android.
Voice Tab
The main screen. Tap the microphone to dictate a command, or switch to the keyboard to type. Select your preferred AI provider before sending.
Sessions
Browse your command history organized by session. Each session shows every command you sent, its status, and the result returned by your desktop.
Gallery
View, manage, and delete screenshots captured from your desktop. Attach screenshots to commands to give AI providers visual context.
Live View
Stream your desktop screen to your phone in real time. Tap to click, type on the on-screen keyboard, and scroll - full remote control.
Pair Desktop
Scan the QR code displayed by the desktop app to securely link your phone and computer. Pairing is instant and persists across restarts.
Settings
Manage your profile, view connected devices, change your password, or delete your account. All your data is under your control.
Components
Desktop App
A lightweight tray application that bridges your phone and VS Code. Runs silently in the background.
System Tray
The desktop app lives in your system tray. A green icon means connected, red means disconnected. Double-click to open the window. Right-click for options like Re-pair and Quit.
Automatic Reconnection
If the connection drops, the desktop app automatically reconnects. Your saved credentials persist in your local device so you never need to re-pair unless you explicitly remove the device.
Supported Platforms
Components
VS Code Extension
The extension receives commands from the desktop app and executes them inside your editor.
Status Bar
Look for the Cynkli indicator in your VS Code status bar. It shows whether the extension is connected to the desktop app. If it says offline, make sure the desktop app is running.
Output Channels
AI responses appear in dedicated output channels: Cynkli - Claude, Cynkli - Copilot, and Cynkli - Codex. These open automatically when a result comes back.
Auto-Install
The desktop app automatically installs the VS Code extension on first launch. No manual setup needed.
Features
Voice Commands
Speak naturally into your phone. Cynkli transcribes your voice on-device and sends the text to your desktop.
On-device transcription
Your voice is converted to text on your phone using the operating system's built-in speech recognition. No audio is sent to our servers.
Text input
Prefer typing? Switch to the keyboard at any time. Both voice and text input work the same way.
Screenshot context
Attach a desktop screenshot to your command. The AI provider can see your screen and respond with more relevant code.
Features
AI Providers
Choose the AI that writes your code. Cynkli routes your commands to the provider you select - all execution happens locally on your desktop.
Claude Code
by Anthropic
Runs Claude Code CLI on your machine. Ideal for complex, multi-file tasks - it can read your project, edit files, and run commands autonomously.
GitHub Copilot
by GitHub
Sends your prompts to Copilot for quick completions and suggestions. Requires the GitHub Copilot extension to be installed and signed in.
OpenAI Codex
by OpenAI
Sends your prompts to OpenAI Codex for code generation. Falls back to available models if Codex isn't configured.
VS Code Built-in
No AI required
Execute editor commands directly - open files, go to a line, run terminal commands, insert text, and more. No AI subscription needed.
All AI processing happens locally on your desktop. Cynkli routes your commands to the provider - your code never passes through our servers.
Features
Live View & Remote Control
See your desktop screen on your phone in real time and interact with it remotely.
Real-time Streaming
Your desktop screen is captured and streamed to your phone in real time. Configurable quality and frame rate for the best balance of speed and clarity.
Remote Input
Tap anywhere on the live view to click. Use the on-screen keyboard to type. Scroll, right-click, and send special keys - all from your phone.
Features
Screenshots
Capture your desktop screen and use screenshots as context when sending AI commands.
Request a Screenshot
Tap the camera icon on the Voice tab or in the Gallery.
Desktop Captures
The desktop app captures your primary screen and uploads the image.
View & Attach
The screenshot appears in your Gallery. Attach it to any command so the AI can see what's on your screen.
Reference
Built-in Commands
When using the "VS Code Built-in" provider, these voice patterns are recognized automatically.
| Say this | What happens |
|---|---|
"What file is open?" | Returns the active file name, path, language, and line number |
"Get selected text" | Returns the currently highlighted text in the editor |
"Open index.ts" | Searches your workspace and opens the matching file |
"Go to line 42" | Moves the cursor to line 42 in the active editor |
"Insert hello world" | Inserts the text at the current cursor position |
"Run npm test" | Opens a terminal and runs the command |
Reference
Device Pairing
Pairing links your phone to your desktop securely using a QR code. No passwords are shared between devices.
Desktop generates a QR code
When you first open the desktop app (or click Re-pair), it requests a temporary pairing code from the server and displays it as a QR code.
Mobile scans the QR code
Open the Pair Desktop tab and point your camera at the QR code. The app reads the code and confirms the pairing.
Devices are linked
The desktop receives an authentication token and your devices are now connected. This persists across app restarts - you only need to pair once.
Re-pairing: If you need to connect a different desktop, remove the old device from Settings on your phone, then scan the new QR code.
Reference
Security & Privacy
Your code stays on your machine. Here's how we keep everything secure.
Local Execution
All AI commands run on your desktop. Your source code is never sent to Cynkli servers. We only relay the command text between your devices.
Encrypted Communication
All connections use secure token-based authentication. Passwords are hashed using industry-standard algorithms. Pairing codes expire after 10 minutes.
Voice Privacy
Voice is transcribed on your phone using the OS speech recognition engine. We never receive or store audio recordings - only the resulting text.
Live View
Screen frames are relayed in real time and not stored. Be mindful of sensitive content visible on your screen during Live View sessions.
Reference
System Requirements
What you need to run Cynkli.
Mobile
- •iOS 15+ or Android 10+
- •Camera (for QR code pairing)
- •Microphone (optional, for voice commands)
- •Internet connection
Desktop
- •Windows 10+ or macOS 12+
- •VS Code 1.95 or later
- •Internet connection
- •AI provider extensions (Copilot, Claude Code) - optional
Need Help?
Can't find what you're looking for? Reach out to our team and we'll get back to you.
Contact Support