Headroom vs TailScope

Headroom is a remote desktop for controlling a Mac from your iPad, iPhone, or another Mac. The big idea: nothing to install on the Mac. Turn on macOS's built-in Screen Sharing — that's the whole setup. WHEN YOU WANT IT • Drive the Mac in the next room from the couch • Manage a headless Mac mini — no monitor, no keyboard • Peek at your dev machine or build server from wherever you are • Reach your home Mac from anywhere over a VPN such as Tailscale WHY HEADROOM • Zero install on the Mac Connects straight to macOS's built-in Screen Sharing (VNC). No server app, no agent, no menu-bar daemon. • Finds your Macs automatically Macs on the same Wi-Fi appear instantly via Bonjour. Manual IP connections work too. • Fast, smooth screen Metal rendering plus ZRLE compression — feels real-time on a LAN and stays usable on thin connections. • Touch that makes sense on iPad and iPhone Tap to click, one-finger scroll, long-press to drag and select text, two-finger wheel scrolling, pinch to zoom. • Real mouse behavior on the Mac On a Mac (same app), clicks, drags, and right-clicks pass through 1:1. Option-scroll pans; Command-scroll zooms. • Full keyboard, and your voice Software and hardware keyboards both work. Modifier keys (⌘⌥⌃⇧) tap once for the next keystroke or double-tap to lock — every shortcut is reachable. Tap the mic on the keyboard and what you say is typed straight into the Mac. • Private by design Credentials live only in your device's Keychain, and passwords are encrypted in transit using Apple's standard Screen Sharing authentication. • Made for iPhone Duo Half open like a laptop, your Mac sits on the upper screen and the keyboard on the lower one. Fully open or held like a book, the Mac spans the inner screen; closed, the outer screen works on its own. Nothing is drawn across the fold. CONNECTED IN THREE STEPS 1. On the Mac: System Settings > General > Sharing > turn on Screen Sharing 2. Open Headroom — your Macs appear automatically 3. Sign in with the Mac's username and password. Done. HEADROOM PRO The free version limits connection time. Upgrade to Pro — a one-time purchase, not a subscription: • Unlimited connection time • Every future Pro feature included Buy once, use forever. REQUIREMENTS • Client: iPad / iPhone (iOS 17+, verified on iOS 27 and iPadOS 27), Apple Silicon Mac • Host: any Mac with Screen Sharing enabled (no extra software) • Same network; for internet access we recommend a VPN such as Tailscale — Headroom is built by MusicFlow ("music × engineering") — the tool we made to run our own headless Mac minis, polished into something we use every day.

TailScope is an independently developed Tailnet administration client for securely viewing and managing your network from iPhone and iPad. It connects directly to your Tailnet through the Tailscale Admin API, without a relay service operated by the TailScope developer. TailScope is not affiliated with or endorsed by Tailscale Inc. KEY FEATURES • See Tailnet status, online devices, pending work, routing nodes, and log summaries • Search and filter devices, then inspect addresses, OS versions, key status, DERP, endpoints, latency, tags, and routes • Manage device names, authorization, keys, tags, and routes within the permissions of your credentials • Access Tailnet settings, Services, users, DNS, keys, webhooks, contacts, and logs from one administration center • View and edit HuJSON policies with server validation, access previews, and ETag conflict protection • Use an adaptive, multi-column administration experience designed for iPad SECURITY AND PRIVACY • API tokens and OAuth client secrets stay in the device Keychain • Protect the app with Face ID, Touch ID, or the device passcode, plus a privacy shield in the background • The current version contains no advertising, cross-app tracking, or third-party analytics SDKs • Management requests go directly to the official Tailscale API, and high-impact actions require confirmation TRY IT WITHOUT CREDENTIALS The built-in local demo uses fictional data. It does not connect to a real Tailnet or perform real network changes. The free version includes one saved account, device viewing, individual device actions, core administration, security features, languages, and full iPhone/iPad support. A one-time TailScope Pro Lifetime purchase unlocks unlimited accounts, batch device management, Policy Studio, and operational risk insights. This purchase does not upgrade your Tailscale plan, role, or API scopes. Feature availability still depends on your Tailscale credentials, role, and plan. Connecting to a live Tailnet requires your own valid Tailscale API access token or OAuth client credentials. TailScope is not a VPN client, does not establish a Tailscale tunnel, and does not replace the official Tailscale app.