BLASTPAD
Turn iPad & iPhone into a dedicated
Mac Control Surface.
Elevate your iPad and iPhone into the ultimate dedicated Mac control surface. Supports simultaneous multi-device deployment via hybrid USB wired & P2P wireless connection. Consolidate shortcuts, turbo-burst macros, high-precision trackpad, live system monitoring, and instant workspace recall right at your fingertips.
Built for High-Stakes Live Operations.
Master Lighting Cues, Video Blackouts, and Set Timers at Your Fingertips
Engineered for live house lighting operators and solo booth managers facing intense multitasking. Trigger BGM and sound cues via DAW, execute instant blackout (B/O) for Keynote or ArKaos video projections, and manage venue announcements all from one iPad right beside your lighting console.
Placing BLAST Timer in your primary line of sight keeps setlist runtimes visible down to the millisecond with zero room for failure.
-
Lighting Cues & Instant Video Blackout (B/O): Fire Keynote / media server slides and instant projection blackout seamlessly.
-
DAW / BGM & Sound FX Playback: Trigger walk-in tracks, intermission announcements, and sound cues blind.
-
Dedicated BLAST Timer Mount: Keep a dedicated stage clock beside your faders to track live sets in real time.
Unified Instant Controls for Streaming & Gaming.
One-Tap OBS & Audio Control
Transform your iPad or iPhone into an intuitive broadcast controller during intense gameplay or live broadcasts. Control OBS scene transitions, toggle mic mute, balance game audio and background music, and manage Discord calls with millisecond response.
-
Direct OBS Studio Macros: Start/stop stream, switch scenes, and trigger overlays blindly.
-
One-Tap Mic & BGM Mute: Instantly silence inputs via dedicated dials or buttons during interruptions.
-
Discord / VC Integration: Mute voice chat and send preset callouts without switching active windows.
Robust Connectivity for Every Professional Workspace
From desk-anchored wired stability to cord-free wireless freedom. Flexible architecture built for demanding creators.
USB Wired & Direct Wireless
Ultra-low latency USB wired connection paired with Apple MultipeerConnectivity for Wi-Fi and peer-to-peer direct wireless. Ensures solid, jitter-free session persistence in any environment.
Mac Menu Bar Resident
Silent daemon residing in your macOS menu bar with automatic launch at login. Keeps your workspace pristine without cluttering the Dock, ready to handshake immediately whenever your Remote wakes.
100% Offline P2P Protocol
Complete freedom from external cloud relays and tracking servers. Keystrokes, macros, and clip data are encrypted and confined strictly within your local connection. Ideal for high-security commercial studios.
Multi-Remote Device Ecosystem
Connect multiple iPads and iPhones simultaneously. Because all configuration data resides safely on your Mac, swapping, reinstalling, or adding new remote devices takes just a few quick steps.
* Wireless performance may vary by environment. USB wired connection is strongly recommended for pro setups.
Real-World Capabilities for Professional Production
Uncompromising responsiveness and high contrast. Transform your iPad and iPhone into powerful extension surfaces for your Mac.
Intuitive 30-PAD Grid for Consolidated Shortcuts
30 dedicated dynamic PADs per screen. Consolidate complex shortcuts and tool switching for video editing, audio/DAW production, and design. High-contrast display ensures seamless blind-touch operation in darkened studios or live stages.
-
150 PAD Bank Switching: 30 PADs × 5 Banks provide instant access to 150 shortcut actions per profile.
-
Smart Icon Suggestions: Automatically identifies registered web URLs, apps, or images to recommend optimal icons.
-
Versatile Image Import: Load custom backgrounds directly from files, paste from clipboard, or capture any on-screen area.
-
Full Appearance Customization: Individually customize background color, border line, and font color for every single PAD.
Control Without Reaching for a Mouse:
Wide Remote Trackpad
Seamlessly utilize iPad's wide touch surface as a precision Mac trackpad. Place it right beside your keyboard for effortless pointer travel, tap clicks, and smooth scrolling with minimal hand movement.
-
7 Dynamic Scale Modes: Expand from 2×2, 3×3, 4×3, 4×4, 5×4, 6×4 to Full Screen on the fly.
-
macOS 3-Finger Gestures: Complete support for Mission Control, App Exposé, and Spaces switching.
-
Pointer Acceleration & Scroll Control: Fully customize speed curve and scroll orientation in the Mac editor.
Instant One-Tap Triggers for
Video Editing & Automations
Instantly trigger DaVinci Resolve actions, terminal commands, build scripts, debugging steps, and system utilities. Compliant with macOS accessibility APIs, operating securely in a strictly local offline environment.
-
One-Tap Complex Macros: Trigger compound keystrokes, modifier combos, and automated script flows.
-
Zero-Cloud Maximum Security: Strict local P2P ensures zero outbound transmission of code or project URLs.
-
Studio-Grade Fail-Safe: Rock-solid resilience against accidental disconnects or sleeping displays.
Restore Messy Windows in One Tap.
Instant Workspace Recall
Snapshot the exact positions, sizes, and z-index layers of all active windows across your Mac with a single touch. Tap your handheld PAD to instantly snap your workspace back into place while automatically hiding distracting background apps.
-
One-Tap Capture & Recall: Instant snapshot and restoration of multi-window positions, sizes, and layers.
-
Native Diff Auto-Hide: Automatically hides unrelated messaging, chat, or social apps out of sight.
-
Folder Paths & Browser URLs: Preserves active Finder folder paths and browser tabs securely.
-
Deep OS Integration: Surpasses physical gear with zero third-party utilities or manual coordinate configuration.
Live Mac Status Monitoring at Your Fingertips:
14 Comprehensive Gauges & Timers
Real-time display of Mac internal resources across 14 dedicated gauges: CPU load, GPU, memory, SSD volume, stereo VU meter, clocks, and dual timers. Unlike dedicated physical macro controllers where placing a clock or CPU gauge consumes a valuable physical macro button, BLASTPad's spacious 30-PAD grid lets macro keys and system monitors coexist effortlessly.
-
CPU / GPU / Memory Load: Monitor rendering workloads, build progress, and memory pressure at a glance.
-
Storage & SSD Capacity: Real-time volume gauge for internal SSD and external production drives.
-
System Volume & Stereo VU Meter: High-precision audio peak and L/R balance visualization.
-
Clock & Dual Production Timers: Digital / analog clocks, alongside a count-up timer and kitchen timer built-in.
CPU
CORES
GPU
MEMORY
DISK
CLOCK
WI-FI
BATTERY
CLOCK
DISK
VU MONO
VU STEREO
TIMER
KITCHEN TIMER
VOLUME
Extensive Design Themes Tailored to Your Workspace
Each monitor gauge offers multiple design themes to match your studio ambiance. Seamlessly choose from vintage hardware gauges, cyber HUDs, to clean minimalist dials.
iPad & iPhone:
Turn Your Devices into Pro Gear
100% feature parity across iPad and iPhone. From complex macros, turbo repeat, volume dials to real-time CPU/memory monitoring. Deploy iPad as your wide stationary console, or iPhone as a pocket-sized controller in tight spaces.
-
iPad's Expansive Grid: 30 PADs × 5 Banks on a spacious canvas with adjustable precision trackpad.
-
iPhone Pocket Ergonomics: 15 PADs (3×5 / 5×3 landscape) with L/R split touch areas for effortless one-hand control.
-
Instant Trackpad Expansion: Long-press on iPhone transforms the entire screen into an instant precision Magic Trackpad.
-
Repurpose Spare Apple Devices: Give your previous iPad or iPhone a permanent, high-value life as a dedicated studio desk controller.
Comprehensive Hardware & App Comparison
Leverage existing iPad and iPhone devices to achieve zero upfront equipment cost and unrivaled versatility.
| Feature / Category | BLASTPad (iPad / iPhone + Mac) | Dedicated Hardware (Physical Macro Keypads) |
Standard Virtual Apps (Mobile controller apps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tactile Response & Feel |
Touch & Haptic Feedback Optimized for massive visual telemetry & flexible layouts |
Physical Key Click Superior for blind muscle-memory tapping & rapid fire |
Touch Only Constrained by small phone screens |
| Hardware Cost |
Free Download ($0) Uses your existing iPad or daily iPhone *Full unlock is just $4.99 one-time lifetime license (No subscriptions) |
Expensive $150 - $300+ for proprietary physical devices |
Freemium Feature locks or recurring subscriptions |
| Mac Resource Monitoring (CPU/GPU/RAM/SSD/VU/Clocks/Timers) |
Fully Integrated (14 Stats) Realtime hardware telemetry without sacrificing macro keys |
Consumes 1 Key Possible via plugins, but sacrifices valuable physical keys |
Limited / None Primarily designed for basic shortcut triggers |
| Instant Workspace Recall (Window positions, Z-index, Folders, URLs) |
Fully Integrated One-tap snapshot & instant recall of all windows, folder paths, and URLs with automatic diff-hide |
Not Supported Natively Requires paid third-party apps and manual coordinate inputs |
Not Supported Shortcut triggers only; cannot manipulate Mac windows |
| Trackpad Functionality | Full Support Pointing, tapping, macOS 3-finger gestures & dynamic resize |
Not Supported (Physical push-buttons only) |
Not Supported (Button tapping only) |
| Grid Adaptability | Dynamic & Scalable 30-PAD / 15-PAD, split touch zones, full-screen expand |
Fixed (Physical buttons cannot change layout or count) |
Fixed Layout (No dynamic trackpad expansion) |
| Connection Reliability | Hybrid System Ultra-low latency USB wired & Wi-Fi / P2P direct local offline |
Tethered USB cable only | Wi-Fi dependent |
| Daily Device Synergy | Supported Transform your daily iPhone in pocket into an instant macro deck |
N/A (Requires dedicated hardware purchase) |
Restricted by heavy OS overhead or app incompatibility |
Already using a physical macro keypad? Enhance it with iPhone / iPad dual expansion.
No need to buy expensive oversized models. Keep rapid-fire actions on your tactile hardware, and offload clocks, CPU telemetry, VU meters, volume dials, precision trackpad, and workspace snapshots to your daily iPhone or iPad beside it. Maximize your desktop cockpit without wasting physical keys on passive monitors.
Get Started with BLASTPad
Download the Mac Host app, launch BLASTPad Remote on your iPad or iPhone, and your professional surface is ready to perform.
Extract & Install
Download and extract BlastPadMac.zip, drag into Applications and launch. It resides silently in your menu bar.
Launch Remote on iPad / iPhone
Open BLASTPad Remote on your device. Connect via USB wired cable, or local Wi-Fi / P2P direct wireless.
Assign & Dominate
Assign your favorite shortcuts and system actions in the Mac host editor. Changes sync instantaneously to your devices.
Frequently Asked Questions & Connection Guide
Quick resolution steps for connection setup and answers to common operational questions.
If the handshake does not establish immediately, verify the following 5 checkpoints in order:
- Try USB Wired Connection (Highest Stability / Recommended): Connect directly via a certified USB data cable and tap "Trust This Computer" on your iOS device.
- Verify Local Network Permissions: On iOS, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network and ensure
BLASTPadtoggle is ON. - Confirm Shared Wi-Fi Subnet: When using Wi-Fi, verify that Mac and iOS devices are connected to the identical router network (5GHz band recommended).
- Check macOS Firewall Settings: In macOS System Settings > Network > Firewall, ensure incoming connections for
BlastPadMacare permitted. - Confirm Mac Menu Daemon: Verify that the BLASTPad icon is visible in your top macOS menu bar. If absent, launch
BlastPadMac.app.
Yes, seamless switching is supported. In fixed desk setups or live stages, a USB wired cable delivers zero latency and continuous device charging. For relaxed couch or studio mixing, Wi-Fi / P2P direct wireless provides cable-free freedom.
Yes, BLASTPad is ideal for giving spare hardware a permanent role. Supported on iPadOS 17.0+ and iOS 17.0+, you can turn replaced or backup devices into dedicated, permanent physical consoles for your Mac.
Completely unnecessary. BLASTPad operates under a strict "Zero-Cloud Local P2P" architecture. There are no account logins, cloud telemetry, or subscriptions. It functions flawlessly in air-gapped studio booths and offline locations.
This is an intentional protection design to preserve peripheral stability. When waking from sleep, macOS synchronizes essential peripherals like Bluetooth keyboards and mice first. BLASTPad introduces a safe 3.0-second delay before initiating staged automatic reconnection. Even with multiple (2 to 3) iPads and iPhones connected simultaneously, all devices recover cleanly without radio interference or dropped packets.
This is a macOS security policy. Please re-sync Accessibility permissions. When an application binary is updated or replaced, macOS may internally suspend existing accessibility privileges. Open "System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility", remove BLASTPad from the list using the "-" button (or toggle OFF and back ON), then restart Mac or relaunch the application.
📖 Documentation & Setup Guide
Comprehensive step-by-step guides for custom key mapping, macro construction, and knob sensitivity calibration.
Technical Specifications & Capabilities
Complete architectural overview of BLASTPad Host and Remote modules.
- iPad Layout: 30 PADs (6 columns × 5 rows) with 5 cycling banks for 150 immediate macro assignments.
- iPhone Layout: 15 PADs (3×5 portrait / 5×3 landscape) with dedicated L/R split touch boundaries.
- Key Features: Instant macro trigger, continuous turbo repeat, system soundboard, app switching.
- Dynamic Scaling: 2×2, 3×3, 4×3, 4×4, 5×4, 6×4, and Full Screen mode.
- macOS Gesture Engine: 1-finger tap/drag, 2-finger scroll, 3-finger Mission Control and Spaces switching.
- Sensitivity Control: Granular pointer speed, acceleration curves, and natural scroll toggles.
- Resource Gauges: Realtime Mac CPU load percentage, GPU activity, and system RAM usage.
- Audio & Drive Monitoring: Stereo output VU meters, system volume dial, and free SSD capacity.
- Clocks & Timers: Dual analog/digital clocks, count-up timer, and kitchen timer.
- Mac Host OS: macOS 14.6 Sonoma or later (Universal binary: Apple Silicon M1-M4 & Intel Mac). Version 1.0.0 (Build 5), footprint ~3.5MB.
- Remote OS: iPadOS 17.0+ (iPad) and iOS 17.0+ (iPhone).
- Transport Protocols: USB Wired data connection (recommended), Apple MultipeerConnectivity local Wi-Fi & P2P direct wireless. Sleep radio auto-shutdown & Bluetooth stack protection (3.0s safe reconnect).
- One-Tap Capture: Snapshots multi-window coordinates, dimensions, and Z-index layering in a single touch.
- Native Diff Auto-Hide: Automatically hides unrelated messaging, chat, or browser windows out of sight.
- Path & URL Restoration: Restores open Finder directory paths, active browser URLs, and auto-launches unopened apps.