A little help, when you need it.

Install the apps

Download the signed and notarized Mac DMG from the homepage. Open it, drag AckPulse into Applications, eject the disk image, then open AckPulse from Applications. Do not run it from inside the DMG: Agent integrations need a stable installation path.

The iPhone app is a one-time paid download from the App Store when available. Apple Watch is optional. The iPhone app is not currently offered in the App Store in mainland China or the European Union; availability depends on your App Store region, not the website language.

If macOS says the app is damaged or cannot be verified, download it again from the homepage. If the warning remains, email the exact warning, macOS version and DMG filename to support.

Pair and allow permissions

Keep your iPhone and Mac on the same trusted local network. On Mac, open Devices → Add iPhone and choose Generate Pairing Code. On iPhone, scan the QR code, or enter the address, port and six-digit code shown on the Mac using manual connection. Generate a new code if it expires or is rejected.

Allow Local Network access on iPhone so it can connect to your Mac. Camera access is optional and only needed for scanning; manual pairing works without it. Allow Notifications when prompted after pairing. You can change these permissions in iPhone Settings.

On Mac, add your project under Projects and enable Claude Code or Codex under Integrations. Follow any repair or configuration prompts; review and trust updated Codex Hooks in Codex. Run a task in that project to check reminders. There is no separate test-notification button.

Networks, notifications and approvals

Keep AckPulse running on your Mac. Viewing details and active sessions, and sending approval decisions, requires a reachable Mac on the same trusted local network. Local traffic uses unencrypted HTTP; guest Wi-Fi, device isolation, VPN routing and firewalls can prevent connections even when both devices show the same Wi-Fi name.

Generic alerts use Apple push and need internet access. The iPhone app can receive them in the background or while locked. Where alerts appear depends on device state, Focus and notification settings; iPhone and Apple Watch are not guaranteed to alert together. An alert can arrive when local details and approval actions are unavailable. Delivery may be delayed or fail.

Read the request before choosing Allow once or Deny. A submitted decision is not proof that the Agent completed the action. Check the result in the Agent and on your Mac. Conversations, question replies and unsupported actions remain in the Agent on Mac.

Recover a connection

If you cannot connect, check that AckPulse is running on the Mac, Local Network access is allowed, and the address and actual port match the Mac’s current pairing information. Check guest-network isolation, VPN routing and firewall settings, then reconnect from the iPhone. Do not delete your history to troubleshoot a temporary network failure.

If details work but alerts do not, check iPhone notification and Focus settings, internet access, and the iPhone’s push-registration status under Devices on Mac. Open AckPulse on iPhone and reconnect to refresh registration. If the problem remains, send reviewed diagnostics to support.

If a pairing was removed on Mac, generate a new code and pair again. When changing Macs, remove the old pairing while the old Mac is reachable. Forget Previous Mac and Continue clears the iPhone’s local pairing only; remove that iPhone under Devices on the old Mac when possible, or residual generic notifications may continue.

Update manually

AckPulse for Mac currently has no automatic updater. Use the homepage for the recommended version. If iPhone says AckPulse on your Mac is out of date, tap Download AckPulse for Mac to open the homepage and download the recommended Mac DMG. If it asks you to update AckPulse on iPhone, update it from the App Store.

Finish outstanding approvals, then choose Quit AckPulse on Mac; closing the window is not enough. Open the new DMG, replace AckPulse in Applications, eject the image and reopen the installed app. Replacing the app does not intentionally remove pairing, projects, preferences or history. Follow any integration repair prompts if an Agent still points to another copy of AckPulse. On iPhone, choose Check again after updating.

The 1.x apps support mixed 1.x versions, with newer features limited by the older app. If AckPulse reports incompatible versions, update the app on the device it names. Re-pairing or clearing data cannot fix a version mismatch.

Known limitations

• Alerts and local connections are best effort. If an approval expires, is handled elsewhere or has an uncertain result, return to the Agent on your Mac to check it.
• Active session status can lag after an Agent exits or is interrupted. A session remaining in the list does not prove it is still running.
• AckPulse provides status, reminders and supported permission approvals. It does not provide remote chat or complete remote control of your Mac.
• Mac and iPhone are required. Apple Watch depends on its connection to iPhone and the Mac’s local reachability for details and approvals.