Alfred Remote Connection Troubleshooting
Take a look at the troubleshooting steps below if you're having difficulties connecting your Remote to your Mac.
Connecting for the first time
When I click "Add iOS Remote" on my Mac, my Remote still says "Looking for Alfred".
First, ensure that both your Mac and iOS device are on the same network; Find out how to identify which network your devices are connected to.
To rule out issues with Bonjour, restart your Mac and iOS device. Alfred relies on a few technologies on your Mac (e.g. Bonjour). If there are any underlying issues with Bonjour on either your Mac or iOS device, these may be solved by restarting.
I can't see the "Remote" tab in Alfred on my Mac
You need Alfred v2.6 at least on your Mac, which you can download from alfredapp.com. On your iPhone or iPad, ensure you're running the latest version of Remote from the iTunes App Store.
My iPhone/iPad and Mac are on different networks
We recommend connecting your iOS device and Mac to the same network for the best and fastest Remote experience, but if your devices can't be on the same network or a Wi-Fi connection isn't available, you can set up Remote using Bluetooth instead.
My iPhone/iPad doesn't appear in the right sidebar in Alfred's preferences on my Mac
Add this device to authorise the connection. Click "Add iOS Remote" in the bottom right of Alfred's Remote preferences, and follow the steps for "How do I connect Remote to my Mac?", ensuring that your iOS device is on the same network as your Mac.
My Mac's firewall is active. Does this matter?
If your Mac's firewall is active, you may need to restart your Mac so that macOS will allow Alfred to ask if you want to accept incoming connections. You'll need to allow this in order for Remote to be able to connect to your Mac.
I use Little Snitch or another app that restricts network activity
Ensure that you grant Alfred Remote access to your Mac, and allow Alfred on your Mac to connect with the outside. The settings for this will depend on the application you are using.
Reconnecting after a successful first connection
As above, check that both your Mac and iPhone/iPad are on the same network, and reboot them in case Bonjour is unavailable.
You can also launch Alfred's preferences to the Remote tab to uncheck and re-check "Enable Alfred Remote Server", which forces your Mac's Remote Server to restart.
On my iPad/iPhone, the Mac appears offline
Make sure your iPad/iPhone and your Mac are both online, and on the same network.
I see the "Disconnected from server" message
If you're trying to connect and see this error, click cancel on iOS and on your Mac and begin adding an iOS Remote again. This will try to connect again.
If you see the "Unable to validate receipt", delete Remote and re-download it from the iTunes App Store. Your Remote pages won't be lost as they're stored on your Mac.
If you continue to get this error message, please contact Apple as Alfred is unable to validate your purchase receipt from the iTunes App Store.
I see a "Not authorised for server" error on my iOS device
You'll see this error message if your iPad or iPhone is no longer authorised to connect to a particular Mac. Remove the Mac from the list on your iOS device, and re-add it from your Mac.
The icons in Remote are loading slowly on my iPhone/iPad
Alfred Remote relies on your network, so the stronger the Wi-Fi signal to your iPad/iPhone and the faster your network, the quicker your icons will load.
How secure is Alfred Remote?
Alfred securely encrypts your connection so that only devices you've authorised can control your Mac. Only the devices listed in Alfred's Remote preferences are authorised to perform actions on your Mac.
If at any point, you want to de-authorise a Remote, simply go to Alfred's Remote preferences on your Mac and right-click the device you want to remove. Choose Delete and confirm.
I still need help resolving my connection issues
If the guide above hasn't helped you, please take a look at the Connection Troubleshooting Questions we'll need you to answer so that we can help you out. Post your answers on the forum and we'll be happy to help you!
