# Setting up your spare Mac for Claude Code to control, a step-by-step guide

> Source: <https://ykdojo.github.io/claude-controls-mac/>
> Published: 2026-07-18 16:12:08+00:00

Here’s a full step-by-step guide on how to turn your spare Mac into an always-on machine Claude Code can fully control, with computer use enabled. You’ll be able to talk to it from your phone through the Claude app, or from your main Mac over SSH.

I wanted to create a separate environment Claude Code can control on its own, so I can delegate tasks I don’t necessarily want to run on my own machine - certain types of research tasks, and development tasks.

Claude Code, especially with the `--dangerously-skip-permissions`

flag on,
carries inherent risk when run on your main machine. You can eliminate / mitigate these
risks by creating a separate environment on your spare Mac with everything it needs
to have access to.

It has an added bonus of being able to talk to Claude Code anytime, anywhere from your phone. I’ve personally found it really useful because I often prefer to talk to Claude Code instead of regular Claude on the mobile app - Claude Code is often more capable.

The following guide assumes you have your main Mac as well as a spare Mac you can set up for this, but you should be able to take inspiration from it and apply it to any combination of two machines.

First, let’s quickly address a few questions you might have.

I’m a big proponent of running it in a container - I even built
[an entire environment for doing so conveniently](https://github.com/ykdojo/safeclaw).
However, I’ve found it has a few limitations.
First, it still runs on your main machine, so it’s not completely separated. For
example, network requests it sends still go through your main machine.

Second, there are limitations to the container’s capabilities. For example, I wanted my agent to be able to run Unity for game development, and there’s no easy way to do that in a container. The same goes for any other app that’s only available on a Mac - you won’t have access to it. That’s especially relevant if you want Claude Code to control these apps through computer use - clicking, dragging, and so on.

I personally like having access to the full, latest features of Claude Code. I also like being able to control it from the Claude app - I’ve found it really convenient. And you get to use your Claude subscription usage if you happen to have one, which is an added bonus.

At the end of the day, running an agent with broad permissions is safer on a machine that has nothing to lose - but you get the benefit of being able to use a full Mac instead of a container. The approach here:

You’ll be giving the agent full access to this machine, so it can reach anything stored on it. If there’s existing data you don’t want it to have access to, erase the machine first:

Optionally update to the latest macOS afterward (System Settings -> General -> Software Update).

The account needs admin rights or `sudo`

will refuse to run.

`sudo dseditgroup -o edit -a <user> -t user admin`

On the **target**, turn on SSH so the source Mac can connect:

```
sudo systemsetup -setremotelogin on
```

If the command fails with ```
Turning Remote Login on or off requires Full Disk Access
privileges
```

, give your terminal app Full Disk Access first:

This is so the agent (and your SSH commands) can run admin tasks without a password prompt each time. Run this once on the target. It asks for the login password this one time:

```
echo "<user> ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL" | sudo tee /etc/sudoers.d/<user>-nopasswd >/dev/null
sudo chmod 440 /etc/sudoers.d/<user>-nopasswd
sudo visudo -cf /etc/sudoers.d/<user>-nopasswd   # validate - must print 'parsed OK'
```

This creates a small rule file telling the Mac that `<user>`

can run `sudo`

without a
password prompt:

`/etc/sudoers.d/`

.`sudo`

entirely, so it must print `parsed OK`

.After this, `sudo`

runs with no prompt - test with `sudo -n true`

, which succeeds
silently if passwordless sudo works.

You can reach the target by either a hostname or an IP. I recommend using the hostname: it stays the same, while the IP can change.

**Hostname (recommended).** Run on the target:

```
scutil --get LocalHostName      # prints the hostname, e.g. MacBook-Pro
```

Add `.local`

to form the address: `<target-host>.local`

. You can also read it from
System Settings -> General -> Sharing, shown as `Local hostname`

.

Give the target a unique name.Each Mac needs a`.local`

name that’s unique on your network. If two machines share a name, the address can point to the wrong Mac. Make sure the target’s name is unique - rename it if needed:

``` php
sudo scutil --set LocalHostName newmacbook   # -> newmacbook.local
```

**IP address (not recommended).** Run on the target:

```
ipconfig getifaddr en0          # e.g. 192.168.1.80
```

Note that the IP can change after a reboot or after a certain amount of time.

Throughout the rest of this guide, replace `<user>`

with the target account name and
`<target-host>`

with the hostname from above, so the address is
`<user>@<target-host>.local`

. You could also instead use an IP in place of
`<target-host>.local`

.

On the source Mac, create an SSH key (skip if you already have one):

```
ssh-keygen -t ed25519
```

Install your public key on the target. This asks for the target account’s login password once:

```
ssh-copy-id <user>@<target-host>.local
```

Test it - this should print the target username with no password prompt:

```
ssh <user>@<target-host>.local whoami
```

By default macOS sleeps after ~10 minutes idle, even when plugged in, which takes it off the network. To make it never sleep, run this on the target (or over SSH from the source):

```
sudo pmset -c sleep 0          # never system-sleep while plugged in (-c = on charger)
sudo pmset -c disablesleep 1   # also prevents sleep with the lid closed (clamshell)
sudo pmset -c displaysleep 0   # keep the display on too
```

Verify:

```
pmset -g | grep -iE 'sleep'
```

`sleep 0`

, `SleepDisabled 1`

, and `displaysleep 0`

in the output confirm it worked.

If the machine runs on battery sometimes, use `-a`

instead of `-c`

to apply to all
power sources (at the cost of battery drain).

The screen can still lock when the screen saver kicks in. Stop the screen saver from ever starting so it never locks on its own:

```
defaults -currentHost write com.apple.screensaver idleTime 0
```

macOS ships `pbcopy`

(write clipboard) and `pbpaste`

(read clipboard). Piped over SSH,
they can move the clipboard between machines - encrypted, peer-to-peer, no Apple ID or
third-party service.

[ clip.sh](/claude-controls-mac/clip.sh) wraps this into one command with two subcommands, and adds image
support on top of

`pbcopy`

/`pbpaste`

(which are text-only). Install it as a script on your PATH
on the source Mac, and point it at the target host with `IC_BOX`

(“ic” standing for
“isolated claude”):

```
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ykdojo/claude-controls-mac/main/clip.sh -o ~/.local/bin/clip
chmod +x ~/.local/bin/clip
export IC_BOX="<user>@<target-host>.local"   # add to ~/.zshrc
```

Usage:

`clip send`

`clip get`

Send the install command over and run it. From the source Mac you can push it straight
to the target’s clipboard, or run it remotely. The following command installs a
specific version, but you can also install `latest`

or `stable`

if you’d like:

```
ssh <user>@<target-host>.local 'curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- 2.1.201'
```

The native installer may warn that `~/.local/bin`

is not on PATH. Fix it on the target by
adding it to `~/.zshenv`

(not `~/.zshrc`

) - `.zshenv`

is read by *every* zsh, including
non-interactive ones:

```
ssh <user>@<target-host>.local 'echo '\''export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"'\'' >> ~/.zshenv'
```

This optional step applies a set of opinionated defaults via
[ setup-claude-env.sh](/claude-controls-mac/setup-claude-env.sh) - shell aliases, the DX
plugin,

`settings.json`

tweaks, the GitHub CLI, and (opt-in) Playwright MCP and
yt-dlp. Every item is toggleable; see the full list in
`claude-env-components.md`

**Interactively on the target** - shows a checklist of every item (core
pre-checked, opt-ins unchecked) so you can pick any combination. Download the
script onto the target and run it:

```
ssh -t <user>@<target-host>.local \
  'curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ykdojo/claude-controls-mac/main/setup-claude-env.sh -o setup-claude-env.sh && bash setup-claude-env.sh'
```

**Non-interactively** - the script goes into this mode if it detects a
non-interactive environment or you supply at least one flag. No prompt; installs
core only by default, or pick what you want with flags (`--yt-dlp`

, `--playwright`

,
`--all`

, `--core`

):

```
ssh <user>@<target-host>.local \
  'curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ykdojo/claude-controls-mac/main/setup-claude-env.sh -o setup-claude-env.sh && bash setup-claude-env.sh --all'
```

The script is idempotent (OK to re-run).

Both logins are interactive, so SSH in:

```
ssh <user>@<target-host>.local
```

Then run `claude`

on the target - it drops into the login for your Anthropic
account. Follow the prompts (a browser/device-code flow you can finish from a browser
on your main Mac).

GitHub - optional, but highly recommended so the agent can work with repos:

```
gh auth login
```

If you haven’t installed the GitHub CLI from
[the previous step](#9-set-up-an-opinionated-claude-code-friendly-environment-optional),
make sure to do so first.

I personally recommend using a separate GitHub account, not your main one, so it doesn’t mess up your main account.

This lets an interactive `claude`

session on the target see (screenshots) and control
(mouse/keyboard) its own desktop, driven over SSH.

This doesn’t work out of the box - SSH and macOS’s permission model get in the way, so the setup below exists to route around that.

**Why it needs a workaround:** macOS gates screen capture and input behind Screen Recording
and Accessibility permissions that are tied to the GUI login session, so an SSH
process can’t reach the display. Fix: a LaunchAgent keeps a `tmux`

server alive *inside* the
GUI session on a fixed socket; every `claude`

session created there lands on that
server and inherits the GUI session, so it can reach the display. You attach over SSH.

Run [ setup-computer-use.sh](/claude-controls-mac/setup-computer-use.sh) on the target:

```
ssh -t <user>@<target-host>.local \
  'curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ykdojo/claude-controls-mac/main/setup-computer-use.sh -o setup-computer-use.sh && bash setup-computer-use.sh'
```

This installs the LaunchAgent (persistent `tmux`

server with anchor session `cc`

) and enables the
built-in `computer-use`

tool in `~/.claude.json`

. Requires tmux (`brew install tmux`

) and a
Claude Pro or Max plan. Re-runnable; `--uninstall`

to remove.

Install [ ic.sh](/claude-controls-mac/ic.sh) (

`ic`

= “isolated claude”) on the source Mac:

```
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ykdojo/claude-controls-mac/main/ic.sh -o ~/.local/bin/ic
chmod +x ~/.local/bin/ic
echo 'export IC_BOX="<user>@<target-host>.local"' >> ~/.zshrc   # or edit the default in the script
```

Each `ic`

spawns its own `claude`

session on the box (run several at once) and attaches.
Flags mirror `claude`

, and it adds several more subcommands:

```
ic               # new claude session
ic -c            # continue the most recent conversation (forwards to: claude -c)
ic -r            # resume picker (forwards to: claude -r)
ic --chrome      # with Claude in Chrome (forwards to: claude --chrome)
ic sh            # a plain shell on the box, no claude (alias: ic shell)
ic rc            # Remote Control: drive the box from your phone (claude remote-control)
ic history       # stored conversations: count, location, recent w/ previews (alias: hist)
ic ls            # list live sessions (state, age, what's running, conversation)
ic attach <id>   # attach a running session (alias: ic a)
ic kill <id>     # kill a session (alias: ic k); "ic kill all" kills all
ic -h            # help
```

All `ic`

sessions run with `--dangerously-skip-permissions`

(and `ic rc`

uses
`--permission-mode bypassPermissions`

).

**Copying text out:** sessions run in tmux, and Terminal.app can’t receive the clipboard escape
sequences (OSC52) that claude emits, so mouse-selecting a snippet won’t reliably reach your Mac
clipboard. Quick workaround: **Cmd-A then Cmd-C** copies the whole visible screen.

Because every `ic`

session lives on the box’s tmux server at a fixed socket, a Claude Code
session on your source Mac can prompt one directly over SSH - useful for delegating work
to the box and checking on it, agent to agent:

```
# find the session (ic ls prints the ids)
ic ls

# type a prompt into it, then confirm with a second Enter - with longer prompts,
# an Enter sent in the same burst as the text doesn't register as submit and the
# prompt sits in the input box (short prompts usually submit fine)
ssh <user>@<target-host>.local "tmux -S /tmp/cc-tmux.sock send-keys -t <session> 'Switch to main and pull; PR #4 is merged.' Enter"
sleep 2
ssh <user>@<target-host>.local "tmux -S /tmp/cc-tmux.sock send-keys -t <session> Enter"

# read the reply (re-run / poll until the spinner is gone)
ssh <user>@<target-host>.local "tmux -S /tmp/cc-tmux.sock capture-pane -t <session> -p" | tail -30
```

Screen Recording and Accessibility can only be granted in the GUI, and a human has to do it at
the machine (in person or via Screen Sharing) - macOS blocks synthetic clicks on these prompts.
On first capture you’ll also **Allow** a *“bypass the window picker”* prompt (recurs ~monthly).

**The grants go on tmux, not claude.** macOS attributes
capture/control to the

`tmux`

server
(claude runs as its child). So:`tmux`

(`/usr/local/bin/tmux`

, or `/opt/homebrew/bin/tmux`

on Apple Silicon) under
both Screen Recording and Accessibility - Screen Recording covers screenshots,
Accessibility covers mouse/keyboard control.`tmux -S /tmp/cc-tmux.sock kill-server`

(the LaunchAgent respawns the anchor within seconds).
claude sessions started after the restart pick up the new grant.To make the entries appear in System Settings in the first place, trigger a computer-use action
(`ic`

, then ask Claude to “take a screenshot”) - macOS adds `tmux`

to the list (toggled off) so
you can switch it on.

**Full Disk Access stops the “access data from other apps” prompts.** On newer macOS, tmux
triggers a separate *“tmux would like to access data from other apps”* prompt for each app
whose data anything inside it touches. Granting `tmux`

**Full Disk Access** (same Privacy &
Security pane) suppresses these prompts entirely: use the **+** button and add the tmux
binary (Cmd-Shift-G to type the path). Restart the tmux server afterward, as above.

I personally like to run a VPN on the box so its traffic goes out separately from my local IP. I use Proton VPN - it has a free option and I’ve been using them for a long time - but of course there are other options.

You can just ask the box’s Claude to do it if you finished walking through
[the previous step](#11-computer-use-over-ssh-optional): `ic`

in and say “install Proton VPN”. It’ll
download and install the app. The parts it can’t do alone:

`clip send`

from
`clip send`

, then paste
into the sign-in field on the box.This general flow works not just for a VPN app - it should work for pretty much any other application too.

Remote Control lets you drive Claude Code from your phone through the Claude app. There are two ways to use it:

`/remote-control`

(or `/rc`

for short) inside an existing session and follow
the instructions - you can then drive that same session from your phone, going
back and forth between the two.`claude remote-control`

, which also lets you start brand new
sessions from your phone, not just attach to one you already have open.If you went through [step 11](#11-computer-use-over-ssh-optional), `ic rc`

starts
that server for you in a way that the sessions you spawn from your phone have access
to computer use too.

Computer use from [step 11](#11-computer-use-over-ssh-optional) deliberately won’t
control a browser - browsers get a restricted tier where Claude can see what’s on
screen but can’t click or type in it. The
[Claude in Chrome extension](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/claude/fcoeoabgfenejglbffodgkkbkcdhcgfn)
fills that gap with proper browser control: navigating, clicking, filling forms,
reading console logs and network requests. And unlike Playwright MCP, it drives
your regular Chrome profile, so the agent can use any logged-in state you set up
on the box.

It requires Chrome on the target and a direct Anthropic plan (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise).

You can ask the box’s Claude to install Chrome and open the extension’s Chrome Web Store page. The parts it can’t do alone (do these at the machine, in person or via Screen Sharing):

`chrome://extensions`

.`clip send`

from Then enable it in Claude Code on the target: run `/chrome`

in a session and select
“Enabled by default” to have the browser tools in every session, or skip that and
use `claude --chrome`

per session ([ ic --chrome](#use-it-from-your-mac) from your
source Mac). If the connection doesn’t work, try restarting Chrome once.

To make browser use efficient (element refs from the accessibility tree instead
of coordinates, no unrequested screenshots), the environment setup from
[step 9](#9-set-up-an-opinionated-claude-code-friendly-environment-optional)
adds a “Claude for Chrome” guidance section to `~/.claude/CLAUDE.md`

on the
target. If you skipped that step, re-run the script - it’s idempotent.

If your source Mac’s Chrome also has the extensionsigned into the same account, Claude Code can connect to either browser. It prompts you to pick when both are connected, but its local-machine detection can be wrong ([#74667]). To avoid that, you can temporarily uninstall the extension from the source Mac’s Chrome - or just quit Chrome on the source while the box is working.

Note that sessions spawned from your phone via
[step 13](#13-control-it-from-your-phone) don’t currently get the browser tools
([#74671](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/74671)) - the
workaround is to start the session in the terminal and attach with `/rc`

.

This lets you see the target’s screen live from the source Mac - and take over its mouse and keyboard - using macOS’s built-in Screen Sharing.

This has to be enabled in the GUI at the machine - since macOS 12.1 it
[can’t be enabled from the command line](https://support.apple.com/guide/remote-desktop/enable-remote-management-apd8b1c65bd/mac).

On the target: **System Settings -> General -> Sharing -> Screen Sharing** on. If
**Remote Management** is on, the Screen Sharing toggle may be hidden - turn it off
first.

Then connect from the source Mac:

```
open vnc://<user>@<target-host>.local
```

Log in with the target account’s login password and tick **Remember this password
in my keychain**.

`.local`

names only resolve on your LAN, so everything so far is local-network
only (except phone control from [step 13](#13-control-it-from-your-phone), which
relays through Anthropic). [Tailscale](https://tailscale.com) fixes that: it
connects your machines with peer-to-peer, end-to-end encrypted
[WireGuard](https://www.wireguard.com) tunnels, so SSH, `ic`

, `clip`

, and Screen
Sharing work from any network with nothing exposed to the public internet. On
your home network it takes a direct LAN path, so local use stays as fast as
before. And joining the network only gives a device reachability - SSH and
Screen Sharing still require your key or password on top.

Install on the target (the Homebrew formula works headless over SSH; sign in at the URL the last command prints - a free account with a social login is fine):

```
ssh <user>@<target-host>.local 'brew install tailscale'
ssh <user>@<target-host>.local 'sudo brew services start tailscale'
ssh <user>@<target-host>.local 'sudo tailscale up --operator=<user>'
```

Install on the source, then open the Tailscale app and log in **with the same
account** - devices only see each other within one account’s network:

```
brew install --cask tailscale-app
```

With MagicDNS (on by default) the target is reachable by bare hostname from
anywhere - the same address, minus `.local`

. Switch `IC_BOX`

in `~/.zshrc`

,
keeping the original name for reference:

```
export IC_BOX="<user>@<target-host>"          # Tailscale - works remotely too
# export IC_BOX="<user>@<target-host>.local"  # original - local network only
```

Screen Sharing works the same way: `open vnc://<user>@<target-host>`

.

Recommended, in the [admin console](https://login.tailscale.com/admin):
**device approval** (Settings -> Device management), so a compromised Tailscale
login alone can’t add a device to your network, and **disable key expiry** on
the target (Machines -> **…**), so the box doesn’t drop off the network when
its key expires after ~180 days.

To confirm remote access really works, put the source Mac on a different
network (e.g. a phone hotspot) and run `ic ls`

.