Set up Naytto on a Mac from Terminal

01Open a terminal on the Mac

At the Mac, open Terminal from Applications › Utilities.

From another computer, connect over SSH as the person signed in at the Mac, with your account name and the Mac’s name:

ssh sam@Sams-Mac-mini.local

The first time, ssh asks whether you want to continue connecting: type yes. Then type the Mac’s password when it asks. Once you see the Mac’s prompt, everything that follows runs on the Mac.

02Run the install command

Paste this line and press Return:

curl -fsSL https://naytto.com/install.sh | sh

It downloads Naytto and puts it in Applications. Terminal then asks for the Mac’s password, shown as Password:, to install the naytto command. Type it and press Return; nothing shows as you type.

Next it switches on Open at login, so Naytto opens whenever you log in. Then it prints a link and a code and waits for you to approve them:

  https://app.naytto.com/device?user_code=YEKFR6BL

and approve code YEKF-R6BL. Only approve a code you started yourself.

Leave Terminal open: it asks one more question once you approve.

03Open the address it shows

At the Mac, Naytto opens the link in your browser by itself, and the Naytto window shows the same code under Approve in your browser. If the browser doesn’t open, press Return in Terminal. macOS also says Naytto will open automatically when you log in.

Over SSH, the command can’t open a browser, and the line under the code reads ⌘-click or Ctrl-click the link to open it. Open the link in a browser on any device, such as your phone or the laptop you’re typing on.

04Sign in with your email

If that browser isn’t signed in to Naytto, it asks you to. Type your email address and choose Email me a code. The button reads Checking this browser… for a moment first; if a Verify you are human box appears, tick it. New to Naytto? The same code creates your account and starts your free 14-day trial. A browser that’s already signed in goes straight to step 06.

05Enter the code from the email

Naytto emails you a six-digit code; the subject line starts with it. Type it in Sign-in code and choose Sign in. The code expires in 10 minutes. If you don’t see the email, check your spam folder.

06Check the code and add the Mac

The page asks Add this computer? and names the Mac, here Sam’s Mac mini. Check that its code matches the one in Terminal, then choose Add computer. Only approve a code you started yourself.

07Confirm it’s you

Unless you signed in with your passkey or authenticator app in the last 10 minutes, the page then asks you to confirm it’s you. Choose Add a passkey to confirm: your browser asks to save a passkey, then to use it. Accept both, and the page says Computer added.

Already have a passkey? The button reads Confirm with your passkey, and your browser only asks you to use it. With an authenticator app, you can choose Sign in again with your authenticator app instead.

08Type yes in Terminal

Back in Terminal, Naytto says who approved the Mac and asks Allow this account to control this Mac? Check that the email address is yours, then type yes and press Return. For a new account, Naytto waits a few seconds before it asks, so you read the warning.

sam.rivera@example.com approved adding this Mac.

Allow this account to control this Mac?
Allow? Type yes, no, or report: yes

At the Mac, the Naytto window asks the same question; answering in either place is enough.

09Allow them at the Mac

After yes, Terminal says the Mac is added, explains the two permissions and waits:

Added. Sam’s Mac mini is on sam.rivera@example.com and reachable from https://app.naytto.com while Naytto is running.

Naytto needs two macOS permissions, once: Screen Recording, to show this screen, and Accessibility, to use its mouse and keyboard.

On the Mac’s screen, System Settings opens at Screen & System Audio Recording with Naytto listed. Turn on Naytto there, then in Accessibility, which Naytto opens next. The app guide shows each click.

Once both are on, Terminal stops waiting and the Naytto window reads Ready.

10Open them again with naytto permissions

Closed System Settings, or pressed Ctrl+C while Terminal waited? The Mac stays on your account. Run this, and Naytto opens the settings on the Mac’s screen again and waits:

naytto permissions

If Screen Recording is on and Terminal is still waiting, run naytto restart.

11No display? Check that Screen Sharing is on

Finish setup lets you allow both permissions from any browser, through the Mac’s own Screen Sharing. It works only if Screen Sharing is already on in System Settings › General › Sharing, switched on there by someone at the Mac. Naytto never switches it on or off. If it’s off, plug in a display, keyboard and mouse and follow steps 09 and 10.

12Run naytto permissions over SSH

Over SSH, with Screen Sharing on, the permissions text in Terminal ends with a paragraph for a Mac with no display. Run this to see it again:

naytto permissions

No display on this Mac? Screen Sharing is on here, so do it from any browser: open https://app.naytto.com and choose Finish setup on Sam’s Mac mini.

If that paragraph says Plug one in instead, Naytto didn’t find Screen Sharing on: see If something isn’t right.

13Choose Finish setup

On any device, sign in at app.naytto.com. Your computers lists the Mac as Setup not finished, and the panel says Naytto on that Mac still needs Screen Recording and Accessibility, and that its Screen Sharing is on. Choose Finish setup.

14Sign in to the Mac

An amber bar reads Finish setting up Sam’s Mac mini and lists what to do. This is the Mac’s own Screen Sharing, and it closes by itself once both permissions are on.

Under Sign in to this Mac, enter the account name and password you sign in to the Mac with, such as sam, and choose Sign in. The page keeps them only until you close it, to sign in again while Naytto reopens.

15Open System Settings from the Naytto window

The Mac’s screen appears under the amber bar, with the Naytto window open on it. Under Let Naytto show this screen, click Open System Settings. If the Naytto window isn’t there, click Naytto’s icon in the menu bar and choose Open Naytto.

16Allow Screen Recording

System Settings opens at Screen & System Audio Recording, with Naytto listed and its switch off. Click the switch. macOS asks for the Mac’s password: type it and click Modify Settings.

17Choose Quit & Reopen, then wait

macOS says Naytto may not be able to record the contents of your screen until it is quit. Click Quit & Reopen.

While Naytto restarts on the Mac, the page reads Reconnecting to finish setup and counts its attempts. Wait: within a few seconds it’s back on the Mac’s screen by itself, without asking for the password again.

18Allow Accessibility

The reopened Naytto window has a check next to Let Naytto show this screen. Under Let Naytto control this computer, click Open System Settings, then click the switch next to Naytto in Accessibility. If macOS asks for the password again, type it and click Modify Settings. This one needs no restart.

19Let Naytto take over

As soon as the switch is on, the Screen Sharing view closes. The page reads Finishing setup… and Naytto can now show this Mac, then opens a normal Naytto session on the Mac’s desktop. Setup is finished, and you won’t need Finish setup again.

In that session, macOS asks one more question on the Mac and may show two leftover alerts. Answer them before you type anything else, as steps 21 and 22 show.

20Choose Connect

On another device, sign in at app.naytto.com, or choose Go to your computers on the page you’re on. Your computers lists the Mac as Available: Naytto is open on it and answering. Choose Connect.

21Allow the prompt on the Mac

In the first session, the one right after Finish setup or your first Connect, macOS asks whether Naytto may bypass the system private window picker and directly access your screen and audio. Click Allow, at the Mac or in the session from your browser. macOS may ask again later: click Allow again.

22If macOS asks again, choose Open System Settings

A Screen Recording alert and an Accessibility Access alert can still appear, left over from when Naytto first asked, even though both switches are on. On each one, click Open System Settings, never Deny. Check that the switch next to Naytto is still on, then close System Settings.

23Use its desktop

The Mac’s desktop fills the browser tab, and you use it as if you were in front of it. Hold Esc to take the keyboard and pointer back from the Mac. On the Mac, the Naytto window reads In session with your email address. The pill at the top of the tab shows the round trip in milliseconds; click it for the session toolbar and Disconnect.

24Test the connection

Choose Disconnect and wait until the Mac reads Available again. In your computers, select the Mac and choose Test connection, then Start test. A short session checks sign-in, the private relay, the screen and the keyboard and mouse, then ends; nothing is typed or clicked. The Clipboard and File transfer checks are optional. After a few seconds it says Ready to connect from another browser, with a check beside each of its five lines.

25Connect from your phone

The same page works on a phone or tablet: sign in at app.naytto.com and choose Connect.

26Check its status

Run this whenever you want to know how Naytto is doing:

naytto status

Status         Reachable from your browser
Keep reachable Off. This Mac sleeps as usual and can't be reached while asleep.
Version        0.1.0 (472)

Status says whether browsers can reach the Mac, and Version which Naytto you have. Naytto updates itself. To update it now, run the install command again: it asks for the Mac’s password again and replaces the Naytto in Applications, and the Mac stays on your account.

27See every command

naytto help

It lists each command with a line on what it does. Among them, naytto sign-in-screen on lets the Mac accept sessions while it’s locked or signed out, and naytto open-at-login sets whether Naytto opens when you log in.

28Pause remote access

naytto pause

It prints the status, now Paused: browsers can't connect. In your computers, the Mac shows Remote access paused with no Connect button. Only someone on the Mac, at it or over SSH, can pause or resume. To let browsers connect again:

naytto resume

The status goes back to Reachable from your browser. To end a session without pausing, run naytto disconnect.

29Keep the Mac reachable

A Mac that’s asleep can’t be reached. Keep it awake, even with the lid closed:

naytto keep-reachable always

Use plugged-in instead of always to keep it reachable only while it’s plugged in. The first time, it says:

Awake while the lid is open. Allow the Naytto helper to keep it reachable with the lid closed.

It also opens System Settings at Login Items & Extensions on the Mac’s screen. Click the switch next to Naytto under App Background Activity, then enter the password and click Modify Settings. On a Mac with no display, do this from another Mac through the Mac’s Screen Sharing: open the Screen Sharing app, connect to the Mac by its name, such as Sams-Mac-mini.local, and sign in with its account name and password.

30Run it again

With the helper allowed, run naytto keep-reachable always once more:

Kept reachable, even with the lid closed. The display still sleeps.

naytto keep-reachable off lets the Mac sleep as usual again.

31Remove the Mac from your account

naytto remove

It asks first, and the default is no. Type y and press Return:

Remove this Mac from its account? Browsers won't be able to reach it until it's added again. [y/N] y

The status that follows reads Not added. Run: naytto add next to Account, and your computers no longer lists the Mac. Keep reachable pauses while the Mac isn’t on an account and resumes when you add it again; run naytto keep-reachable off to switch it off. Naytto stays installed: to use the Mac again, run naytto add and approve it as before.

Away from the Mac? In your computers, in any browser, choose … next to it, then Remove from account; any session on it ends at once.