CommandLatch Docs

CommandLatch is a safe remote-action agent for your own Mac. A small menu-bar app runs on the machine; from your phone, a web dashboard, the terminal, Siri, or a Claude Code hook you can tell it to lock, sleep, keep-awake, adjust volume, or pop a notification — and nothing else.

CommandLatch is intentionally focused. It cannot type, click, run shell commands, read your files, or see your screen. Every request is validated against a fixed list of permitted actions — nothing else can run.

Install Download the app, move it to Applications, first launch, and the optional CLI.

Pair your Mac Sign in to the dashboard and link a Mac with a 6-digit code.

Use the dashboard Send actions from your phone or browser, and cancel a pending lock.

Auto-lock with Claude Code Lock and sleep your Mac a few minutes after Claude Code finishes a task.

The 5-minute start

1. Install — download the DMG, drag CommandLatch to Applications, open it. → Install
2. Pair — open the dashboard, sign in, and type the 6-digit code the app shows you. → Pair
3. Try it — once the device shows Online, click Lock in the dashboard. Your Mac locks within a couple of seconds. → Dashboard

From there, set up the Claude Code hook or a Siri shortcut if you want hands-free triggers.

What you need

• A Mac running a current version of macOS (Apple Silicon or Intel).
• An email address — sign-in is a one-tap email link, no password.
• An internet connection on both the Mac and whatever you trigger actions from. CommandLatch talks to its backend over the network; it does not connect device-to-device.

There is no account to create in advance — signing in with your email the first time you open the dashboard creates your account automatically.

How it works (the short version)

  you (phone / browser / terminal / Siri / Claude Code)
        │  "lock my Mac"
        ▼
  CommandLatch backend  ──  checks the request against a fixed list of
        │                   allowed actions, then queues it
        ▼
  the menu-bar app on your Mac  ──  polls for queued commands every
                                    couple of seconds and runs them locally

Nothing reaches your Mac directly. A trigger queues an action; the menu-bar app picks it up on its next poll and runs it. Actions remain queued even after you close your browser or terminal. The Mac must be awake and online — CommandLatch cannot wake a sleeping machine.

Automate it

The commandlatch CLI Drive the same actions from a terminal, a script, or a CI wrapper.

Siri & phone shortcuts One tap or “Hey Siri” fires an action via a single secret URL.

Webhooks A signed HTTP endpoint for servers and automation tools.

Shortcut endpoints The per-action URL reference behind Siri and phone shortcuts.

Trust & limits

For the full trust model — what’s stored, what can and can’t run, how to revoke access — see Security & trust model and Privacy, and the accepted trade-offs in Known limitations.