Known limitations

This page covers what CommandLatch cannot do, or does in a limited way, so you know what to expect before relying on it.

1. macOS only

The CommandLatch menu-bar app runs on macOS only (Apple Silicon and Intel). There is no Windows or Linux version — every action (lock, sleep, keep-awake, volume, notifications) uses macOS-specific system features.

The web dashboard works in any modern browser and on iPhone and Android home screens, but it only controls Macs that are paired and online.

2. Cannot wake a sleeping Mac

A sleeping Mac is not reachable. The app communicates with the backend while the Mac is awake; once it goes to sleep, it stops and cannot receive commands until you wake it yourself (open the lid, press a key).

There is no remote wake feature. This is why keep-awake exists — start a keep-awake session before a long task so the Mac stays reachable until you’re ready to lock or sleep it.

A delayed Lock + Sleep is the safe direction: the Mac is awake when the timer fires, runs the action, and then sleeps. You cannot trigger the reverse remotely.

3. Commands are delivered within a few seconds, not instantly

The app polls for new commands roughly every two seconds. Expect a short delay between pressing a button and the Mac acting. This is usually unnoticeable, but it is not instantaneous.

Commands also carry an expiry — if the Mac is offline (asleep or disconnected) when you send a command, it runs when the Mac comes back online, as long as it hasn’t expired. Expired commands are discarded and never run.

4. One pending delayed action per device

A device can have at most one pending delayed Lock + Sleep at a time. Sending a new one cancels and replaces the previous one — there is no queue.

Keep-awake works the same way: starting a new session replaces the current one rather than stacking durations.

5. Remote control can only be disabled from the Mac itself

The “Remote commands” on/off switch lives in the menu-bar app on the Mac. If you turn it off, you must turn it back on from the Mac — you can’t re-enable it remotely from the dashboard.

To permanently stop all remote access, remove the device from the dashboard — that revokes its access regardless of whether the app is running.

6. Anyone signed into your account can send commands

Lock is a single click. Sleep and Lock + Sleep ask for a confirmation before sending. A delayed Lock + Sleep always shows a countdown with a cancel button.

There is no per-action passcode or second-factor step — anyone with access to your account can send commands to your devices.

7. No push notifications to your phone yet

When a task finishes or a pending lock is scheduled, you see it in the dashboard (if it’s open) and as a notification on the Mac itself.

You can configure an alert action today — from the dashboard, CLI, webhooks, and shortcuts — and it’s queued and recorded in your Notifications log. But the push only lands on a phone once the iPhone app ships (see §8); until then an alert with no registered iPhone resolves to No devices. If you’re away from both your Mac and the dashboard, you won’t be alerted yet.

8. No iPhone or Apple Watch app yet

The native CommandLatch iPhone app — with a Home Screen widget and native Siri phrases — and the Apple Watch app and complication are built and tested but not on the App Store yet.

Today, control your Mac from your phone via the web dashboard (any mobile browser) and from URL-based Siri shortcuts. Because no iPhone app is installed to receive them, iPhone push alerts (alert) can be configured and are logged, but won’t land on a phone until the app ships.

9. Updates are manual

CommandLatch does not update itself automatically. To check for a newer version, open Settings → Updates in the menu-bar app. If one is available, a Download button takes you to the download page.

10. macOS system settings can affect lock and sleep

Whether the screen locks after sleep, and whether a password is required to unlock, are controlled by macOS system settings — not CommandLatch. If locking doesn’t protect the machine the way you expect, check System Settings → Lock Screen on your Mac.

The Settings → Security checks screen in CommandLatch shows whether the required system capabilities are available and flags any issues.

11. Other smaller limitations

A mistyped parameter is silently ignored. For example, a typo in a delay value causes the action to run immediately rather than showing an error.
Intel Macs and older macOS versions are supported but tested less thoroughly than current Apple Silicon hardware.
Shortcut and webhook URLs should be treated as credentials — anyone with the URL can trigger that action.

By design

Some capabilities are outside the scope of CommandLatch by design — not planned for a future release:

No arbitrary shell commands from the cloud.
No keyboard or mouse control.
No file access.
No screen capture or streaming.

CommandLatch is designed to remain a focused, safe remote-action tool — its reliability depends on doing a limited set of things well.