Can I use an Android phone as a keyboard for my Mac?

Yes, but not with a built-in switch. There are two routes. One is an app that makes the phone act as a Bluetooth keyboard, which Android supports at the system level since API level 28 (Android 9). The other is KDE Connect, whose wiki describes using your phone as a touchpad and keyboard for a computer. Neither is built into macOS or Android, and we have not tested either on a Mac, so treat both as things to try. The Relay does not do this: it cannot type on your Mac from the phone.

Publisher note: The Relay publishes this guide and is one of the products discussed. Details about other products come from each maker's own pages, checked on 26 October 2026. Prices and features change, so confirm before you buy.

What does Android support?

Android's developer documentation has a class, BluetoothHidDevice, which "provides the public APIs to control the Bluetooth HID Device profile" and was added in API level 28. HID stands for human interface device: the category that includes keyboards and mice. In plain words, Android lets an app present the phone as a Bluetooth keyboard or mouse. It is a building block for developers. The page does not name any app that uses it or say how well it works with a Mac.

So the route is: find an app on Google Play that says it turns the phone into a Bluetooth keyboard or trackpad, pair it with the Mac, and test. We do not recommend a specific app because we have not tested any. Check the app's reviews, permissions, and the date of its last update, and be careful with anything that wants more access than a keyboard needs. Typing passwords through a third-party keyboard app is a risk you should weigh.

How do I pair a phone with a Mac to try it?

1. On the Mac, open System Settings, then Bluetooth. Apple's Bluetooth guide says the device must be on and discoverable, and to click Connect when it appears in the list.
2. On the phone, follow the app's own instructions to make the phone visible as a keyboard. Android's Bluetooth help describes pairing from the phone's Quick Settings, under "Pair new device."
3. Accept the pairing prompt on both sides, or enter the numbers if asked.
4. Click into a text field on the Mac and type on the phone.

Our general walkthrough is pair an Android phone with a Mac over Bluetooth.

What about KDE Connect?

KDE Connect's UserBase wiki lists "Use your phone as a remote control for your desktop," and describes a Virtual Input feature: "Use your phone as a touchpad and keyboard." It says that with it enabled, selecting Remote input on the phone gives a touch screen that controls the computer's mouse "similarly to a touchpad," and that a keyboard icon "allows you to type on your phone and see the result on your computer."

The catch on a Mac: KDE Connect's download page says a stable macOS release is available, with Homebrew as an option, while the project's README says platforms other than Linux are not officially supported. Neither page says whether Remote input works when the desktop is a Mac, so test it. See KDE Connect on Mac.

What if I want the reverse: a Mac keyboard on the phone?

That is more common. A Bluetooth keyboard paired to an Android phone works like any other. See use a Mac keyboard with an Android phone. And if you want to type on the Mac while using the phone's screen, scrcpy controls the phone with your Mac's keyboard and mouse.

Where does The Relay fit?

It does not turn the phone into a Mac keyboard, and it does not control the phone from the Mac. It does a neighbouring job: copy on the phone and paste on the Mac, texts and login codes showing up on the Mac, notifications, calls, link handoff, and file transfer over your own network. If your real problem is "I keep retyping things between my phone and Mac," the clipboard sync may remove the need to type at all. It is one subscription through Google Play that covers your phone and your Mac, with a 7-day free trial. If your problem is typing on the Mac with the phone, use a Bluetooth keyboard app or KDE Connect.

Questions people ask

Does macOS have a feature to use an Android phone as a keyboard?

We found nothing on Apple's pages that does this for Android. Apple's Bluetooth page describes connecting ordinary Bluetooth devices only.

Can I use my phone's voice typing on the Mac?

Not directly. Voice typing happens inside the phone's keyboard. You could dictate into a note and send the text across, but that is not a keyboard.

Is it safe to type passwords through a phone keyboard app?

We cannot say for a particular app. Anything that sees your keystrokes could read them. Use a password manager or a login code copied to the clipboard instead of typing secrets.

Why use a phone instead of a real keyboard?

For a few keystrokes, a phone is handy. For real typing, a keyboard is faster. We have not measured any of it.