Getting it working, and fixing it when it isn't.
Most connection problems come down to one of three things. This page covers all three, in the order worth trying.
Setting up
- Install the Mac app and the Android app.
- Put both devices on the same Wi-Fi network. Synced has no relay server, so this is not optional.
- Open both apps. The Mac finds the phone and shows a numeric code.
- Check the code matches on both screens and confirm. That's the pairing done — it reconnects by itself from then on.
- Grant the permissions you want on the phone. Each feature is independent; skipping SMS permissions costs you SMS and nothing else.
The Mac can't find my phone
1. Check the Mac's Local Network permission
This is the most common cause by a wide margin, and macOS gives no error when it fails — the app simply never connects. macOS also has a long-standing bug where a permission that was already granted stops working silently, particularly after an app update.
Fix: open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network, and toggle Synced off and back on. Toggling it off and on again is the fix — simply confirming it is already on will not clear the state.
2. Check your router isn't isolating devices
Synced finds your phone using multicast, which many networks break. Guest networks, “AP isolation” or “client isolation” settings, some mesh systems, and most corporate and university Wi-Fi will stop devices from seeing each other even though both are online.
If you can, switch off client isolation, or move both devices to a normal home network to confirm that's the cause. The app falls back to a broadcast probe automatically, but some networks block that too.
3. Enter the address manually
If discovery is blocked, you can skip it. The Android app shows its IP address and port; type them into the Mac app's manual connection field. This bypasses discovery entirely and works on networks where nothing else does.
Other common questions
Does it work when I'm away from home?
No. Synced has no relay server, so both devices must be on the same local network. That's a deliberate trade — it's also why none of your data ever passes through anyone else's infrastructure.
Can I hear the call through my Mac?
No. You can answer, decline, mute and redial from the Mac, but the audio stays on your phone's speaker or headset. Routing live call audio would need a full VoIP bridge, which Synced doesn't do.
Why does my phone say “pasted from clipboard”?
Android 12 and later shows that toast whenever any app reads the clipboard, and apps cannot suppress it. If you've enabled automatic clipboard sync, you'll see it each time a copy is captured. Turning the feature off stops it; the share-sheet method still works without it.
The connection drops when my phone sleeps
Grant Synced the battery optimisation exemption when it asks. Some manufacturers — Samsung and Xiaomi in particular — add their own background restrictions on top of Android's, so also check the battery settings in your phone's own settings app for a separate “unrestricted” or “don't optimise” option.
Notification actions don't appear
Reinstalling the Android app can clear its notification and accessibility grants. Check that notification access is still enabled in your phone's settings after any update.
Still stuck?
Both apps have a Troubleshooting screen with a Copy diagnostics button. Sending that text along with your report makes it far easier to work out what happened.
For how the connection works underneath all this, see how it works.