Remote desktop, where your input method just works.
The only iPad remote desktop app with full macOS input method support
VNC Pad is a $9.99 iPad remote desktop app (VNC client) that connects to macOS Screen Sharing. It is the only iPad VNC client that supports Chinese (Zhuyin/Pinyin), Japanese, and Korean input methods on the remote Mac, using a proprietary HID injection technology. It features Metal GPU-accelerated rendering, 232+ key mappings, adaptive quality control, and works entirely on local networks with no cloud account required.
Why VNC Pad?
Full Input Method Support
The only iPad remote desktop app where Chinese (Zhuyin/Pinyin), Japanese, and Korean input methods work flawlessly on your remote Mac. Our HID injection technology makes macOS treat your iPad keyboard as a native physical keyboard — every input method works exactly as if you were sitting at the Mac.
✗ Other remote desktop apps: VNC can only send English keycodes, CJK input methods fail
✓ VNC Pad: HID-level injection, native macOS input methods work perfectly
Metal-Accelerated Rendering
Powered by Apple's Metal API for GPU-driven rendering. With dirty region tracking and zero-copy texture uploads, enjoy the lowest latency and zero screen tearing.
232+ Key Mappings
All 9 modifier keys tracked independently (left/right Shift, Control, Option, Command). iPadOS system shortcuts (Cmd+Tab, Ctrl+Space, etc.) are intercepted and forwarded to your Mac.
Adaptive Quality Control
Real-time latency monitoring automatically switches between high, balanced, and low bandwidth modes. No manual adjustments needed — quality adapts to your network conditions.
120Hz Trackpad Tracking
Native support for iPad external trackpads and mice. Local cursor prediction reduces perceived latency, with smart scroll acceleration for a fluid experience.
Privacy First
Works entirely on your local network. No account registration, no cloud relay servers. All connection data stays on your device, passwords stored in iOS Keychain.
How We Compare
| Feature | VNC Pad | Jump Desktop | Screens 5 | RealVNC Viewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CJK Input Methods | ✓ Full support | ✗ Broken | ✗ Broken | ✗ Broken |
| Metal Acceleration | ✓ | ✓ | — | — |
| Full Keyboard Support | ✓ 232+ keys | ✓ | ✓ | ⚠ Known issues |
| System Shortcut Interception | ✓ Cmd+Tab etc. | ✓ | Partial | Partial |
| Adaptive Quality | ✓ Automatic | Manual | Manual | Manual |
| No Cloud Account Required | ✓ | ✗ Fluid needs it | ✗ Required | ✗ Required |
| Clipboard Sync | ✓ Bidirectional | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Price | $9.99 | $14.99 | $2.99/mo | Free |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't other remote desktop apps handle CJK input methods?
Traditional VNC protocol sends X11 keysym codes, which only represent individual characters and cannot trigger macOS input method composition (e.g., Zhuyin phonetic sequences, Pinyin romanization). VNC Pad solves this by running a companion Helper app on macOS that receives HID usage codes over a separate TCP channel (port 50001) and injects them at the CGEvent HID tap level. macOS treats these as physical keyboard events, enabling native input method processing.
Can I use VNC Pad without the Helper app?
Yes. Without Helper, all VNC Pad features work normally — you just can't use Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or other non-English input methods. English input and all keyboard shortcuts work fine without it.
Can I connect over the internet?
VNC Pad is designed for local network use. For internet access, we recommend using a VPN to place both devices on the same virtual network.