PinDrift Remote Control

Set up Tailscale to control PinDrift from anywhere.

The Remote Control QR normally works only on your PC's Wi-Fi. Tailscale puts your PC and iPhone on one private, end-to-end-encrypted network, so it works anywhere with internet. Under five minutes, free for personal use.

Part 1 · on your PC

Install Tailscale on the host

The Windows or macOS machine PinDrift runs on.

1
Open tailscale.com/download and get the installer for your OS.
2
Run it. A Tailscale icon appears in your system tray (Windows) or menu bar (macOS).
3
Click the icon, choose Log in, and sign in with Google, Microsoft, GitHub, or an email link. Remember which one. The phone needs the same one.
4
The icon turns solid. Done on the PC.
NotePinDrift detects your Tailscale IP and adds a Tailscale tab to Remote Control automatically. No restart needed.
Part 2 · on your iPhone

Install Tailscale on your phone

Use the same account you signed in with on the PC.

1
In the App Store, search Tailscale and tap Get, or open this direct link on your phone.
2
Open the app, tap Sign in, and pick the same account as the PC. A different one won't see your PC.
3
iOS asks to Allow Tailscale to add VPN Configurations. Tap Allow and confirm with Face ID. One time only.
4
Toggle Tailscale ON at the top. A key icon appears in the iOS status bar.
ImportantKeep this toggle ON whenever you want Remote Control to work away from home Wi-Fi.

Verify it works in PinDrift

On your PC, in the PinDrift app:

  1. Click the Wi-Fi button in the sidebar footer, by the “Connected” pill. The popover now shows a Tailscale tab beside Wi-Fi / LAN.
  2. Open the Tailscale tab and scan the QR with your iPhone camera.
  3. Safari shows a one-time certificate warning. Tap Show Details → visit this website.
  4. Add to Home Screen from Safari's share menu for one-tap access.
TestTurn off iPhone Wi-Fi, keep Tailscale ON, and open the bookmark over cellular. It should load just like at home.

Troubleshooting

Common issues and how to fix them.

The Tailscale tab does not appear in Remote Control

PinDrift looks for a 100.64.0.0/10 address. Open the Tailscale tray icon and confirm it says Connected, then reopen the Wi-Fi popover. The tab appears within seconds.

"Safari cannot open the page because your iPhone is not connected to the Internet"

Tailscale isn't connected on the phone. Open the app and check the toggle is ON. If it's on but still fails, sign out and back in. iOS can drop the VPN profile after an update.

I am signed in to different accounts on phone and PC

Both must use the same account, or they can't see each other. On the phone, Sign out, then Sign in with the provider (Google, Microsoft, GitHub, or email) you used on the PC.

It worked yesterday, not today

Two usual causes. One: the iPhone toggle turned off. iOS drops VPN profiles after updates or low power. Re-enable it. Two: your PC is asleep or off. Remote Control needs the host running, so wake it, or set up always-on mode.

Tailscale on my iPhone interferes with other apps

Usually another VPN or iCloud Private Relay is fighting Tailscale. In Settings → General → VPN & Device Management, keep only one VPN active at a time.

Can I make my phone's internet look like my home IP?

Yes. Make your PC a Tailscale exit node in the admin console and route the phone through it. Apps that geolocate by IP (streaming, banking) then see your home IP wherever the phone is.

Is Tailscale really free?

Yes for personal use: up to 3 users and 100 devices, no credit card. See tailscale.com/pricing.

Does Tailscale track me or see my data?

Traffic runs over end-to-end-encrypted WireGuard tunnels. Tailscale sees device metadata to connect your devices, but not the traffic itself. See tailscale.com/privacy-policy.

How do I uninstall Tailscale?

PC: the normal uninstaller (Add/Remove Programs, or drag to Trash on macOS). iPhone: long-press the app and delete it. iOS removes the VPN profile too.

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