4-Direction Support

Place client screens anywhere — left, right, top, or bottom

Place the client screen on any edge — left, right, top, or bottom — to match your physical desk setup.

Physical desk setups are never one-size-fits-all. Some people put their secondary machine to the right, others have a laptop below their main monitor, and some have complex multi-monitor rigs where the second machine is to the left. HelloControlDesk supports all four screen edges so you can configure the software to match your real-world layout exactly.

Setting the direction is as simple as selecting an option in the Connections tab on the server machine. Once set, moving the cursor past that edge activates the client machine. The direction can be changed at any time without restarting the server — just adjust the setting and it takes effect immediately.

For multi-monitor setups, you can even pin the switch edge to a specific monitor rather than the outermost edge of your combined desktop. This gives you precise control over where the KVM boundary sits, regardless of how your operating system arranges your displays.

How it works

1
Look at your desk: note where each client screen sits relative to the screen of the machine whose keyboard you use (left, right, above or below).
2
In the server application, give each client the matching position. Up to 5 machines can be arranged around the main one.
3
Move the cursor past that edge: control passes to the client on that side. Move it back across the same edge to return.
4
If you move a screen, change the position in the application; there is no hardware to re-cable.

When it is useful

Laptop below the main monitor

A work laptop sits on a stand under a large display. Set the client to the bottom edge and the cursor drops onto the laptop when it leaves the lower edge of your monitor.

A Mac on the left, a PC on the right

Two clients, one on each side of the main machine. The cursor leaves to the left for one and to the right for the other, matching the way the screens are arranged.

Development machine and test machine

Keep the test machine's screen above your main display: the cursor goes up to check a result and comes back down to keep coding.

Limits and requirements

Each client takes one of the four sides of the main screen: left, right, top or bottom.
All machines must be on the same local network, over Wi-Fi or Ethernet; the layout describes your desk, not a remote connection.
Positions are set on the server, the machine whose keyboard and mouse are shared.
Server and client run on macOS and Windows; no Linux or BSD version is listed.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I place the client screen?

On any of the four sides of your main machine: left, right, top or bottom. The layout is set to match the way your screens are actually arranged on the desk.

Can I use several positions at once?

Yes. A licence covers up to 5 machines, so you can place client screens on different sides of the server machine and move the cursor to each one from its own edge.

Does it work with multiple monitors?

Yes. Multi-monitor setups are supported on both the server and the client side, so the switch edge can be the one you want in your extended desktop.

Can I change the position later?

Yes. The position is a setting in the server application, so you can adjust it whenever you rearrange your desk.

Is the switch triggered by a keyboard shortcut?

No. HelloControlDesk switches when the cursor crosses the configured edge of the screen; there is no hotkey to press.

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