---
summary: "iOS node app: connect to the Gateway, pairing, canvas, and troubleshooting"
read_when:
  - Pairing or reconnecting the iOS node
  - Running the iOS app from source
  - Debugging gateway discovery or canvas commands
title: "iOS app"
---

Availability: iPhone app builds are distributed through Apple channels when enabled for a release. Local development builds can also run from source.

## What it does

- Connects to a Gateway over WebSocket (LAN or tailnet).
- Exposes node capabilities: Canvas, Screen snapshot, Camera capture, Location, Talk mode, Voice wake.
- Receives `node.invoke` commands and reports node status events.

## Requirements

- Gateway running on another device (macOS, Linux, or Windows via WSL2).
- Network path:
  - Same LAN via Bonjour, **or**
  - Tailnet via unicast DNS-SD (example domain: `openclaw.internal.`), **or**
  - Manual host/port (fallback).

## Quick start (pair + connect)

1. Start the Gateway:

```bash
openclaw gateway --port 18789
```

2. In the iOS app, open Settings and pick a discovered gateway (or enable Manual Host and enter host/port).

3. Approve the pairing request on the gateway host:

```bash
openclaw devices list
openclaw devices approve <requestId>
```

If the app retries pairing with changed auth details (role/scopes/public key),
the previous pending request is superseded and a new `requestId` is created.
Run `openclaw devices list` again before approval.

Optional: if the iOS node always connects from a tightly controlled subnet, you
can opt in to first-time node auto-approval with explicit CIDRs or exact IPs:

```json5
{
  gateway: {
    nodes: {
      pairing: {
        autoApproveCidrs: ["192.168.1.0/24"],
      },
    },
  },
}
```

This is disabled by default. It applies only to fresh `role: node` pairing with
no requested scopes. Operator/browser pairing and any role, scope, metadata, or
public-key change still require manual approval.

4. Verify connection:

```bash
openclaw nodes status
openclaw gateway call node.list --params "{}"
```

## Relay-backed push for official builds

Official distributed iOS builds use the external push relay instead of publishing the raw APNs
token to the gateway.

Official App Store builds from the public release lane use the hosted relay at `https://ios-push-relay.openclaw.ai`.

Custom relay deployments require a deliberately separate iOS build/deployment path whose relay URL matches the gateway relay URL. The public App Store release lane does not accept custom relay URL overrides. If you are using a custom relay build, set the matching gateway relay URL:

```json5
{
  gateway: {
    push: {
      apns: {
        relay: {
          baseUrl: "https://relay.example.com",
        },
      },
    },
  },
}
```

How the flow works:

- The iOS app registers with the relay using App Attest and a StoreKit app transaction JWS.
- The relay returns an opaque relay handle plus a registration-scoped send grant.
- The iOS app fetches the paired gateway identity and includes it in relay registration, so the relay-backed registration is delegated to that specific gateway.
- The app forwards that relay-backed registration to the paired gateway with `push.apns.register`.
- The gateway uses that stored relay handle for `push.test`, background wakes, and wake nudges.
- Custom gateway relay URLs must match the relay URL baked into the iOS build.
- If the app later connects to a different gateway or a build with a different relay base URL, it refreshes the relay registration instead of reusing the old binding.

What the gateway does **not** need for this path:

- No deployment-wide relay token.
- No direct APNs key for official App Store relay-backed sends.

Expected operator flow:

1. Install the official iOS app.
2. Optional: set `gateway.push.apns.relay.baseUrl` on the gateway only when using a deliberately separate custom relay build.
3. Pair the app to the gateway and let it finish connecting.
4. The app publishes `push.apns.register` automatically after it has an APNs token, the operator session is connected, and relay registration succeeds.
5. After that, `push.test`, reconnect wakes, and wake nudges can use the stored relay-backed registration.

## Background alive beacons

When iOS wakes the app for a silent push, background refresh, or significant-location event, the app
attempts a short node reconnect and then calls `node.event` with `event: "node.presence.alive"`.
The gateway records this as `lastSeenAtMs`/`lastSeenReason` on the paired node/device metadata only
after the authenticated node device identity is known.

The app treats a background wake as successfully recorded only when the gateway response includes
`handled: true`. Older gateways may acknowledge `node.event` with `{ "ok": true }`; that response is
compatible but does not count as a durable last-seen update.

Compatibility note:

- `OPENCLAW_APNS_RELAY_BASE_URL` still works as a temporary env override for the gateway.
- The public App Store release lane rejects `OPENCLAW_PUSH_RELAY_BASE_URL` for iOS builds.

## Authentication and trust flow

The relay exists to enforce two constraints that direct APNs-on-gateway cannot provide for
official iOS builds:

- Only genuine OpenClaw iOS builds distributed through Apple can use the hosted relay.
- A gateway can send relay-backed pushes only for iOS devices that paired with that specific
  gateway.

Hop by hop:

1. `iOS app -> gateway`
   - The app first pairs with the gateway through the normal Gateway auth flow.
   - That gives the app an authenticated node session plus an authenticated operator session.
   - The operator session is used to call `gateway.identity.get`.

2. `iOS app -> relay`
   - The app calls the relay registration endpoints over HTTPS.
   - Registration includes App Attest proof plus a StoreKit app transaction JWS.
   - The relay validates the bundle ID, App Attest proof, and Apple distribution proof, and requires the
     official/production distribution path.
   - This is what blocks local Xcode/dev builds from using the hosted relay. A local build may be
     signed, but it does not satisfy the official Apple distribution proof the relay expects.

3. `gateway identity delegation`
   - Before relay registration, the app fetches the paired gateway identity from
     `gateway.identity.get`.
   - The app includes that gateway identity in the relay registration payload.
   - The relay returns a relay handle and a registration-scoped send grant that are delegated to
     that gateway identity.

4. `gateway -> relay`
   - The gateway stores the relay handle and send grant from `push.apns.register`.
   - On `push.test`, reconnect wakes, and wake nudges, the gateway signs the send request with its
     own device identity.
   - The relay verifies both the stored send grant and the gateway signature against the delegated
     gateway identity from registration.
   - Another gateway cannot reuse that stored registration, even if it somehow obtains the handle.

5. `relay -> APNs`
   - The relay owns the production APNs credentials and the raw APNs token for the official build.
   - The gateway never stores the raw APNs token for relay-backed official builds.
   - The relay sends the final push to APNs on behalf of the paired gateway.

Why this design was created:

- To keep production APNs credentials out of user gateways.
- To avoid storing raw official-build APNs tokens on the gateway.
- To allow hosted relay usage only for official OpenClaw iOS builds.
- To prevent one gateway from sending wake pushes to iOS devices owned by a different gateway.

Local/manual builds remain on direct APNs. If you are testing those builds without the relay, the
gateway still needs direct APNs credentials:

```bash
export OPENCLAW_APNS_TEAM_ID="TEAMID"
export OPENCLAW_APNS_KEY_ID="KEYID"
export OPENCLAW_APNS_PRIVATE_KEY_P8="$(cat /path/to/AuthKey_KEYID.p8)"
```

These are gateway-host runtime env vars, not Fastlane settings. `apps/ios/fastlane/.env` only stores
App Store Connect auth such as `APP_STORE_CONNECT_KEY_ID` and
`APP_STORE_CONNECT_ISSUER_ID`; it does not configure direct APNs delivery for local iOS builds.

Recommended gateway-host storage:

```bash
mkdir -p ~/.openclaw/credentials/apns
chmod 700 ~/.openclaw/credentials/apns
mv /path/to/AuthKey_KEYID.p8 ~/.openclaw/credentials/apns/AuthKey_KEYID.p8
chmod 600 ~/.openclaw/credentials/apns/AuthKey_KEYID.p8
export OPENCLAW_APNS_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH="$HOME/.openclaw/credentials/apns/AuthKey_KEYID.p8"
```

Do not commit the `.p8` file or place it under the repo checkout.

## Discovery paths

### Bonjour (LAN)

The iOS app browses `_openclaw-gw._tcp` on `local.` and, when configured, the same
wide-area DNS-SD discovery domain. Same-LAN gateways appear automatically from `local.`;
cross-network discovery can use the configured wide-area domain without changing the beacon type.

### Tailnet (cross-network)

If mDNS is blocked, use a unicast DNS-SD zone (choose a domain; example:
`openclaw.internal.`) and Tailscale split DNS.
See [Bonjour](/gateway/bonjour) for the CoreDNS example.

### Manual host/port

In Settings, enable **Manual Host** and enter the gateway host + port (default `18789`).

## Canvas + A2UI

The iOS node renders a WKWebView canvas. Use `node.invoke` to drive it:

```bash
openclaw nodes invoke --node "iOS Node" --command canvas.navigate --params '{"url":"http://<gateway-host>:18789/__openclaw__/canvas/"}'
```

Notes:

- The Gateway canvas host serves `/__openclaw__/canvas/` and `/__openclaw__/a2ui/`.
- It is served from the Gateway HTTP server (same port as `gateway.port`, default `18789`).
- The iOS node keeps the built-in scaffold as the connected default view. `canvas.a2ui.push` and `canvas.a2ui.reset` use the bundled app-owned A2UI page.
- Remote Gateway A2UI pages are render-only on iOS; native A2UI button actions are accepted only from bundled app-owned pages.
- Return to the built-in scaffold with `canvas.navigate` and `{"url":""}`.

## Computer Use relationship

The iOS app is a mobile node surface, not a Codex Computer Use backend. Codex
Computer Use and `cua-driver mcp` control a local macOS desktop through MCP
tools; the iOS app exposes iPhone capabilities through OpenClaw node commands
such as `canvas.*`, `camera.*`, `screen.*`, `location.*`, and `talk.*`.

Agents can still operate the iOS app through OpenClaw by invoking node
commands, but those calls go through the gateway node protocol and follow iOS
foreground/background limits. Use [Codex Computer Use](/plugins/codex-computer-use)
for local desktop control and this page for iOS node capabilities.

### Canvas eval / snapshot

```bash
openclaw nodes invoke --node "iOS Node" --command canvas.eval --params '{"javaScript":"(() => { const {ctx} = window.__openclaw; ctx.clearRect(0,0,innerWidth,innerHeight); ctx.lineWidth=6; ctx.strokeStyle=\"#ff2d55\"; ctx.beginPath(); ctx.moveTo(40,40); ctx.lineTo(innerWidth-40, innerHeight-40); ctx.stroke(); return \"ok\"; })()"}'
```

```bash
openclaw nodes invoke --node "iOS Node" --command canvas.snapshot --params '{"maxWidth":900,"format":"jpeg"}'
```

## Voice wake + talk mode

- Voice wake and talk mode are available in Settings.
- Talk-capable iOS nodes advertise the `talk` capability and can declare
  `talk.ptt.start`, `talk.ptt.stop`, `talk.ptt.cancel`, and `talk.ptt.once`;
  the Gateway allows those push-to-talk commands by default for trusted
  Talk-capable nodes.
- iOS may suspend background audio; treat voice features as best-effort when the app is not active.

## Common errors

- `NODE_BACKGROUND_UNAVAILABLE`: bring the iOS app to the foreground (canvas/camera/screen commands require it).
- `A2UI_HOST_UNAVAILABLE`: the bundled A2UI page was not reachable in the app WebView; keep the app foregrounded on the Screen tab and retry.
- Pairing prompt never appears: run `openclaw devices list` and approve manually.
- Reconnect fails after reinstall: the Keychain pairing token was cleared; re-pair the node.

## Related docs

- [Pairing](/channels/pairing)
- [Discovery](/gateway/discovery)
- [Bonjour](/gateway/bonjour)
