You start a draft with AI on your iPhone, then want to finish it on your Mac. OGAM (Off Grid AI Mobile) and OGAD (Off Grid AI Desktop) carry the conversation between your devices, so the Mac has the earlier questions and answers when you sit down to work.
Once paired, the apps sync chat updates automatically. The local-network setup below works without a cloud sync service, even when that network has no internet connection. Install the apps, activate Pro and prepare local models first.
| Get OGAM on the App Store | Download OGAD for Mac |
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What do you need before pairing your iPhone and Mac?
Install current versions of OGAM and OGAD, activate Pro access, and complete model downloads while internet is available. Keep the Mac awake and OGAM open during pairing and your first transfer. On iPhone, allow the app to access your local network when iOS asks.
This guide uses OGAM 0.0.111 and OGAD 0.0.51. The phone-to-Mac sync release covers sharing chats and projects over your own network. The iPhone setup guide covers installation and device requirements.
| Item | Needed for |
|---|---|
| Pro access on the participating devices | Device sync |
| A local network both devices can use | The main procedure in this guide |
| Local Network permission on iPhone | Discovery and connection to the Mac |
| Camera permission, if you scan the QR code | Pairing by camera instead of entering a code |
| A local model on each device | Generating replies there without a cloud model |
Your Apple Account or iCloud is not the chat transport. Pairing connects OGAM and OGAD directly.
How do you connect the iPhone to the Mac?
Show the Mac’s pairing QR code in OGAD, then scan it from OGAM’s Sync screen. Keep both apps open until they show a connected device. If you prefer not to use the camera, enter the Mac’s displayed pairing code instead.
- On the Mac, open OGAD and select Devices in the sidebar.
- Check that the Mac is discoverable. If the status is Hidden, select that control. Leave Find nearby devices enabled.
- Select Show QR Code.
- On the iPhone, open OGAM, then Settings → Sync. You can also use Set up Sync or Sync devices on Home.
- Tap Scan pairing QR code, shown as a camera control, and scan the Mac’s code.
- Follow the displayed pairing or device-access instructions. Check that each device shows the other as connected.
For manual entry, select the Mac from OGAM’s available devices. In Pair with [device name], enter the Mac’s pairing code and select Pair.
If discovery is off on the phone, open the gear beside its device name. In Device settings, enable Discoverable and Find nearby devices. Return to Sync and tap Rescan.
How do you pick up the conversation on your Mac?
Chat sync includes conversation titles, messages and project assignments. Once the devices are paired and connected, open the existing chat on the Mac. You do not need to copy the iPhone’s answer or start a replacement conversation.
Try a small handoff first:
- On iPhone, start a chat with a local text model. Ask: “Help me draft a short invitation for a weekend lunch.”
- Let the answer finish and leave OGAM open.
- In OGAD, open Chat and select the matching conversation from its chat list.
- Confirm that the invitation request and reply are there.
- Choose a local text model on the Mac if needed. Ask: “Make it shorter and leave a space for the time.”
- Open Chats on the iPhone and check the same conversation for the Mac’s new exchange.
The text model need not have the same name on both devices. The available model must suit the device and the task. Syncing history does not install the Mac’s model on the iPhone or guarantee identical answers from different models.
Does pairing share only this one chat?
No. Chats and projects are part of the shared workspace for paired devices. The test conversation is a way to check the connection, not a setting that limits sync to one conversation.
Pair your own trusted devices. In Sync → Sharing, review optional sending and receiving for other data. You do not need to enable screenshot or download-folder sharing just to continue a chat.
Conversation attachments are a separate transfer from the message text. Wait for an image or document to finish arriving before you ask about it on the other device.
Can it sync when the router has no internet connection?
Yes, the same-network route can carry chat data without an internet connection. Keep Wi-Fi and local device access enabled. Finish app installation, Pro setup and required model downloads first. For a clear test, turn off cellular data on the iPhone while leaving Wi-Fi connected to the local network.
Send a new message and check it on the Mac. Then answer from the Mac with a local model and check the iPhone. This tests chat transfer and local generation separately.
iPhone and Mac also support a nearby Apple-device route. That can help when a normal Wi-Fi network is unavailable, but it is a separate connection path. The steps above deliberately use the same local network so you can check one route at a time. Do not turn off every wireless connection and expect sync to continue.
Why did sync stop when I locked my iPhone?
iOS limits how long apps can remain reachable in the background. Keep OGAM open while you wait for a chat or attachment to arrive. A Mac may remain available longer, but it cannot force a suspended iPhone app to stay active.
For a handoff, open OGAM, let it reconnect, check the latest messages, then continue. Treat connected status as the useful check; a saved pairing alone does not mean the phone is currently reachable.
What should you check when pairing or sync fails?
| Problem | Next check |
|---|---|
| The Mac is missing from the device list | Check Local Network access for OGAM in iOS Settings, then reopen Sync and rescan |
| The QR scanner cannot open | Allow camera access or enter the displayed pairing code manually |
| The Mac appears but does not connect | Check the local network, guest-network isolation, and device status |
| Sync pauses after you leave OGAM | Bring OGAM to the foreground and leave it open until the update arrives |
| Messages arrive, but the next reply fails | Check which local model is available on the device generating the answer |
| An attachment is still unavailable | Check the attachment in its chat and wait for its transfer to complete |
The same home-network connection will not follow you outside the house. Remote access to your Mac needs a separate reachable network route.
Continue your first iPhone draft on Mac
Get OGAM for iPhone and download OGAD for Mac. Pair them, start a short draft on the iPhone, then open that chat on the Mac and improve it. Your next question can build on the work you already did.