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Install ​

KeyDeck needs two installs: the desktop app on your computer and the phone app on your Android phone. Both come from the KeyDeck releases page. If the words .deb or APK are new to you, read Installing apps first.

The current release is 0.0.1, marked as a pre-release. Its files are keydeck_0.2.0_amd64.deb for the desktop and keydeck_0.2.0.apk for the phone.

What you need ​

  • A computer running Ubuntu or Debian on x64 (x86-64).
  • An Android phone.
  • For Wi-Fi: the phone and the computer on the same network. For Bluetooth: Bluetooth on both.

Install the desktop app ​

  1. From the releases page, download keydeck_0.2.0_amd64.deb.

  2. Install it from the folder you downloaded it to:

    bash
    sudo apt install ./keydeck_0.2.0_amd64.deb

  3. Install the tool KeyDeck uses to press keys for you. Pick the one for your desktop session:

    bash
    sudo apt install xdotool     # X11 sessions
sudo apt install ydotool     # Wayland sessions (needs ydotoold running)

    Not sure which session you have? Run echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE. It prints x11 or wayland.

  4. Start the KeyDeck desktop app. Its window title reads KeyDeck — desktop host.

The desktop app shows which tool it uses under the QR code, for example Injection backend: xdotool. If it finds neither tool, it shows Key injection unavailable. with the command to install one.

Good to know

On a Wayland session, ydotool only works while its background service, ydotoold, is running. See the ydotool documentation for your distribution.

Install the phone app ​

  1. On your phone, open the releases page and download keydeck_0.2.0.apk.

  2. Open the downloaded file. If Android asks, allow your browser or file manager to install unknown apps.

  3. Select Install, then open KeyDeck.

  4. Allow access to the camera when asked. KeyDeck needs it to scan the QR code. To use Bluetooth, also allow the Bluetooth permissions it asks for.

Next steps ​