a screenshot, beamed
Beam a screenshot straight to your server.
From the Mac menu bar or the iPhone share sheet, over your own SSH. The file lands on your host, and your clipboard gets the paste-ready line for your coding agent.
free · 5 beams/day · macOS 13+ · iOS 17+
live demo: press Beam screenshot above
your coding agent can't see your screen. this is how you show it.
how it works
Clipboard to remote path in one keystroke.
No window to find, no file to drag, no upload dialog. The whole loop is muscle memory; most beams land before you've switched back to the terminal.
Copy a screenshot
Cmd-Shift-4, a snip from any tool. Anything that lands a PNG on your clipboard works.
t+0.0s · origin: clipboardBeam it
One hotkey, from any app. Hostbeam uploads it to your chosen host over your own SSH: the same keys, the same config, nothing new to trust.
t+0.4s · in flight: your SSH, no relayPaste the line
Your clipboard now holds a ready sentence with the remote path. Paste it to your agent and keep moving.
t+1.2s · landed: /tmp/hostbeam/…pngon your iPhone
The agent runs on your server. You're on your phone. Beam anyway.
Driving a coding agent from an SSH client on your iPhone is real work now, right up until you need to show it something. Hostbeam for iPhone beams any screenshot or photo to your host, straight from the share sheet.
Screenshot → Share → Beam to host. The file lands on your server and the paste-ready line is on your phone's clipboard.
A “Beam last screenshot” shortcut for the Action Button or Back Tap: capture, tap the back of your phone, paste.
Hostbeam on the Mac shows a QR for any host; the phone scans it and gets its own SSH key, which never leaves the phone.
specifications
Built like a tool, not a service.
privacy
Nothing in the middle.
Your screenshot goes from your device to your server over your own SSH, the same connection you already trust. No Hostbeam account, no cloud bucket, no telemetry. We never see the file; there's no “us” in the path.
The same rule sets up the iPhone: its key is installed through access you already have. Hostbeam inherits your access. It never creates it.
pricing
Try it free. Pay once if it sticks.
No subscription, no account. The free tier is yours for as long as you like.
Free
$0
for casual beaming
- 5 beams a day, resets at midnight
- Every feature, no account, fully offline
- All your SSH hosts, paste-ready sentences
License
pay once$29one-time
for beaming all day
- Unlimited beams, forever
- One license covers 3 devices: Macs and iPhones
- A year of updates included; the app never stops working
- Renew later for half price, only if you want the new stuff
your key arrives by email right after checkout. paste it into either app and the limit is gone.
questions
Good questions.
Where do my screenshots end up?
In /tmp/hostbeam on the host you pick, by default. You can set a different folder per host, and the Storage view shows what Hostbeam has left there, with a one-click clean-up that only ever touches its own files.
Do I need a Hostbeam account?
No. Hostbeam uses the hosts already in your ~/.ssh/config and your existing keys. There's nothing to sign up for.
Which hosts work?
Anything you can ssh into: entries from your ~/.ssh/config, or a host you type in by hand. If ssh works, Hostbeam works.
How does the iPhone app connect?
The Mac app shows a QR for any host; the phone scans it and generates its own SSH key, which never leaves the phone. You authorize that key through access you already have. Hostbeam inherits your access; it never creates it.
Can I change the pasted sentence?
Yes. The template lives in settings on both apps. Keep the default “Use this screenshot: {path}”, or write your own around the {path} token.
What if a beam fails?
Hostbeam tells you why in plain language (host unreachable, key refused, folder not writable) and offers a retry or inline diagnostics. Your clipboard is never touched on failure.
Is Hostbeam free?
The free tier gives you 5 beams a day on each device, every feature included, counted locally and never sent anywhere. A $29 license removes the limit on up to 3 devices: Macs and iPhones.
Does my license cover the iPhone?
Yes. One license, three devices, any mix. Enter the same key on the phone and the daily limit is gone there too.
What happens after my year of updates?
Nothing bad. The apps keep working forever on the versions you have. Renew for half price whenever you want another year of new releases.
What ever leaves my machine?
Your screenshot, to your host, over your SSH. Licensed installs also check the key quietly with the license service. That's the whole list: no analytics, no crash reporters, no phone-home.
