Getting Started with Claude Code on Your iPhone — Complete Guide

What Is Claude Code?

Claude Code is Anthropic's command-line interface that brings Claude directly into your terminal. Unlike the browser-based Claude chat, Claude Code operates in your development environment. It can read your files, understand your codebase structure, write and modify code, run shell commands, and iterate on complex tasks -- all through natural language conversation in your terminal.

For developers who spend their days inside VS Code or a terminal, Claude Code is a transformative tool. You describe what you want, and Claude writes the implementation, creates tests, refactors functions, or debugs issues. It asks for permission before modifying files or running commands, keeping you in control of every change.

But there is a catch: Claude Code is a terminal application. When you step away from your desk, active sessions keep running. Permission requests queue up. You have no visibility into what is happening unless you are sitting in front of your machine.

Why You Need a Mobile Companion

Here is a scenario every Claude Code user has experienced: you kick off a long-running task -- maybe a large refactor or a complex feature implementation -- and then you need to leave your desk. You grab lunch, commute home, or just move to the couch. Meanwhile, Claude is waiting. It hit a permission request and paused. Your entire pipeline is blocked because you are not at your keyboard.

CodeSail solves this. It is an iOS companion app ($4.99 one-time purchase) that connects to your Claude Code sessions in real time. From your iPhone, you can:

• See all active and recent sessions at a glance
• Read the full conversation history as it happens
• Approve or deny permission requests instantly
• Browse your project files and view code
• Send messages to Claude directly from your phone
• Manage integrations with services like Vercel, GitHub, Sentry, and more
• Connect to remote servers via SSH

All communication between your machine and your iPhone is end-to-end encrypted with AES-256-GCM. The relay server only passes encrypted blobs it cannot read. Your code never touches anyone else's servers in plaintext.

Installing CodeSail on Your iPhone

CodeSail requires iOS 17.0 or later and is available as a one-time purchase on the App Store for $4.99.

1. Open the App Store on your iPhone
2. Search for "CodeSail" or visit the direct App Store link from codesail.app
3. Tap Get and authenticate with Face ID or your Apple ID
4. Once installed, open CodeSail. You will see the Welcome screen with an option to scan a QR code

Do not try to pair yet -- you first need the CLI installed on your development machine.

Installing the CodeSail CLI

The CodeSail CLI is a lightweight Node.js process that acts as a bridge between Claude Code on your machine and the CodeSail app on your iPhone. It requires Node.js 18 or later.

Install it globally via npm:

npm install -g codesail

The package is available on npm. Once installed, start the daemon:

codesail start

The daemon runs in the background and monitors your Claude Code sessions. It automatically detects when sessions start and end, captures conversation messages, and forwards permission requests to your phone.

To verify it is running:

codesail status

You should see output indicating the daemon is active and ready to pair. For a detailed walkthrough of CLI installation with troubleshooting tips, see the Setup Guide.

Pairing via QR Code

Pairing is a one-time process that establishes an encrypted connection between your Mac (or server) and your iPhone. No accounts. No passwords. No cloud sign-in.

1. In your terminal, run:

   codesail pair

2. A QR code will appear in your terminal
3. Open CodeSail on your iPhone and tap "Scan QR Code"
4. Point your camera at the terminal QR code
5. The app will confirm the pairing with a success animation

Behind the scenes, the QR code contains a shared encryption key. This key is stored locally on both devices and used to encrypt all future communication. The relay server that passes messages between your devices never has access to this key.

You can pair multiple machines with the same iPhone. Each machine gets its own encrypted channel. This is particularly useful if you use Claude Code on both a laptop and a remote server.

Navigating the Session List

After pairing, the main screen of CodeSail shows your Session List. This is your command center. Every Claude Code session running on your paired machine appears here in real time.

Each session row displays:

• Project name -- derived from the working directory
• Status indicator -- a green dot for active sessions, gray for completed
• Last message preview -- a snippet of the most recent conversation turn
• Timestamp -- when the session was last active
• Pending permissions badge -- an amber indicator if Claude is waiting for your approval

Tap any session to open the full session detail view. Sessions are sorted by most recently active, so the session that needs your attention is always at the top.

Using the Chat Interface

Inside a session, you see the complete conversation between you (or your terminal) and Claude. The chat interface mirrors exactly what is happening in your terminal, but formatted for mobile readability.

Message Types

CodeSail displays several types of messages:

• User messages -- your prompts, shown with a teal highlight
• Claude responses -- AI output with full Markdown rendering
• Tool calls -- when Claude reads files, runs commands, or makes edits, these appear as collapsible cards showing exactly what Claude did
• Permission requests -- amber-highlighted cards with Approve and Deny buttons

Sending Messages

You can type directly in the message input at the bottom of the screen. This is functionally identical to typing in your terminal. You can ask Claude follow-up questions, provide clarification, or give new instructions -- all from your iPhone.

CodeSail also includes prompt templates for common actions like "Continue where you left off," "Run the test suite," or "Explain this error." These one-tap shortcuts save time on mobile.

Managing Permissions on the Go

Permissions are the core reason many developers install CodeSail. When Claude Code wants to modify a file, create a new file, or run a shell command, it asks for permission first. Without CodeSail, these requests block until you return to your terminal.

With CodeSail, permission requests appear as prominent amber cards in the chat view. Each card shows:

• The type of action Claude wants to perform (file edit, file create, shell command, etc.)
• The file path or command in question
• A preview of the change when applicable

You have two buttons: Approve (green) and Deny (gray). Tap once and Claude continues immediately. No need to unlock your laptop, no need to SSH in, no need to wait until you are back at your desk.

For a deep dive into the permission system and security best practices, read How to Approve Claude Code Permissions from Your Phone.

Browsing Your Project Files

CodeSail includes a built-in file browser that lets you navigate your project directory from your iPhone. This is not just a file list -- it is a fully functional code viewer.

• Directory navigation -- tap folders to drill down, use the breadcrumb to go back up
• Syntax highlighting -- code files are displayed with proper syntax coloring for dozens of languages
• File metadata -- see file sizes, last modified dates, and line counts
• Code changes view -- when Claude has modified files, you can see diffs with additions and deletions highlighted

The file browser is especially useful for reviewing Claude's work before or after approving changes. You can read through the modified code on your phone, understand the context, and make informed decisions about permissions.

Next Steps

Once you are comfortable with the basics, there is a lot more to explore:

• Integrations -- connect your GitHub, Vercel, Neon, Sentry, OpenAI, or Resend accounts. Manage API keys and monitor services directly from CodeSail. Learn how to monitor Vercel deployments from your iPhone.
• SSH Sessions -- run Claude Code on remote servers and control everything from your phone. Read the SSH remote sessions guide to get started.
• Advanced permissions -- learn about reviewing permissions securely with workflow strategies that keep your codebase safe.

CodeSail is a one-time purchase with no subscription. Every future update is included. The CLI is free and open-source on npm. Together, they turn your iPhone into a powerful remote control for AI-assisted development.