Get started

Three things stand between you and your first remote session: install a client, sign in, and hold a grant for the machine you want to reach.

1. Download a client

Every download URL carries an explicit version number. There is no latest alias that changes underneath you — the URL tells you exactly which build you installed.

Platform	Current version	File	Requirements
macOS (Apple Silicon)	4.0.3	FortSwift-v4.0.3-macos-arm64.dmg	macOS 12 (Monterey) or later
Windows (x64)	4.0.3	FortSwift-v4.0.3-windows-x64.zip	Windows 10 64-bit or later
Android (arm64)	4.0.1	FortSwift-v4.0.1-android-arm64.apk	Android 8.0 or later
Linux	—	—	Not yet released

Also: 4GB RAM minimum (8GB recommended) and about 500MB of disk.

macOS is Apple Silicon only

There is no Intel build. The Android client also trails the desktop ones (4.0.1).

Downloads: https://fortswift.com/download

4.0.4 is coming

4.0.4 is in preparation. The download page picks up the new version numbers on release; see the release notes for what changes.

Verify the package

Each release ships a SHA256SUMS-v<version>.txt. Check your download against it:

# macOS / Linux
shasum -a 256 FortSwift-v4.0.3-macos-arm64.dmg

# Windows PowerShell
Get-FileHash .\FortSwift-v4.0.3-windows-x64.zip -Algorithm SHA256

Compare the hash with the line for that filename in the checksum file. Install only if they match.

2. Install

macOS

1. Open the .dmg and drag FortSwift into Applications.
2. On first launch macOS asks for permissions. Do not skip this — without them the machine can act as a controller but cannot be controlled:
   • Screen Recording (System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording): captures the screen being shared.
   • Accessibility (System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility): injects the remote keyboard and mouse.
3. After granting, quit FortSwift completely and reopen it — macOS reads both permissions only at process start.

Black screen?

Almost always Screen Recording was not granted, or was granted without restarting the app. See troubleshooting.

Windows

1. Unzip and run FortSwift from inside the archive.
2. The package is EV code signed, so SmartScreen should stay quiet. If it does warn, verify the SHA-256 above before continuing.
3. Screen capture and input injection on Windows need an interactive logged-in session. To keep a Windows machine reachable as a host, a user has to stay signed in.

Android

The Android build is controller-only — use a phone or tablet to reach other machines, but an Android device cannot itself be a host. Installing the .apk prompts you to allow apps from this source.

Linux

The Linux client is not released yet. If you need it, tell us via fortswift.com/contact-sales.

3. Sign in

Use the account your administrator issued. FortSwift has no public self-registration — accounts are created by a team administrator in the portal.

Right after your first sign-in, do two things:

• Register a passkey so you can sign in without a password afterwards;
• Confirm your account code (TOTP) is enrolled — every device grant from here on needs it.

See accounts and sign-in.

4. Make your first machine reachable

Two halves, in this order:

1. Enable the host — in the portal's My Devices (「我的设备」), use Enable control permission (「启用控制权限」) on that machine and enter your account code. Only then is it a valid target. See enabling a host.
2. Request a device grant — from your controller, request access; an account owner or administrator approves it with their account code. See device grants.

You may not be the one who approves

Approving, rejecting and revoking device grants all require account owner or administrator rights. If you are neither, your request waits for someone who is.

Once both are done the host picks it up in at most about 60 seconds. Then pick the machine on your client's home screen to connect — see remote sessions.

Next

• Hit an error → troubleshooting
• Wondering where data lives → security model
• Administrator tasks → portal guide