Your computers and servers, one key away.

Configure a host once, reuse it everywhere

HostsDeck is built around the host, not the button. A host is a name, an address and a few optional service details. Every key only remembers which host it points at, so renaming or re-addressing a machine updates all of its keys at once.

1. Install

   Add HostsDeck from the Elgato Marketplace. It runs inside the Stream Deck app, no helper app or Terminal scripts.

2. Add a host

   Drag any HostsDeck action to a key and enter a name and an IP address or hostname, such as mac-studio.local.

3. Add keys

   Every other HostsDeck key can pick the same host from a list. Edit the host from any of them.

4. Press

   Your computer opens the right app. Authentication stays where it belongs: in Screen Sharing, Terminal or your browser. HostsDeck never asks for a password.

Six keys, one host record

Every key can show the host name, your own text plus the host name, your own text plus the address, or your own text only.

Two editions, one difference

Both editions share every action, every option and the same interface. The only difference is how many hosts they keep.

Each edition keeps its own settings. If you move from Lite to HostsDeck, enter your host again; it is one record.

Getting connected

On the remote Mac

Open System Settings → General → Sharing. Turn on Screen Sharing for VNC and Remote Login for SSH. For Wake-on-LAN, turn on Wake for network access under Energy and keep the Mac on Ethernet.

On the remote Windows PC

Open Settings → System → Remote Desktop and turn it on. On macOS, install Windows App (formerly Microsoft Remote Desktop) from the App Store so rdp:// links and .rdp files have a handler. Windows uses its built-in Remote Desktop Connection.

On Windows, where Stream Deck runs (as is, no support)

HostsDeck is built and supported for macOS. It also installs on Windows 10 and 11, but Windows is not a supported platform: the Windows launcher has been exercised in a virtual machine only, and problems that occur only on Windows are not covered by support. Use it there at your own risk. Connect RDP, Open Web UI, Wake on LAN and Host Status work out of the box. Windows opens ssh:// and vnc:// links only through an app registered for them, and neither PuTTY nor the built-in OpenSSH client registers one. Without a handler Windows shows “Get an app to open this ‘ssh’ link” with a Microsoft Store button; the key shows no warning because Windows reports that dialog as a successful launch. Check a scheme with start ssh://example.com in a Command Prompt.

To use PuTTY for SSH keys, run this once in PowerShell (adjust the path). It registers a handler for the current user only, no administrator rights needed, and passes the user and port from the link to PuTTY:

$putty = 'C:\Program Files\PuTTY\putty.exe'
$open = 'powershell.exe -NoProfile -WindowStyle Hidden -Command "$u=[uri]''%1''; $a=@(''-ssh''); if($u.UserInfo){$a+=''-l'',$u.UserInfo}; if($u.Port -gt 0){$a+=''-P'',$u.Port}; $a+=$u.DnsSafeHost; Start-Process ''' + $putty + ''' -ArgumentList $a"'
New-Item -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Classes\ssh\shell\open\command' -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Classes\ssh' -Name '(default)' -Value 'URL:SSH Protocol'
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Classes\ssh' -Name 'URL Protocol' -Value ''
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Classes\ssh\shell\open\command' -Name '(default)' -Value $open

For VNC, RealVNC Viewer's regular installer registers a URI handler (the standalone download does not). For TightVNC, UltraVNC or another viewer, register it the same way with the viewer's path and the host and port syntax it expects, for example host::port for TightVNC:

$viewer = 'C:\Program Files\TightVNC\tvnviewer.exe'
$open = 'powershell.exe -NoProfile -WindowStyle Hidden -Command "$u=[uri]''%1''; $p=if($u.Port -gt 0){$u.Port}else{5900}; Start-Process ''' + $viewer + ''' -ArgumentList (''{0}::{1}'' -f $u.DnsSafeHost,$p)"'
New-Item -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Classes\vnc\shell\open\command' -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Classes\vnc' -Name '(default)' -Value 'URL:VNC Protocol'
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Classes\vnc' -Name 'URL Protocol' -Value ''
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Classes\vnc\shell\open\command' -Name '(default)' -Value $open

Remove a handler with Remove-Item -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Classes\ssh' -Recurse (or vnc).

In the host editor

Troubleshooting

Nothing leaves your computer

HostsDeck stores host names, addresses and optional ports, user names, URLs and MAC addresses in the Stream Deck app's own settings on your computer. It never stores passwords, never sends data to ikolek.pl or any other server, and contains no analytics or crash reporting.

Network traffic is limited to what you trigger: opening a connection through macOS or Windows, sending Wake-on-LAN packets to the address you configured, and, for Host Status keys, short TCP connection attempts to your host at the interval you chose. The plugin's log records error codes only, never addresses or credentials.

Questions and bug reports

Email

support@ikolek.pl

Include

Your macOS and Stream Deck app versions, the edition, what you pressed, and the message shown in the key's settings. Support covers macOS; Windows reports are welcome but handled as time allows.

Publisher

Bartosz Kolek · ikolek.pl