Check that you have both parts
You need the Thumble phone app as well as Thumble Receiver on macOS 15 or later. The receiver download is available; public phone apps are coming soon. These instructions apply to an existing supported phone installation.
The phone sends controls to your Mac over the local network. Thumble does not stream WoW to your phone. Pairing does not require ConsolePort, an AI agent or a cloud account; ConsolePort is needed later for the documented WoW setup.
1. Start with the receiver
Open the receiver on the Mac you want to control. Quit older receiver copies so you are connecting to the intended instance. Use Pair phone… to display its current QR code.
If the receiver reports a network error instead of being ready, resolve that error before scanning another code. A screenshot of an old invitation is not a replacement for a running receiver. Follow the current receiver installation steps if it is not installed.
2. Check the local network
Connect the phone and Mac to the same Wi-Fi. Guest or managed networks can isolate devices even when both devices can browse the internet. If you manage the network, check whether local devices are allowed to communicate. Otherwise, try a local network you control rather than changing a network administrator’s settings.
Internet access alone does not prove the phone can reach the receiver. If a VPN or network filter is involved, check its local-network policy. You do not need to expose the receiver through router port forwarding.
3. Check permission to connect
On iPhone, open Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network and allow Thumble if it is listed. Apple explains this permission in its local-network privacy guide. Return to Thumble and try the connection again.
Camera permission is needed to scan a QR code. If scanning is blocked, check the app’s camera permission. Camera access and local-network access are different permissions: allowing one does not allow the other.
On Android, review the permissions requested by your Thumble build in its app settings. Settings names vary by Android version and phone maker; follow the permission message shown by the app.
4. Scan a fresh invitation
The current receiver creates invitations valid for two minutes. Display its current pairing code and scan it from Thumble’s setup flow. Avoid repeatedly scanning a saved image after it has expired.
After restarting the receiver, pair again. An old invitation belongs to the previous receiver session. If you have several Macs, confirm that the code is coming from the receiver you intend to use.
Keep QR codes and copied pairing links private. They contain temporary connection credentials and should not appear in public bug reports.
If pairing works but WoW does not
A connected phone proves the local connection, not gamepad recognition or correct game bindings. Continue with WoW controller detection on Mac, then complete the five in-game checks.
If you still cannot connect, contact support with phone, macOS and receiver versions, the visible error, whether it happened after a restart, and whether you are on a guest or managed network. Exclude pairing codes, tokens and private network credentials.
Sources and scope
These are documented diagnostic checks, not a claim that this guide reproduced and fixed every failure. Menu names can change with the receiver or phone build. Start with the current Thumble setup reference and the ConsolePort release files.
Get ready for phone controls
The Thumble phone apps are coming soon. Get launch updates while you prepare your WoW setup.