Does my monitor need anything special?
It needs
DDC/CI — a small
VESA standard the OS uses to talk to your monitor over the
existing video cable. Almost every monitor made after ~2015 supports it. If yours
has on-screen menu buttons on the front, it almost certainly works. The
troubleshooting page covers the known
exceptions, and the 3-day trial will tell you for sure (and you have a 14-day refund either way).
How is this different from a hardware KVM switch?
A traditional
hardware KVM switch
is a physical box that sits between your computers, your monitor, and your USB
peripherals. You buy one matched to specific ports and resolutions, wait for shipping,
and re-plug cables. EasyKVM does the same thing in software — each computer drives
the monitor directly (so no signal loss or refresh-rate caps), and the keyboard and
mouse hand off over your LAN.
Looking for a cheap KVM switch? Why software wins on price.
Entry-level hardware KVM switches start around $40–80 and almost
all of them cap at 1080p / 60 Hz on at least one of their
ports. To get a 1440p or 4K hardware KVM that handles 144 Hz
you're looking at $200+. EasyKVM is $29.99 once, drives whatever
your monitor's native input handles (4K, HDR, 240 Hz — all
fine, because each PC connects to the monitor on its own cable),
and it ships immediately. No box on your desk, no cables to
re-route, no shipping wait. If "cheap KVM switch" is what
brought you here, this is the cheapest path that doesn't
compromise on display quality.
How do I share one keyboard and mouse between a Mac and a PC?
EasyKVM does exactly that. Install on both machines, pair them
with a 6-digit code (one-time), then press your swap hotkey
(default Ctrl+Alt+Q) to hand the keyboard and mouse
off between them. Same physical keyboard, same physical mouse,
two computers — no cables to unplug, no hardware required. Works
over your local network at sub-50 ms latency. The 14-day
refund means you can verify it works on your specific Mac + PC
combo before committing.
What if my monitor doesn't have DDC/CI?
You can still use EasyKVM as a pure keyboard + mouse + audio
sharing tool. In Settings on the host machine, turn off "Swap
monitor input on hotkey." The swap hotkey now just toggles
Mirror Peripherals — your keyboard and mouse hand off between
machines, and you switch the monitor input manually (its
physical buttons, or however you usually do it). Useful when
DDC/CI doesn't work for you: USB-C dock pass-through, older
monitors, laptops where you only have one screen anyway.
Does it support 144 Hz, 240 Hz, 4K, HDR?
Yes — whatever your monitor, GPU, and cable already do. EasyKVM never
touches the video signal: each computer is plugged into the monitor
on its own native input (HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C), and we just tell
the monitor over
DDC/CI
which input to display. That sidesteps the headache of shopping for
a hardware KVM that advertises 144 Hz at your specific resolution,
finding it only supports it on one port, then discovering the included
cable doesn't have the bandwidth. With EasyKVM there's no port to
spec — the signal goes computer → monitor, full speed.
Does it work with two or more monitors?
Yes. Add each extra monitor in Settings with its own input
mapping, and the swap hotkey flips them all together. And if
some screens should stay put (say, a laptop panel), just don't
add them — only the monitors you configure swap.
Does one side have to be a Windows PC?
No — any two computers work: Mac ↔ Windows, Windows ↔
Windows, or Mac ↔ Mac. Either side can be the host —
the machine that runs your license; the other computer joins
over the LAN without a license. Automatic monitor input
switching (DDC/CI) runs on a Windows machine, so Mac ↔ Windows
and Windows ↔ Windows desks swap the monitor automatically. A
Mac ↔ Mac pair shares keyboard, mouse, audio and clipboard,
and you switch the monitor input manually.
Does it work over Wi-Fi?
Yes, as long as both machines are on the same LAN. Ethernet on at least one side
gives you the snappiest mouse feel, but Wi-Fi 5 / 6 is fine for typing and
everyday use.
What about audio?
Audio is bidirectional — it follows whichever computer is in
control, in either direction (Mac → PC and PC → Mac).
On Mac we capture with ScreenCaptureKit; on Windows, WASAPI loopback.
You can disable it in Settings if you'd rather keep audio local.
Free trial? Do I need to sign up?
3 days of full functionality, no credit card — long enough to
confirm it works on your hardware. After that the host
machine needs a license: paste the email and the license
key from your purchase into Settings → License on the host.
The other computer doesn't need a license or an account; it
just joins on the LAN.
Does the other computer need a license too?
No. One license covers one host machine. Any computer on the same
LAN can join it as a client — no extra license, no extra account.
Move the license to a different host with the “Change host” action
in your account (available once every 30 days).
Refund policy?
14 days, no questions — that's the EU consumer-law right of
withdrawal, and we honor it everywhere. If your monitor doesn't
expose DDC/CI or anything else surprises you, email
support@avendavi.com
with the email you used at purchase.
More than two machines?
Strictly two machines per pair right now — one host and one
joiner, and either side can be the Windows PC or the Mac.
Multi-joiner support is something we'll look at once the
two-machine flow is rock solid.
Something's broken — where do I look?
EasyKVM is in beta — expect a few rough edges. The
troubleshooting page covers
the most common issues people hit (DDC/CI compatibility, Mac
permissions, stuck modifiers, license activation) with the fix
for each. If yours isn't there, email
support@avendavi.com
and we'll add it.
Do you collect any data?
No usage analytics, no crash telemetry. The app talks to three things
and nothing else: your peer machine over LAN, the GitHub releases
server when it checks for an update, and our license server once per
launch to verify your account. Your keystrokes, mouse movements,
audio, and clipboard never leave your network.