Devices
Pair your PC and your phone
A device is another Keepfin app you own, such as your phone or another PC. You pair two devices once, and after that only they can talk to each other.
How it works in one minute#
- Paired devices keep their libraries in step directly over your home network. There is no account and no Keepfin server.
- Each device works fully on its own, and they catch up when they meet.
- Being found is not being paired. A device you can see does nothing until you confirm it on both.
Turn devices on#
Nothing listens on your network until you turn devices on.
On Windows
Go to Settings → Devices and switch Devices on on. Windows may ask whether Keepfin can use the network; allow it (see The Windows firewall). Press Rename next to the PC's name so you can recognise it. Your other devices show this name.
On Android
Open Settings → Devices and switch Devices on. Name this phone with Rename (Name of this phone). Your other devices show this name.
The round How devices work button at the top of the page explains what finds what, what pairing does and what syncs by itself.
Pair by finding each other#
- Open Keepfin on both devices, on the same Wi-Fi, with Devices on. On one of them open Settings → Devices. Under Available devices, press Connect next to the other device. It appears within a few seconds.
- If the other device is not open to pairing yet (Settings → Devices open, with Devices on), Keepfin says so and waits. Then it connects by itself. (A device accepts new devices for two minutes after you open Devices or Add by address.)
- Both screens show the same six numbers (like 482 193). On a phone they appear as a dialog wherever you are in Keepfin, or as a notification when Keepfin is in the background. Check that they match, and press Codes match on both devices.
- The screen says Connected to the other device's name, and the two libraries now stay in step. Press Done.
If the other device does not show up, Not seeing your device? (on Android Not seeing it?) lists what to check. Search again looks again.
Pair with a QR code#
Use a QR code when discovery does not work (some routers, guest Wi-Fi, VPNs), or the other device is not on your Wi-Fi.
- On the PC, open Settings → Devices: Scan with your phone shows a QR code, with a code to type if the other device has no camera. On Android, press Add a device and then Show my code.
- On the other device choose Scan a code (on Android; on a PC type the code or paste the pairing link in Add by address) and scan it. The code works once and ends after two minutes.
- The device that showed the code asks to add the other device. Say yes only if you scanned the code yourself, just now.
Pair by address#
On the PC press Add by address (under Not seeing your device?), on Android press Add a device. Type the code or address shown on the other device in Enter the code or address shown on your other device, for example 192.168.1.20 or my-pc.tailnet.ts.net, and press Connect (on Android Pair). Useful for a VPN such as Tailscale. See Away from home.
After pairing#
The two libraries stay in step. A paired device can sync the library by default. Everything else is off until you allow it: see What each device may do. A paired device is listed under Your devices with its status (Up to date, Syncing…, Connected or Offline) and, when you open its card, its fingerprint.
How it works
The six numbers are computed from the secret keys of both devices during the connection. They match only if no one sits in between. The QR code carries a one-time secret instead of numbers to compare. See Privacy and security.