Your iMessages, everywhere.

You need a Mac running macOS 13 or later, signed in to Messages. The Android client requires Android 7.0 / API 24 or later. The native Windows client is packaged for x64, with a configured minimum of Windows 10 1809; Windows 11 is recommended. The Linux download is an x64 desktop bundle built with Flutter and GTK 3. Android and Linux have been tested; Linux dependencies vary by distribution, so keep the included lib/ folder with the executable.

The Mac must be awake, connected to the network, and running the relay. Sleep or shutdown pauses syncing and sending; Companion has an optional Keep Awake setting. Reading the Messages database needs Full Disk Access, and sending through Messages needs Automation permission. After the connection returns, clients catch up on messages that reached the Mac.

With the default configuration, devices connect to https://<Mac LAN IP>:3001; live updates use wss://. The local control API listens on 127.0.0.1:3000 and is reserved for Companion and local proxies. If you change the base port, the device TLS port is that port plus one. A public reverse proxy needs to forward the API and support WebSocket connections.

QR codes and connection JSON use pairing format v4: a single-use invitation that expires after 5 minutes, plus the server certificate fingerprint. Creating a new invitation invalidates the previous one. LAN connections verify the certificate with a SHA-256 pin; public HTTPS uses system certificate trust. The direct server accepts TLS 1.2 or later. Each paired device receives its own randomly generated 256-bit credential, stored as a SHA-256 hash on the server. Removing a device revokes its credential and closes its authenticated connections. This protects transport; it does not provide end-to-end encryption through a TLS-terminating proxy.

Messages stay in the Mac’s Messages database, with a relay copy in relay.db and local caches on clients. Firebase is optional and uses your own project. If you enable FCM, notification metadata passes through Google; sender names and message previews may also be included, depending on your preview setting. Optional public-address discovery stores the public URL in Firestore, rather than chat history or device credentials.

The relay checks the Mac’s Messages database every 5 seconds by default; this interval is configurable. Clients receive WebSocket updates and fetch changes after reconnecting. Five seconds is the database polling interval, not a guaranteed delivery time. Read/unread state, hidden conversations and hidden messages sync between devices. Hiding a conversation suppresses its notifications while its history continues syncing; it does not delete the original messages from the Mac.

Foreground syncing works without Firebase. Android offers optional FCM push and a keep-alive foreground service; both are off by default. Background delivery depends on notification permissions, battery restrictions and whether the system allows the app to run. The Windows client uses native local notifications while it is running. After reconnecting, clients catch up even if a notification did not arrive.

Yes, with a reachable public HTTPS address or a private network connection to your Mac. Remote access is configured separately; micaGO does not provide a hosted relay. Cloudflare Tunnel is one optional route, and a reverse proxy that terminates TLS can access the traffic it forwards. The Mac still needs to stay awake and online. See the remote access guide.

micaGO supports individual and group chats, images, video, audio and reactions. SMS requires iPhone Text Message Forwarding to the Mac, plus SMS sending enabled in the relay. Advanced message actions depend on the macOS version and optional IMCore integration, which is off by default. micaGO is still in beta, and feature coverage varies between clients.

micaGO is an independent project and is not affiliated with Apple. It connects to Messages on your own Mac; you still need your own Apple account and a working Messages setup.