Astropad has released Workbench 1.3, its biggest update yet for the remote desktop app designed for the AI era. First launched in April, Workbench enables remote access to a Mac from an iPhone or iPad, with a focus on monitoring AI agents and managing headless Mac mini setups. The new version rebuilds the video streaming system for Apple silicon, delivering 30% faster streaming speeds.

Content-aware encoding enhances text clarity and refresh rates, while a privacy curtain hides the Mac’s display during remote sessions. Users can choose from three curtain styles, dim the physical display, and block local keyboard or mouse input. A new Watchdog feature monitors the app in the background and restarts it after crashes or disconnections.

Picture-in-picture support keeps the remote Mac visible while using other apps. On iPad, shortcut mapping redirects iPadOS commands to the connected Mac. The update also includes 71 bug fixes addressing keyboard input, clipboard syncing, and sign-ins.

Since its debut, Workbench has gained external mouse support, smoother zooming, smarter sleep handling, and improved encryption, among other enhancements.