Desktop Relay
Connect your desktop Foxl to the web app for remote access with full agent capabilities
The Desktop Relay lets you connect your desktop Foxl agent to the web app at app.foxl.ai. When connected, the web app routes your conversations through your desktop agent, giving you full tool access from any browser.
How It Works
| Mode | What you get |
|---|---|
| Connected | Full agent: browser automation, code execution, file management, git, memory, skills, terminal |
| Disconnected | Chat-only: direct AI conversation through the cloud relay (no tools) |
Connecting Your Devices
Step 1: Sign In on Desktop
Open the desktop app and sign in with your Foxl account (Google, Apple, or magic link). Navigate to Settings > Relay and toggle Remote Access on.
Step 2: Sign In on the Web App
Open app.foxl.ai and sign in with the same account. Your desktop is automatically detected — no pairing code needed.
Step 3: Connected
The web app connects to your desktop agent automatically. When your desktop app is running, the web app has full tool access.
Connection is automatic — just sign in with the same account on both devices. Multiple web browsers can connect to a single desktop.
Connection Status
The web app shows your connection status:
- Desktop Online: Connected to your desktop agent. Full tool access available.
- Desktop Offline: Desktop app is not running or unreachable. Chat-only mode active.
When the desktop comes back online, the web app detects it automatically and reloads to restore full agent mode.
Remote Terminal
When connected, you can access your desktop terminal from the web app:
- Spawn terminal sessions directly from the chat UI
- View real-time terminal output remotely
- Multiple tabs and split view supported
- The agent can also use the terminal tool to run commands
End-to-End Encryption
All communication between your web browser and desktop app is end-to-end encrypted:
- Key exchange: ECDH P-256 (Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman)
- Encryption: AES-256-GCM
- Forward secrecy: Ephemeral keys generated per connection
- Verification: E2E fingerprint displayed in the web app for manual verification
The relay server routes encrypted messages but cannot read their contents. Your conversations, file contents, and tool results are encrypted end-to-end.
Device Management
From the desktop app Settings > Relay, you can:
- View connected devices: See all web browsers connected to your desktop
- Disconnect a device: Revoke access for a specific browser
- Toggle remote access: Enable or disable web client connections
Offline Fallback
When your desktop is disconnected, the web app automatically switches to relay direct mode:
- Chat continues working through the cloud relay (no tools, but AI conversation works)
- Relay conversations are stored locally in the browser
- When desktop reconnects, the app automatically switches back to full agent mode
Sleep/Wake Reconnection
Foxl automatically reconnects after your laptop sleeps:
- The desktop app detects sleep/wake events via Durable Object ping timing
- If no ping is received within 90 seconds, a reconnect is triggered
- The web app detects the reconnection and reloads to restore full agent access
Troubleshooting
Web app says "Desktop Offline" but the app is running
- Check that both devices are connected to the internet
- Wait a few seconds — the web app detects desktop status automatically
- Try a hard refresh (Cmd+Shift+R) in the web app
- Toggle the relay off/on in the desktop app Settings
Connection drops after laptop sleep
- Foxl should auto-reconnect within a few seconds of waking
- If it doesn't reconnect, toggle the relay off/on in the desktop app Settings
Connection drops frequently
- Ensure your network allows WebSocket connections
- Check if a firewall or VPN is blocking the connection