Guide

Getting Started

What makes MTerm different, and how to get started — from adding hosts to terminal basics

Getting Started with MTerm

MTerm is an SSH client built from the ground up for iPad and iPhone, designed specifically for developers who work with AI terminal tools like Claude Code, Cursor, and Aider. While other SSH apps treat mobile as an afterthought, MTerm makes your tablet a genuinely capable development machine.

Why MTerm?

There are plenty of SSH clients on the App Store. Here is what sets MTerm apart:

Native Pane Splitting

Split your screen into up to four terminals without relying on tmux. Each pane runs its own independent session, and you can mix panes freely — terminal, file editor, file browser, or prompt panel in any combination. Drag borders to resize. It just works.

Accurate CJK Character Rendering

Japanese, Chinese, and Korean characters are rendered at their correct 2-cell width. This sounds like a small thing until you have used an SSH client that gets it wrong — misaligned cursors, overlapping text, and garbled output everywhere. MTerm gets it right because the rendering engine was rewritten specifically for this.

tmux Mouse Mode Integration

MTerm auto-detects when tmux has mouse mode enabled and forwards your touch gestures directly — tap to switch panes, scroll to navigate history. No configuration needed. It just picks up set -g mouse on and does the right thing.

Mosh Support

Working from a cafe with spotty Wi-Fi? On a train switching between cellular towers? Mosh keeps your session alive through network changes. MTerm implements the Mosh protocol natively, so your connection survives Wi-Fi-to-cellular handoffs without dropping a keystroke.

Built-in File Browser and Editor

Browse remote file systems over SFTP, preview images, and edit code with syntax highlighting — all without leaving the app. The editor supports 11 languages with a VSCode Dark+ color scheme.

IDE Mode

Combine terminal, file browser, and editor into a single screen. Edit your code in one pane, run it in another, browse files in a third. This is particularly powerful for Claude Code workflows where you need to review generated code while the AI is still working.

Command Palette

Press Cmd+Shift+P to instantly access any action — split panes, open settings, switch themes, toggle focus mode, and more. If you are used to VS Code, you will feel right at home.

Webhook Notifications

Set up push notifications that fire when Claude Code finishes a task, when a CI/CD pipeline completes, or when your server sends an alert. You can leave the app entirely and get notified when something needs your attention.

iCloud Sync

Your host configurations, connection settings, and preferences sync automatically across all your devices. Set up a host on your iPad, and it is ready on your iPhone.

Adding an SSH Host

Step 1: Create a Host

Tap the Add Host button on the home screen. Fill in the connection details:

FieldDescription
HostnameIP address or domain name of the server (e.g., 192.168.1.100 or dev.example.com)
PortSSH port number. Almost always 22 unless your server is configured differently
UsernameYour login username on the remote server
Auth MethodPassword or SSH key (key authentication is strongly recommended)

Step 2: Set Up SSH Key Authentication

MTerm supports the following key formats:

  • Ed25519 — Recommended. Modern, fast, and secure. If you are generating a new key, use this.
  • RSA PKCS#1 — Traditional format starting with -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----. Widely compatible.
  • RSA OpenSSH — Newer OpenSSH format starting with -----BEGIN OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY-----. Also fully supported.

All private keys are stored securely in the iOS Keychain, protected by the device’s hardware security. Keys never leave the device and are not included in iCloud backups.

To import a key, you can paste it directly, import from a file, or use the clipboard.

Step 3: Advanced Connection Options

MTerm supports several advanced configurations for more complex setups:

  • Jump Hosts (Bastion Servers): Connect through intermediate servers when your target machine is not directly reachable. MTerm handles the multi-hop SSH chain for you, including RSA-SHA256 authentication through jump hosts.
  • Port Forwarding: Set up local port forwards (access remote services as if they were local) or remote port forwards (expose local services to the remote network). Forwards are saved per host and reconnect automatically.
  • Custom Icons: Assign a unique icon to each host so you can visually distinguish between your production server, staging environment, and development machine at a glance.
  • iCloud Sync: Host configurations are shared across all your devices automatically. Add a host on your iPad, connect from your iPhone.

Terminal Basics

Tap any host to establish an SSH connection. Once connected, the terminal view opens and you are ready to work.

Scrolling

Both touch and trackpad scrolling are fully supported. Swipe with one finger on the screen, or use two fingers on a Magic Keyboard trackpad. The scroll buffer stores up to 5,000 lines of history (the default is 1,000, configurable in settings).

Copying Text

Long-press anywhere in the terminal to open the radial menu — a circular context menu that gives you quick access to copy, paste, select all, and other actions. Select the text you want, then tap the copy action.

Pasting Text

Use the paste button on the soft key bar, the radial menu, or the standard Cmd+V keyboard shortcut with a hardware keyboard.

Keyboard

MTerm includes a customizable soft key bar above the on-screen keyboard with modifier keys (Ctrl, Alt, Escape) and arrow keys. When you connect a hardware keyboard like the Magic Keyboard, over 25 keyboard shortcuts become available. See the Keyboard & Input guide for the full list.

Next Steps

Now that you are connected, explore these guides to get the most out of MTerm:

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Pane Splitting & Tabs