shareclick / what is a software KVM
What is a software KVM?
A software KVM is an application that lets one keyboard and mouse control several computers over a network, switching between them by moving the cursor to a screen edge — with no hardware box or cables. It usually shares the clipboard and can transfer files too.
What does KVM stand for?
KVM stands for Keyboard, Video and Mouse. The term comes from hardware "KVM switches" that let you drive several computers from a single keyboard, monitor and mouse. A software KVM keeps the idea but drops the hardware: it shares the keyboard and mouse (and typically the clipboard and files) between machines over your local network, while each computer keeps using its own display.
How does a software KVM work?
- You install a small app on each computer and put them on the same network (LAN).
- You lay out the screens — e.g. "the PC is to the right of the Mac".
- When you push the mouse past a shared screen edge, control jumps to the next computer; your keystrokes and mouse movements are sent to it over the network.
- The clipboard syncs automatically, so you can copy on one machine and paste on the other, and many tools (including ShareClick) can send files across too.
Software KVM vs hardware KVM
| Software KVM | Hardware KVM | |
|---|---|---|
| Extra hardware | None | Physical switch + cables |
| Shares the display | No — each PC uses its own screen | Yes (switches monitors) |
| Clipboard & files | Yes (synced over network) | No |
| Cost | Often free | Buy the device |
| Best for | Two+ computers on one desk sharing input | Servers / headless machines |
Is there a free software KVM for Mac and Windows?
Yes. ShareClick is a free, open-source software KVM that shares one keyboard, mouse, clipboard and files between a Mac and a Windows PC over the local network. Every channel is end-to-end encrypted (X25519 + ChaCha20-Poly1305), it runs LAN-only (no cloud), and it's built for the lowest input lag (~6 µs transport overhead). It's a free alternative to Synergy, ShareMouse, Barrier and Input Leap.
In short: a software KVM turns two computers on your desk into one seamless workspace — one keyboard, one mouse, one clipboard — without any extra hardware.