How it works

From your iPhone to your PC, directly over Bluetooth.

No Wi-Fi, server or account needed between your phone and PC. Your button presses and the way you aim go straight to Chrome on your PC, and a red dot appears inside your Google Slides™.

Diagram: the iPhone connects directly to Chrome on the PC over Bluetooth, and a red dot appears on the slide on the room display. Nothing goes through the cloud. 1 Bluetooth LE no server 2 3
  1. iPhone app
  2. Direct Bluetooth (no cloud)
  3. Chrome extension on your PC → red dot on the slide

Three steps

  1. iPhone appSends your Next and Back presses and a pointer position worked out from how you aim the iPhone (motion sensors).
  2. Direct BluetoothNo Wi-Fi, server or account needed between your phone and PC. Bluetooth Low Energy carries it from the iPhone to the PC, one way.
  3. Chrome extension on your PCMoves Google Slides forward and back and draws the red dot inside the slide, so it shows on the venue screen, in the stream and in the recording.
A hand in a suit sleeve holds an iPhone; a red dot glows on the chart on the display behind.
Photo is illustrative (AI-generated)

Where your data goes

Smart Pointer only exchanges data between your iPhone and your PC.

Stays on your devices

  • Button presses and pointer positionFrom the iPhone to the PC, directly over Bluetooth. No server in between
  • Tab title and slide numberProcessed only on your PC, for example to tell whether a slideshow is running
  • SettingsSaved on the iPhone and in Chrome on your PC (the extension’s storage)
  • Connection logKept in Chrome on your PC for 24 hours. It contains no slide content

What Smart Pointer never sends

  • Slide content and screen imagesNot over Bluetooth, and not to the internet
  • Audio and cameraThe app does not ask for the microphone or camera
  • Location and contactsThe app does not ask for these permissions
  • Account detailsThere is no sign-up. Your Apple ID and name are not sent

The app and extension code open no network connections. The only exceptions are links you click, such as help pages and forms (Google Slides itself works online as usual). The Bluetooth radio link is not encrypted: someone nearby could receive the pointer position and button presses, but never slide content. For details, see For IT administrators and the privacy policy.

At a glance

Extension
Asks only for storage
and runs only on Google Slides pages
Direction
iPhone → PC
The PC sends no app data to the iPhone
Connection
Direct Bluetooth
No Wi-Fi, server or account needed between your phone and PC
The red dot
Drawn inside the slide
So it shows on screens, streams and recordings. No laser light is emitted

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