Device Pairing Guide

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Prerequisites

Why Pairing is Required

1 Establishing Trust

Pairing creates a secure cryptographic link between your mobile device and the Web Companion. This ensures:

  • Authentication — Your mobile app can verify that requests originate from a trusted browser, and allows the companion to query SplitSecure servers on your behalf
  • Secure Communication — Confidential information (such as credentials) is encrypted end-to-end between your devices, and all communication is authenticated
  • Device Authority — Your mobile device remains the authority for all cryptographic operations

Start Pairing

1 Open the Web Companion

  1. On your computer, open a web browser
  2. Navigate to companion.splitsecure.com
  3. First-time visitors are automatically directed to the pairing page

If you’ve used the companion before but need to add a new device, navigate to /start or click “Add Device” from the devices page.

2 Scan the QR Code

The Web Companion displays a QR code on screen. On your iOS device:

  1. Open the SplitSecure app
  2. Tap the scan button or navigate to the scanner
  3. Point your camera at the QR code displayed on your computer screen
  4. The app will automatically detect and process the pairing request

Verify and Confirm

1 Review Pairing Details

Before confirming, your mobile app displays:

Field Description
Short ID A 6-word sequence identifying the browser
Full ID The complete browser identifier (base64 encoded)

2 Verify the Device Identifiers

  1. Compare the Short ID (6-word sequence) shown on your mobile device with the one displayed on the Web Companion
  2. They must match exactly
  3. If they don’t match, cancel the pairing and try again

3 Confirm Pairing

Once verified:

  1. Tap Confirm on your mobile device
  2. The Web Companion will show a success message
  3. You’ll be redirected to the dashboard

Your devices are now paired and ready to use.

Managing Paired Devices

1 View Your Devices

To see all paired devices:

  1. In the Web Companion, navigate to Devices (or go to /devices)
  2. You’ll see a list of all paired mobile devices
  3. Each entry shows:
    • Device nickname
    • Device identifier
    • Pairing date
    • Connection status

2 Rename a Device

For easier identification:

  1. Click on a device in the list
  2. Enter a descriptive nickname (e.g., “Work iPhone”, “Personal iPad”)
  3. Save your changes

3 Remove a Pairing

To disconnect a device:

  1. Navigate to Devices
  2. Click on the device you want to remove
  3. Click Forget Device
  4. Confirm the removal

Troubleshooting

Issue Possible Cause Solution
QR code won’t scan Camera permissions denied Enable camera access in iOS Settings
Identifiers don’t match Network interception attempt Cancel pairing, verify you’re on the correct website
Pairing times out Session expired Refresh the Web Companion page and try again
“Device already paired” Previous pairing exists Remove the old pairing from the Devices page first

External Resources