CommandDeskGuide
Input Leap and Barrier on Mac in 2026
Short answer: Input Leap's project is archived and Barrier hasn't had a release since 2021, so neither will get fixes for new versions of macOS. Deskflow is the maintained free successor, and there are paid options if you'd rather not tinker. We make CommandDesk, one of them; the others are described from their own pages.
| Project | Last release | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Barrier | 2.4.0, November 2021 | Unmaintained (per Input Leap’s README) |
| Input Leap | 3.0.3, June 2025 | Archived on GitHub (read-only); macOS downloads labelled “debug” |
| Deskflow | 1.27.0, October 2026 | Active; Mac, Windows and Linux; free |
From each project's GitHub page, checked 18 October 2026.
What happened to Barrier and Input Leap
Barrier was a free fork of the original Synergy. When it stalled, its maintainers started Input Leap, and Input Leap's README calls Barrier unmaintained. Input Leap's own project is now archived on GitHub, which makes it read-only, and its last macOS downloads are labelled as debug builds.
If yours still works, nothing breaks overnight. But each macOS update is a gamble, and on a Mac these apps already depend on permissions macOS keeps tightening.
1.Deskflow: the maintained free option
Free and open source, released regularly, with Mac, Windows and Linux downloads. It also talks to Input Leap and Barrier, so you can switch one computer at a time. On a Mac it takes a little setup: Homebrew, or a Terminal command to clear macOS's “damaged” warning, plus Accessibility permissions. Our Deskflow on Mac guide walks through it.
2.CommandDesk: a Mac and one PC, no configuration
Made for a Mac in charge of a Windows 10/11 or Ubuntu PC. No server and client to set up: the PC appears in a list, you check the same 6-digit code on both screens, and the pointer carries on off the edge of your Mac. Copied text pastes on either side, the PC's sound plays through your Mac, and the PC can become a second screen for your Mac.
$19 once, notarized by Apple. One PC at a time, so not for desks with three or more computers.
Done with config files?
CommandDesk pairs your Mac and PC with a 6-digit code, plays the PC's sound on your Mac, and can make it a second screen. $19 once.
3.Synergy 3
The commercial app the whole family comes from: Lite is $15 for up to 3 computers, Plus $19 for up to 5, Max $29 for up to 15, all one-time with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Mac, Windows and Linux. Synergy and its alternatives compared.
Which should you pick?
- Free, and you liked Barrier: Deskflow.
- A Mac and one PC, working in minutes: CommandDesk.
- Three or more computers, paid and supported: Synergy 3.
Questions
Is Input Leap still maintained?
Its GitHub project is archived, which makes it read-only: no new releases or fixes. The last release was 3.0.3 in June 2025.
Does Barrier still work on a Mac?
Its last release was 2.4.0 in November 2021, and Input Leap’s maintainers describe it as unmaintained. It may still run, but it won’t get fixes for new versions of macOS.
What replaced Input Leap and Barrier?
Deskflow is the actively maintained free project in the same family, and it can talk to existing Input Leap and Barrier setups. For a paid option, Synergy 3; for a Mac and one PC, CommandDesk.
Can I mix Deskflow with Input Leap or Barrier while I switch?
Yes, Deskflow says it works with Input Leap and Barrier, so you can move one computer at a time.
CommandDesk: one keyboard and mouse for your Mac and PC
Plus a second screen and your PC's sound on your Mac. $19 once, with a refund if it can't connect to your PC.