Control your machine
from your phone.
CNC Control turns a phone or tablet into a wireless jog pendant and macro pad for your CNC, laser, or router. To get started you set up one bridge between the app and your machine - either the Windows receiver or an ESP32 dongle.
Choose your bridge
The app needs something on the other end to receive its commands. Pick whichever suits your setup - you only need one.
Windows Receiver
A small app that runs on the same PC as your CNC software. Connects over your Wi-Fi network. Best if your machine is already driven by a Windows PC.
→ Jump to setup Hardware · UniversalESP32 Dongle
A tiny board that plugs into the target machine and pretends to be a USB keyboard. Connects over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Works even without a PC running the control software.
→ Jump to setupWindows Receiver
The quickest route. Download the receiver, run it, and let the app find it on your network.
Download the receiver
Grab the build that matches your Windows version.
Unzip and run it
Extract the archive and launch the app. It tucks itself into the notification area, down near the clock - no main window.
Optional: start with Windows
Right-click the tray icon and tick “Start with Windows” so the receiver is always ready after a reboot.
Discover it from the app
With the receiver running, open CNC Control and find it under Wi-Fi.
ESP32 Dongle
For the hardware route you need an ESP32-S2 or ESP32-S3 board or dongle. It emulates a real USB keyboard to the target machine, then talks to your phone over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
Step 1 · Flash the firmware - pick a method
Download & flash
Grab the firmware binary and flash it with your own tool.
github.com/DnG-Crafts · /releases/ESP32 →Web flasher
Flash straight from a Chrome-based browser over USB - no install.
d-n-g.github.io/flasher.html →Flash from the app
Plug the ESP32 into your phone/tablet (USB-OTG) and flash from CNC Control itself.
Menu → Flash ESP32 Firmware
Plug it into the machine
Once the firmware is on the ESP32, unplug it from the flashing source and connect it to your target machine.
Connect from the app
Open CNC Control and connect to the dongle over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
BOOT button on the ESP32 while you plug it in, then try again.
Connect & the app menu
However you bridged in, the app menu is mission control - connection, machine profiles, layout and firmware all live here.
Open the menu
Tap the menu icon (top-left). Every setting lives in here.
Pick your connection type
Choose how to connect, then tap the connection row to link up. The Windows receiver is Wi-Fi only; an ESP32 dongle can use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Configure lets you set the IP and port manually.
Jump to setup tools
From here you reach Edit Layout, Key Bindings, and Flash ESP32 Firmware - covered next.
Profiles, layout & key bindings
Build a control surface for each machine: create profiles, drag buttons into place, and map each one to the keyboard shortcut your software expects.
Create machine profiles
Add a profile per machine and switch between them. The active profile drives the buttons you see. Tap + New Profile to add one, or select an existing profile to edit or remove it.
Edit the main layout
Enter edit mode to drag buttons to reposition them on the grid, resize them, and tap the pencil to edit. Use + Add for new buttons and Done when finished.
Edit key bindings & buttons
Open the button list to add or remove buttons and see each one's key binding at a glance - e.g. Alt+F for Frame, Alt+S for Start.
Tune a single button
Tap a button to set its label, colour and width, and to define the exact key binding - including modifiers like Ctrl, Shift, Alt, GUI and Num.
