Quickstart

This guide walks you through sending your first display update. You'll need about five minutes.

1. Get the app

Download Push To Display on your phone or tablet:

2. Sign in

Open the app and sign in. The system automatically creates a default board and links your device to it — you're ready to receive updates immediately.

You can also sign in to the web portal to manage boards and send test updates from the Playground.

3. Send your first update

Pick whichever method works best for you:

CLI

The fastest way to get started — no API key or board ID needed:

npx pushtodisplay auth login
npx pushtodisplay send "Hello, Display!"

The CLI opens your browser to sign in, then sends the update to your default board.

cURL

For direct HTTP calls, you'll need an API key (grab one from the API Keys section in the app or the web portal):

curl -X POST https://api.pushtodisplay.com/v1/updates \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: <your-api-key>" \
  -d '{
  "blocks": [{ "text": "Hello, Display!", "size": "large", "weight": "bold" }]
}'

Board ID is optional — when omitted, the update goes to your default board.

GitHub Action

Store your API key as a GitHub secret:

- uses: pushtodisplay/action@v1
  with:
    api-key: ${{ secrets.PTD_API_KEY }}
    text: "Hello, Display!"

MCP (AI agents)

If you use Claude Code, Cursor, or another MCP-compatible tool, log in once and add the server — the agent can send updates directly. See MCP Setup for configuration.

4. Watch it arrive

The content appears on your device in real time. If your device is offline, it will show the latest update when it reconnects.

A successful API call returns 202 Accepted with a confirmation:

{
  "messageId": "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
  "enqueuedAtUtc": "2026-04-14T12:00:00Z",
  "userId": "user-abc"
}

What's next?

Want to style your content? Learn about blocks (text size, color, weight) and panels (density, alignment, background).
Using the HTTP API? See the full endpoint reference.
Prefer the terminal? The CLI guide covers installation, login, and all available commands.
Setting up CI/CD? The GitHub Action page has workflow examples.
Working with AI agents? The MCP Server page explains setup for Claude, Cursor, and more.