1. The Allow prompt
When you connect, a window called Allow remote access? appears on their screen. It shows who wants to connect, including the email of the account that's connecting, and whether it's the Windows app (a console) or a browser, with its ID. It says plainly: "They'll be able to see your screen and control this PC. Only allow it if you're expecting it."
- They click Allow or Don't allow. If nobody answers in 45 seconds, the answer is no.
- For a browser, they can choose how long to remember it, from 1 hour to until they turn it off.
- The prompt is hidden from the picture you see, so you can't click it for them. While it's open, your mouse and keyboard are paused.
If the PC has a connection password, you type that first. The PC checks it itself, and the password can be set or changed only by someone at the PC.
2. The banner, the whole time
As soon as the session starts, a Remote session active notice appears on their screen: "Someone is connected to this PC." Small chips on it show what you're using, such as the screen, control, the clipboard, sound or a terminal. It stays for as long as you're connected. They can tuck it away to a small badge, but it doesn't go away while you're there.
From the banner they can message you, and open Activity to see what you've done on their PC during the session. If small text is hard for them to read, see helping a parent with low vision use their PC for the Windows settings you can set up together in a session.
3. The controls they keep
- View only, any time. Turning off Allow remote control in the RemoteAccessApp tray menu stops your mouse, keyboard and commands at once. You can still watch, and they can turn it back on.
- End it, any time. Quitting RemoteAccessApp from the tray menu ends the session.
- Chat. The session has a chat both ways, and you can send pictures and files in it.
- Trusted consoles and browsers. The tray menu lists every console and browser the PC remembers, and they can remove any of them.
4. If you do more than look
Some things show up on their screen even when they happen in the background. If you run a Management job on their PC, they get a notice when it starts, and unless unattended access lets your own account in, they're asked to allow it and see the exact command. RemoteAccessApp never installs its own updates while someone is connected.
5. Unattended access is their choice too
Unattended access, connecting without the prompt, can only be switched on by someone at the PC, never from far away alone, and they can turn it off from the same tray menu whenever they like. Turning off Allow remote control turns it off too. The banner still appears during every session.
Tell them before you connect