How-to guides
Remote access guides
Plain, step-by-step guides for the remote access jobs people ask about most: reaching and logging in to your own PC from anywhere, helping a relative with theirs, choosing between attended and unattended access and setting it up without opening the door to anyone else, keeping sessions private, deciding who can access your PCs and servers, and getting a command line on your PCs and servers from anywhere.
All guides
- Access your PC remotelyRemote access setup for your own Windows or Linux PC, step by step, and how to reach it from anywhere for free.Read the guide
- Help family remotelyConnect to a relative's PC with the code on their screen, no account needed, then help whenever they call, with their say-so.Read the guide
- Set up unattended accessUnattended remote access setup, step by step: reach your own PCs when nobody's there, without opening the door to anyone else.Read the guide
- Attended vs unattended accessWhat attended and unattended remote access mean, when to use each, and how one free download does both.Read the guide
- SSH to a Linux serverConnect to a Linux server from Windows or another Linux machine, check its key, and copy files.Read the guide
- Remote console accessRemote console access to PCs, servers and devices: PowerShell, bash, SSH and serial consoles from anywhere, in the app or a browser.Read the guide
- No port forwardingHow to reach a PC behind a router without opening ports, and why it's safer.Read the guide
- Choosing remote desktop softwareA checklist for comparing remote desktop and remote access tools, without the marketing.Read the guide
- Log in to your PC remotelyRemote PC login from a browser, a phone or another PC, unattended too, and how to keep the PC reachable after a restart.Read the guide
- Remote desktop privacyRemote desktop privacy: what a helper, the person at the PC and the software company can see, and how to keep sessions private.Read the guide
- Access control for PCs and serversDecide who can reach each computer and server, what they may do there, and how you'd know.Read the guide
Guides for specific jobs
Phones, Macs, Chromebooks and work laptops, tricky internet connections, dropped sessions, waking PCs, shortcuts and monitors, big files, servers, scripts, teams and moving to a new PC.
- Home PC from a work laptopOpen your home PC in a browser tab on a work laptop, with nothing to install on the laptop.Read the guide
- Control your PC from a phoneUse your Windows PC from your phone's browser, with touch controls and a key row for shortcuts.Read the guide
- CGNAT, 4G/5G and StarlinkWhy port forwarding fails on shared internet addresses, how to check, and how a relay gets around it.Read the guide
- Fix dropped sessionsThe usual reasons a session drops or a PC goes offline, and the settings that fix them.Read the guide
- Wake a sleeping PCWake a PC from the app or a browser through another of your PCs on the same network.Read the guide
- Copy files between serversA step-by-step server-to-server copy over SFTP or FTP, with nothing saved on your own disk.Read the guide
- SSH through a proxyWhen an SSH connection has to go through a proxy, and how to set one per host in the Windows app.Read the guide
- Run a script on many PCsOne command or saved script on many PCs, now or on a schedule, with each PC's output and the person there kept informed.Read the guide
- Control multiple PCs at onceMirror one mouse and keyboard to several PCs, run one command on all of them, and watch them side by side in a grid.Read the guide
- Manage multiple computersOne list for all your PCs: who's online, one-click sessions, commands on many PCs, Windows tools, tags and scheduled jobs.Read the guide
- Unattended access on many PCsTurn on unattended access PC by PC, trust your console once, and reach all of them with nobody there to click Allow.Read the guide
- Remote desktop to many PCsAll your PCs in one list, several open at once in tabs or a grid, from the app, a browser or your phone.Read the guide
- Remote IT support for a teamShare PCs with the people who support them, with roles, per-PC permissions, an audit log and two-step verification.Read the guide
- Move to a new Windows 11 PCMove files from an old Windows 10 PC to a new Windows 11 one, yours or a relative's, from wherever you are.Read the guide
- Windows PC from a MacOpen your Windows PC in a browser tab on your Mac, and learn which Mac keys do what on the PC.Read the guide
- Windows PC from a ChromebookOpen your Windows PC in Chrome on a Chromebook, for the Windows apps a Chromebook can't run.Read the guide
- Keyboard shortcuts in sessionsThe session shortcuts in the Windows app, the browser's Shortcuts menu, and how to send keys your own computer keeps.Read the guide
- Multi-monitor remote desktopSwitch between a PC's monitors or see them all at once, from the Windows app or a browser.Read the guide
- Large files between your PCsCopy big files straight from one of your PCs to another, with transfers that resume after a drop.Read the guide
- Hotel, campus and public Wi-FiSet up your home PC before you leave, then reach it from hotel, campus or public Wi-Fi safely.Read the guide
- Help a parent with low visionSet up bigger text, a larger pointer and Magnifier on a parent's PC with them, from your own home.Read the guide
- An always-on spare PCKeep a spare Windows PC on at home, reachable from anywhere, and use it to wake and reach the rest of your network.Read the guide
- Run a command without a sessionRun one command or VBScript on your PCs without a live session: straight away under unattended access, otherwise after the person there allows it.Read the guide
Homelab & virtualization
Proxmox VE, VMware ESXi, KVM and Hyper-V hosts, their VMs, iDRAC, iLO and Supermicro IPMI, NAS boxes, firewalls, Docker hosts and Raspberry Pis: every console and connection in one app. Start with managing Proxmox, VMware and KVM hosts from one app.
- Manage Proxmox, VMware & KVM hostsSSH, web interfaces, RDP and VNC consoles, ISO and backup copies, scripts and dashboards for your hypervisor hosts and VMs, in one app.Read the guide
- Proxmox VE remote managementSSH to Proxmox VE nodes with keys, reach the web UI without opening ports, run qm and pct across nodes, and move ISOs and backups.Read the guide
- Manage VMware ESXi remotelyThe ESXi Host Client and vSphere Client in a tab, SSH with esxcli and vim-cmd, datastore files, and RDP or SSH into guests.Read the guide
- KVM and QEMU VM consoleslibvirt VNC consoles through an SSH tunnel, virsh for everything else, and honest limits for SPICE displays.Read the guide
- Manage Hyper-V remotelyRemote desktop and PowerShell on Hyper-V hosts, RDP into Windows guests, and the same command on many hosts.Read the guide
- TrueNAS, Unraid and NAS accessYour NAS web UI as a saved panel, SSH and SFTP with keys, a live dashboard and server-to-server copies.Read the guide
- pfSense, OPNsense and router adminKeep firewall and router admin pages off the internet and still reach them: web panels, a PC on the LAN, SSH and serial consoles.Read the guide
- Docker and Podman hostsContainers, logs, restarts and shells over SSH, host dashboards, and scripts across every Docker or Podman host.Read the guide
- Raspberry Pi and small serversSSH with keys, a VNC desktop through an SSH tunnel, a live dashboard and file copies for a Pi or any small Linux box.Read the guide
- Dell iDRAC remote accessThe iDRAC and its virtual console in a tab, racadm over SSH, and a way in from anywhere that never exposes it to the internet.Read the guide
- HPE iLO remote consoleiLO and its HTML5 console in a tab, power and the virtual serial port over SSH, and a private way in from anywhere.Read the guide
- Supermicro IPMI and iKVMThe BMC page and HTML5 iKVM in a tab, ipmitool from a server on the same network, and IPMI kept off the internet.Read the guide
Cloud servers & imports
Bring your AWS, DigitalOcean and Azure servers into the app next to your PCs, start and stop them from the list, and import the sessions you already have saved in other terminal apps, a CSV file or your SSH config.
- Manage AWS EC2 & LightsailImport EC2 and Lightsail instances as SSH and RDP hosts with a read-only IAM key, then start, stop and reboot them from your host list.Read the guide
- Manage DigitalOcean DropletsA custom-scoped token, your Droplets imported as SSH hosts with root and your key, and power on, shut down and reboot from the list.Read the guide
- Manage Azure VMsAn app registration with the Reader role, your VMs imported as RDP and SSH hosts, and start, stop, deallocate and restart from the list.Read the guide
- Import saved sessionsBring your saved SSH, RDP, VNC and serial sessions in from session files, a CSV or your SSH config, with a preview and no duplicates.Read the guide
Linux PCs
RemoteAccessApp for Linux desktops, on X11 or Wayland: install it, reach an Ubuntu desktop, control it from Windows, help someone with a one-time code, and run commands or move files. Start with remote desktop for Linux.
- Install on LinuxInstall the Agent and the Console with the .deb on Ubuntu, Debian and Mint or the .tar.gz elsewhere, add the PC, and approve screen sharing once on Wayland.Read the guide
- Remote access to UbuntuInstall RemoteAccessApp on Ubuntu, approve screen sharing once at the PC, and open the desktop from a browser or the Console.Read the guide
- Control Linux from WindowsYour Linux PCs on the Console's Devices page next to your Windows PCs: screen and control, a bash terminal, processes, services and the journal.Read the guide
- Unattended access on LinuxTurn on unattended access at the Linux PC, trust your console once, approve screen sharing once on Wayland and start the Agent at sign-in.Read the guide
- Help someone on LinuxThe person on Linux reads you the 8-digit code on their Home screen and clicks Allow; you connect from the app or a browser.Read the guide
- Linux terminal without a sessionRun a command or open a bash terminal on a Linux PC from the Devices page: straight away under unattended access, otherwise after an Allow.Read the guide
- Transfer files with a Linux PCDrop files on a session to put them in Downloads, or browse the Linux PC's home folder and filesystem from the Console, with resume.Read the guide
- Unlock a locked Linux PCA locked Linux screen is no dead end: type the user's password in the session and the system unlocks it, on Wayland and X11.Read the guide
- Approve screen sharing on WaylandThe one-time Remote Desktop dialog on Ubuntu and other Wayland desktops: what to pick, how to do it ahead of time, and what to do if it asks again.Read the guide
- Control Windows from LinuxInstall RemoteAccessApp on your Linux PC, sign in to the Console and open your Windows PCs: screen, keyboard, terminal, tools and files.Read the guide
Set up remote access on your PC brand
Each maker's power, lock and Wake-on-LAN settings, from its own support pages.
- Remote access on a DellDell Optimizer's Walk Away Lock, Peak Shift, BIOS Wake on LAN and AC Recovery, plus the free setup.Read the guide
- Remote access on an HPHP Auto Lock and Awake, S5 Wake on LAN and power savings in the BIOS, After Power Loss, plus the free setup.Read the guide
- Remote access on a LenovoThinkPad and ThinkCentre Wake On LAN, docks, ErP LPS and After Power Loss, plus the free setup.Read the guide
- Remote access on an ASUSMyASUS AdaptiveLock and TaskFirst, Power On By PCI-E, ErP and Restore AC Power Loss, plus the free setup.Read the guide
- Remote access on an AcerBIOS keys, Wake on LAN, Killer networking and preinstalled trials on Acer PCs, plus the free setup.Read the guide
- Remote access on an MSIErP Ready, Resume By PCI-E Device, power-loss settings and MSI Center's LAN Manager, plus the free setup.Read the guide
- Remote access on a SurfaceModern Standby, Wake on LAN through a Surface dock, Surface UEFI and keeping a Surface reachable, plus the free setup.Read the guide
- Remote access on a gaming PCWake on LAN, ErP and power-loss settings for ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte and ASRock boards, plus the free setup.Read the guide
Where to start
Want to reach your own PC? Start with how to access your PC remotely for free. It takes a few minutes, and you'll be able to open your PC from another PC, a browser or your phone. When that works, add unattended access so you can reach it when nobody's there, and read remote PC login to keep it ready for you after a restart. Not sure which you need? Attended vs unattended remote access explains the difference.
Helping someone else? The guide to helping a family member with their computer covers the one-time setup on their PC and what they'll see each time you connect. The same steps work for friends, customers and coworkers. If they're wary, remote desktop privacy explains exactly who can see what.
Looking after servers? Learn how to SSH to a Linux server from Windows or another Linux machine, including how to check a server's key and sign in with a key instead of a password, and remote console access for PowerShell, Command Prompt and serial consoles on your PCs. Then decide who can access your PCs and servers, and what they may do there.
Still choosing a tool? Our checklist for remote desktop software lists the questions worth asking of any product, and remote desktop without port forwarding explains why you shouldn't need to open ports on your router. Already using another app? Switch to RemoteAccessApp in a few minutes.
On the move? Reach your PC from a work laptop without installing anything or from your phone. On mobile, satellite or shared internet, read remote access behind CGNAT, 4G/5G and Starlink, and if sessions drop, remote desktop keeps disconnecting. A PC that sleeps can be woken remotely. On a Mac or a Chromebook, see controlling a Windows PC from a Mac and using it from a Chromebook. Traveling? Read remote access from hotel and campus Wi-Fi.
Getting more out of a session? Learn the keyboard shortcuts in a remote session, how to see every monitor of a PC and how to send large files between your PCs. A spare PC you can reach anywhere keeps your home network in reach, and if a parent struggles to read their screen, see helping a parent with low vision.
Running IT for others? Set up remote IT support for a small team, run a script on many PCs at once, copy files between servers and reach SSH servers through a proxy. Running a homelab or a few hypervisors? Manage Proxmox, VMware and KVM hosts in one app. Moving someone off Windows 10? See moving to a new Windows 11 PC. Need one quick command on a PC? You can run it without opening a session.
Servers in the cloud? Import and start or stop your AWS EC2 and Lightsail instances, DigitalOcean Droplets and Azure virtual machines next to your PCs. Moving from another terminal app? Import your saved sessions in one go.
Got a Linux PC? Install RemoteAccessApp on Linux and reach its desktop from a browser or from a Windows PC. To help someone on Linux, they can give you a one-time code.
Stuck on something specific? The help center has short answers for error messages and settings, the same ones the app shows under Help.
From the blog
News, release roundups and advice. See all posts.
- Before you leave homeUnattended access on, a test from your phone on mobile data, no sleep, and what a restart does on Windows and Linux: a checklist for before you go.Read the post
- SSH from your phoneReach your home server's SSH from your phone's browser through a PC at home: no port forwarding, a key bar for Ctrl, Esc and arrows, and host key checks.Read the post
- Your home PC for uniFor students: reach the desktop at home from a laptop, a library computer or a phone, on campus Wi-Fi, free for up to 5 PCs, and the rules to check first.Read the post
What you'll need
Every guide uses the free plan: up to 5 PCs and 5 saved hosts, with 3 open at once, and no card. The PCs you reach need Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), or a 64-bit Linux desktop running on X11 for the Linux guides. You can connect from another Windows PC with the RemoteAccessApp Console, or from any browser on a Mac, a Chromebook, Linux, a phone or a tablet. Download RemoteAccessApp when you're ready.
Questions, answered
Features covered in the guides
- Remote desktop for WindowsSee and control your Windows PCs from anywhere, free for up to 5 PCs.Learn more
- Remote supportHelp family, friends and customers with their PC, with them in the loop the whole time.Learn more
- Unattended accessFree unattended remote access to your own Windows and Linux PCs when nobody's there, with a trust list that lives on each PC.Learn more
- Access from a browserOpen your PCs from a web browser on a Mac, phone, tablet or any other computer.Learn more
- SSH & SFTP clientTerminal tabs, an SFTP and FTP file manager, key sign-in and one command to every server.Learn more
- SecurityConsent, encryption, trusted consoles, signed updates and how your password is protected.Learn more