One-time codes: get help or help someone

A code lets someone you asked for help see and control your PC, after you allow it. It's free, and neither of you needs an account: you can use it without an account and sign in later. The PC doesn't have to be set up for remote access.

Get help on your PC

1. Open RemoteAccessApp. It opens on Home.
2. On the left, under This PC's code, there's an 8-digit code, like 4829 1530. Read it to the person helping you, or copy it and send it to them.
3. When they enter it, your PC asks you to allow them. Choose Allow only if it's the person you asked.

The code works once. A new one appears after each session, and every 10 minutes if nobody used it. The refresh button makes a new one straight away, and the old one stops working. To reach your own PC later with nobody there to allow it, set a permanent password for your PC under More on Home.

On Windows the code is also under Get help in the menu of the RemoteAccessApp icon next to the clock. On Linux it's under Get help (one-time code) in the app menu.

Only give the code to someone you contacted for help. Never give it to someone who called you unexpectedly, even if they say they're from a bank, a shop or a computer company.

Help someone

1. Open RemoteAccessApp. On Home, on the right, type their code under Connect to a PC. Spaces and dashes don't matter.
2. Choose Connect.
3. Their PC asks them to allow you. The session opens as soon as they choose Allow.

On the website, sign in and choose Help someone on your dashboard. It takes the 8-digit codes and the 9-digit codes older versions of the app show.

After the session, their PC stays in your Recent PCs, so you can reconnect later without a new code. See Recent PCs. To reach your own PCs any time without a code, add them to an account as shown in connect to your first PC.

Send a help link instead

If they don't have RemoteAccessApp yet, send them a link instead of asking for a code. You need to be signed in.

1. Choose Send a help link (under Help someone in the app, or on your dashboard on the website).
2. Copy the message and send it to them by text, email or chat.
3. They open the link. On Windows, RemoteAccessApp starts downloading: they run it, see a short progress bar, and then it shows your name and asks them to allow you. There are no setup questions, nothing to sign in to, and their PC is never added to your account. On Linux, they install RemoteAccessApp and run the one command the page shows.
4. You connect as soon as they choose Allow.

You don't have to keep the link window open. While RemoteAccessApp is running (or your dashboard is open on the website), it watches your link: when their PC is ready it connects by itself, or shows "Their PC is ready for help" with Connect. Links still waiting show at the top of the app or the dashboard, with how long they have left. Click one to see it again or cancel it.

A link works once, for an hour, and you can cancel it. When the session is over, RemoteAccessApp asks them once whether to keep it:

• Keep it and finish setup keeps it, free and without an account. On Windows this finishes the normal install for everyone on the PC, so Windows asks for permission once, then the app opens without an account, with this PC's code ready. If they say no there, it stays installed just for them and still works. Either way, it then installs its own automatic updates.
• Remove it takes RemoteAccessApp off their PC.
• Decide later keeps everything as it is. They can answer later with Finish setup… in the menu of the RemoteAccessApp icon next to the clock.

While they help you

• A bar at the top of the screen says who is connected, with an End button.
• They can see your screen and use your mouse and keyboard, and chat with you.
• Their mouse and keyboard can't click the bar, the End button or any RemoteAccessApp window. Only you can.
• There's no time limit. The session lasts until one of you ends it.

End a session

Either of these ends it straight away:

• End on the bar at the top of the screen. One click.
• Quit RemoteAccessApp from the icon next to the clock.

If the code doesn't work

• That code isn't right: check the digits with them.
• That code has expired or was already used: ask them for the new code on their screen.
• Their PC isn't connected right now: ask them to keep RemoteAccessApp open and try again.
• Too many wrong codes. Try again in 15 minutes.: after 5 wrong codes, entering codes pauses for a while. Check the code with them before trying again.