Looking for a fast and free remote desktop tool? We’ve got you covered with the seven best free remote desktop applications for all your troubleshooting and management needs.
Whether you’re working from home, or need to troubleshoot a PC from across the country, having a reliable and secure remote desktop application will make your job undoubtedly easier. You’re going to want a tool that is easy to install, has intuitive features, and is secure to use in your network.
A blog covering tutorials and tips for remote desktop softwares like Windows RDP, Chrome Remote Desktop, AnyDesk, TeamViewer, GoToMyPC, Remote PC and Zoho Assist. In the next opened window, confirm that you want to reset the Google Chrome settings by click on the “Reset” button. Remove AnyDesk plugins (including all other doubtful plug-ins) from Firefox Mozilla. Open the Firefox menu and select “Add-ons”. Click “Extensions”. Select all the recently installed browser plug-ins. Optional Method. How To Use AnyDesk’s Remote Desktop Features. On the remote side, as soon as a session is requested, the accept window pops up. You may take control of the remote device, but the remote side can still decide the level of control they want to give you by simply clicking the respective permissions on the accept window. Chrome Remote Desktop allows users to remotely access another computer through Chrome browser or a Chromebook. Most users think this is a great alternative to AnyDesk. View 78 alternatives to Chrome Remote Desktop.
Here is our list of the seven best remote desktop tools:
- SolarWinds Dameware EDITORS CHOICE The remote desktop tool built specifically for larger companies and MSPs. Features troubleshooting tools, remote monitoring, and cross-platform remote access.
- SolarWinds Take Control Great for smaller companies or MSPs. Features flexible plans, remote registry editing, and simple file transfer.
- ConnectWise Control Built for MSPs and is part of the ConnectWise suite. Simple remote capabilities with the option to add automation, scripting, and management with ConnectWise Automate.
- Ultra VNC A barebones simple remote desktop tool. A free open-source program that has dozens of community created plugins and add-ons.
- Chrome Remote Desktop Ideal for one-off support connections or personal use.
- AnyDesk A fast and free remote desktop tool for both inactive and active remote sessions.
- Quick Assist A free tool built into Windows 10 that provides quick remote sessions to other Windows 10 machines.
The best remote desktop tools
1. SolarWinds Dameware EDITORS CHOICE
At the very top of our list is a remote access tool by SolarWinds called Dameware, which was specifically designed to give sysadmins all the remote assistance features they’d need for their corporate environment.
Dameware is a flexible remote access tool that can be configured either as an on-premises solution or set up as a cloud-based software service. Unlike most remote administration tools, the Dameware agent is compatible with both Windows and Mac making it ideal if you’re expected to administer a mixed OS environment.
Deploying the agent is simple, and can be done by executing a simple MSI package on the target machine. This can be pushed out en masse through GPO or login script and proves to be a convenient tool for admins who manage a larger number of endpoints.
Dameware goes the extra mile providing built-in multifactor authentication, and compatible with smart cards and security pin systems. You can rest easy knowing that your sessions are secured through FIPS 140-2 validated cryptography, and complies with the strict Department of Homeland Security and federal requirements for secure networks.
One of my personal favorite features of Dameware is the troubleshooting tools that are built into the remote client. Intel AMT (Active Management Technology) gives you the ability to recover PCs that have crashed, gone asleep, or are completely turned off. This saves a ton of time and eliminates an added phone call or email while trying to get connected.
Intel AMT is part of a small suite of built-in administrator tools that make Dameware truly more than just another remote desktop application. You’ll have the option to view event logs, see real-time utilization data, and create and edit network users. Dameware also has a Mobile Gateway component that gives technicians the ability to remote into PCs from their Android or iOS devices.
If you’re looking for a reliable remote desktop tool to stand as a pillar of support for your company, Dameware gives you features and scalability to do just that and more. You can test-drive Dameware yourself for free for 14 days using the link below.
2. SolarWinds Take Control
Take Control is a great remote desktop tool that is geared more towards smaller organizations that need to strike a balance between affordability and efficiency. While Dameware focuses on the large MSPs and enterprise-level networks, Take Control nicely fills the gap for smaller offices and MSPs with a smaller inventory.
Take Control has both attended and unattended support allowing you or your technicians to perform maintenance on your machines passively or actively. The remote desktop application includes similar troubleshooting tools, live chat features, and cross-platform support that Dameware provides.
Connecting remotely is surprisingly fast and averages between five to eight seconds to establish your session. If you’re looking for more advanced support features such as remote registry editing, batch scripting, and session monitoring, Take Control Plus adds more proactive reporting tools and additional features that enhance the productivity and efficiency of your helpdesk. Take Control Plus starts at $45.00 (£35.85) per month with unlimited users.
Whether you’re looking to quickly access a handful of servers remotely, or have a staff you need to support, SolarWinds Take Control has all the features you need, and nothing you don’t.
You can try Take Control for free for a full 90 days.
3. ConnectWise Control
Formerly known as ScreenConnect, ConnectWise Control is a comprehensive remote desktop tool that primarily caters to MSPs, and integrates with a number of other management tools such as PassPortal, ConnectWise Automate, Acronis, and Zendesk.
You can install ConnectWise Control both as a standalone agent to permanently have access to your inventory, or use it to provide single session access for one off remote sessions in a helpdesk setting. This gives you the freedom to toggle between your actively managed PCs and your break-fix clients all in the same dashboard without muddying your inventory.
One the MSI agent is deployed, the PC will automatically populate in your dashboard when installed. You can configure specific MSI packages to automatically put PCs into specific groups or locations inside of ConnectWise Control. Once installed, connecting to a machine is as simple as clicking on the screen share button.
Once you’re connected, you can copy and paste files, copy your clipboard, disable user input, blackout the screen, and even record the session to document procedures and help create new policies on the fly.
If you’re just not getting enough out of ConnectWise Control you can go through an entire marketplace of both free and paid extensions to give you a more customized toolset of features for your remote desktop app.
ConnectWise Automate naturally extends the usefulness and capability of the remote desktop application by giving you extended inventory management features, and additional automation capabilities.
All round, ConnectWise Control is a solid remote desktop application that provides tons of intuitive design elements and customizations. One downside is that the inventory management, scripting, and other premium features are only found in ConnectWise Automate, so you’d need to purchase that application separately if you were looking for those abilities. Nonetheless, ConnectWise Control is a great tool for MSPs and can be downloaded with a free trial.
4. UltraVNC
This open-source and free remote desktop tool has been on the web since 2005 and has truly stood the test of time. While it certainly doesn’t win any awards for its user interface, it does provide a straightforward and customizable remote desktop application that anyone can use.
UltraVNC is usually integrated within other applications, and some don’t know you can just download and use the raw VNC client to remote into any Windows, Linux, or macOS machine. UltraVNC leaves no room for fluff, making it extremely efficient from a resource perspective.
Like most remote desktop tools, UltraVNC mirrors the workstation you’re connected to and gives you full control of the PC as if you were physically in front of it. While the front end may look antiquated, UltraVNC utilizes industry-standard encryption for all of your remote connections.
While the less tech-savvy may find UltraVNC confusing, network techs will enjoy a wide range of customization options to configure their sessions to their liking. You can dial down settings such as color bit mapping, jpeg quality, and bandwidth usage to improve your connectivity over poor connections.
Since UltraVNC is open-source, you’ll find a wide variety of community-based plugins and added features that can add even more functionality and security to this powerful remote desktop tool. You can download UltraVNC for free on its official website.
5. Chrome Remote Desktop
If you’re looking for a remote desktop solution that’s quick and casual, Chrome Remote Desktop is tough to beat. In under five minutes, you can download and run a small MSI file that gives you access to your host machine from virtually anywhere.
After creating a six-digit pin, you’ll have the option to remote into that PC as long as you can sign in to your Google account. Outside of the sign-in process, there isn’t anything more that’s needed to establish a connection. You do have some basic options such as screen resizing, clipboard sync, and input controls.
The major drawback is that you don’t have any advanced administrative features such as registry editing, inventory management, or helpdesk tools. You also won’t be able to remote into your machine if it crashes, gets turned off, or goes to sleep.
If the only thing you need to do is quickly remote into your machine, this is likely the easiest option. Chrome Remote Desktop is completely free and just requires a Google account.
6. AnyDesk
If you’re currently using Teamviewer and aren’t happy with its features or performance, AnyDesk might be the alternative you never knew you needed. AnyDesk is built for remote workers and IT support teams who need quick and convenient access to multiple machines.
AnyDesk doesn’t run on VNC or RDP protocol but uses its own unique codec called DeskRT that provides extremely low latency remote sessions. Installation is simple and allows the application to be used on Windows, macOS, Android, and Linux.
While AnyDesk works well on a number of platforms, it is noticeably easy to use on mobile devices. From a desktop, you can remote into either an Android or Apple phone with relative ease. This is a major win for helpdesks who have to support mobile devices and struggle to walk users through specific steps over the phone while troubleshooting.
AnyDesk works under both unattended and interactive access for remote desktop, and supports a host of advanced features such as remote printing, copy and paste file transfer, and strong RSA 2048 encryption.
During testing, AnyDesk performed the best for viewing video remotely and averaged 55 frames per second. If you’ve ever tried to load a video over RDP you’ll know just how impressive that really is.
AnyDesk is free for personal use, and unlike Teamviewer, I have not gotten my session disconnected for being mistaken for commercial use. If you are looking to incorporate AnyDesk into your business, pricing starts at just $10.99 (£8.84) a month.
7. Quick Assist
Lastly, we have the convenient Quick Assist remote desktop app built right into Windows 10. This is a free tool that comes preinstalled in all versions of Windows 10. Quick Assist does exactly what its name implies and was designed to allow you to support someone quickly through a remote session.
This is convenient if you have a family member or friend who is getting stuck with smaller technical issues, or maybe just needs walked through a specific process. After giving the host your six-digit code you’ll be able to see the remote screen and control it if the host allows that option.
Once connected you’ll have full remote access to the session and be able to access the task manager, illustrate annotations, and initiate reboots that will automatically reconnect your session.
Quick Assist isn’t without some significant drawbacks. Currently, you cannot install Quick Assist as an agent for unintended access and must enter a code to initiate a remote session.
Both you and the person you’re connecting to must also have Windows 10, which really limits the scope of who you can support. Finally, you’ll need to have a Microsoft account to generate the six-digit pin, which is a bit annoying if you don’t want to create a new account.
While Quick Assist isn’t the best option, it certainly is convenient when looking to support someone who’s already on a Windows 10 PC.
You can find Quick Assist on your Windows 10 PC by clicking on Start and then searching for Quick Assist.
Conclusion
It’s clear that not all remote desktop tools are created equally. Hopefully, you can find a tool that fits your specific needs. MSPs and larger enterprises will find that SolarWinds Dameware has the best remote tools for scalable remote desktop support with detailed features such as reporting and auditing.
Smaller businesses will enjoy the flexible plans that Take Control offers while still maintaining key remote desktop support tools and customizable options.
Lastly, if you’re just looking to remote into a family or friend’s computer, AnyDesk offers fast low latency connections and remote desktop settings completely for free.
What’s your favorite remote desktop tool? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
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Comprehensive Security for Your Windows Remote Desktop Connection
AnyDesk’s thorough TLS 1.2 encryption technology and incessant verification of connections ensure end-to-end privacy and protect your data. Only authorized desks can demand remote access to your PC via AnyDesk. With AnyDesk On-Premises, you can establish an autonomous, private network that fully shields your data while operating Windows remote desktops.
The AnyDesk Remote Desktop Software for Windows remote desktops is adjusted to the latest Windows devices and is also compatible with earlier Windows versions.
AnyDesk for the Windows 10 Desktop has a light design, can be downloaded fast and secure, and you can start instantly to remote control Microsoft devices.
Updates from AnyDesk for Windows 10 remote desktops are constant and free.
Version 6.2.38 Mar 2021
- Added global security settings:
Added global security setting to lock the remote account. If active the corresponding session setting will be ignored. - Bugfix:
Fixed network detection - Bugfix:
Fixed image glitches occurring during sessions - Bugfix:
Could block remote input without input permissions granted - Bugfix:
Could lock the remote account without input permissions granted - Updated translations:
Updated translations for German, English and Italian - Added translations:
Added Lithuanian translation. Many thanks to Andrius Balsevičius!
18 Feb 2021
- Bugfix:
Fixed crash when opening installer. - Bugfix:
Fixed crash when opening settings in in-only Cutsom Clients.
12 Feb 2021
- Custom clients usability improvement:
Added UI setting to permanently remove tiles from the main view of custom clients related to password for unattended access, Whats new and Discovery. - Address Book entries handling:
Added pagination to Address Book to fix too many entries issue. - Bugfix:
Fixed crash when closing a session.
27 Jan 2021
- Bugfix:
Fixed bug that caused elevation requests to fail.
21 Jan 2021
- New option for unattended access:
Added option --remove-password to remove password for unattended access via command line. - Memory usage improvement:
Improved memory usage when using preserve details option. - Bugs for custom clients with Incoming connection only configuration:
Fixed window size problems in some cases in incoming connection only client. Fixed alias registration in incoming connection only clients. - Crash during privacy mode:
Fixed crash related to muting audio during privacy mode. - Windows login screen keyboard issues:
Fixed bug that caused incorrect keyboard handling on windows login screen. - Address Book tags issue:
Fixed bug that caused address book tags to not show on individual addresses. - Bugfixes:
Fixed a couple of small bugs.
8 Dec 2020
- Revised various user interface elements:
Revised favorites and recent session lists. Revised session recording settings. - Better interaction with system clipboard:
Address Book, Auto-Discovery, Favorites and Recent Sessions now interact with the system clipboard. - Added new options for sessions:
Added option to limit number of incoming/outgoing sessions for custom clients. Added option to automatically disconnect incoming sessions when inactive. - Added new options to enhance usage:
Added option to follow remote window focus. Added display option to preserve details when encoding image. Added option to keyboard menu to send special Android keys. - One time password check improvement:
Improved one time password checks in two factor authentication. - Fixed crashes in various situations:
Fixed crash when requesting elevation. Fixed crash in session player when skipping to the beginning of a recording. Fixed crash caused by invalid thumbnails when searching for addresses. Fixed crash when updating Windows Group Policies. - Fixed bugs related to sessions:
Fixed bug that caused keyboard mode to be reset every session. Fixed bug that caused sessions settings for remote cursor to not save correctly. Fixed bug that caused empty session recordings to be created. Fixed rare bug that caused settings configured via Group Policies to not work correctly. - Fixed bug related to language selection:
Fixed language detection for some asian languages. Fixed language selection on Windows XP. - Bugfixes:
Fixed a couple of small bugs.
1 Sep 2020
- Improved iOS support:
Support for improved connections to iOS devices. - Bugfixes:
Fixed a couple of small bugs.
28 Jul 2020
- AnyDesk closes immediately after start:
Fixed bug that could cause AnyDesk to close immediately after starting. - Bugfixes:
Fixed a couple of small bugs.
21 Jul 2020
- Adress Book bugfixes:
Fixed crash in Address Book. Fixed renaming of Address Book entries. - Bugfixes:
Fixed a couple of small bugs.
10 Jul 2020
- Languages support:
Updated translations for various languages. - Address Book:
Made the Address Book open on startup again. - Bugfixes:
Fixed a couple of small bugs.
25 Jun 2020
- Two-Factor Authentication:
When enabled, an additional dialog will be shown after authentication by password or token, requesting a time-based one-time password provided by a third device. This feature requires an app supporting TOTP. - Wake-on-Lan:
When enabled, devices running AnyDesk that are currently in sleep mode can be woken up by other AnyDesk devices in the same local network. - Windows Group Policies:
AnyDesk now checks the Windows Registry for settings provided via Windows Domain Group Policies. This can only be disabled on Custom Clients. - Multiple password for Unattented Access:
Unattended Access now allows the setup of multiple secondary passwords. Each of the password can be bound to different permissions. This feature requires the use of Windows Group Policies. - Flexible Session Recordings:
Session Recordings can now be started and stopped at any time. - Interactive Access improvement:
Immediately installing AnyDesk now allows to connect to that Desk directly from the beginning. - User interface improvements:
User interface has been updated and now also allows to hide the sidebar on the left and the Remote Desk box. - Security improvement:
AnyDesk now supports Perfect Forward Secrecy to strengthen its already strong security for data transfer. - Remote printing improvement:
AnyDesk now allows to pring local files on the remote computer. - Multi-monitor suppport:
Hotkeys can now be used to switch between the remote monitors. Hotkey combination Ctrl+Alt+Shift+left/right to iterate monitors. Hotkey combination Ctrl+Alt+Shift+numpad_number to switch to a specific monitor. - Improved installation process:
Reduced the amount of UAC dialogs shown during installation of different components of AnyDesk. - Language support:
Updated translations for various languages. - Remote printing in Windows 7:
Fixed a remote printing in Windows 7. - Bugfixes:
Fixed a lot of small bugs.
9 Apr 2020
- Bugfix:
Fixed a timer duration exceeding integer boundaries.
3 Apr 2020
- Error handling:
Improved error handling. - Custom client:
Fixed Privacy Mode for Custom Clients. - Bugfixes:
Fixed a couple of small bugs.
11 Mar 2020
- Invitation link in main view:
Reintroduced the invitation link in the main view. This feature requires a properly set up default mail client to work. - Send support information feature:
The link 'Send Support Information...' on the page 'About AnyDesk' in the settings now tries to create an e-mail. This feature requires a properly set up default mail client to work. - Settings page:
Added an option to set up an Alias on the UI settings page. - Incoming session new feature:
The backend user can now accept an incoming session request and immediately request elevation. - Discovery feature security:
Significantly improved security of Discovery feature. - Session UI improvement:
The toolbar can now be hidden during a session via the session tab menu. The remote activity indicators can now be de-/activated by clicking on them. - File Manager:
The File Manager enabled file upload even though it was disallowed. An additional monitor appeared on opening the File Manager. - Custom client:
Custom Clients may have cut ID and Alias in a list view. Custom Clients allowing only incoming sessions did not support Remote Restart. - Service:
Fixed a deadlock in the service making it unresponsive to session requests. Fixed a crash in the service when connecting to multiple IDs at once. - Bugfixes:
Fixed couple of small bugs and occasional crashes.
18 Dec 2019
- Bugfixes:
Fixed some minor bugs.
21 Nov 2019
- New Privacy feature for Windows 8 and 10:
Enabling privacy mode during a session will turn off the monitor on the remote side so the screen content is hidden. - Seeking in session player:
Session player can now jump into specific point in time. - Address Book usability:
Address Book items offer to create TCP tunnel. - File Manager:
File Manager address field now handles Enter key properly and shows remote folder content after switching sides. - Bugfixes:
Fixed automatic registration of aliases in custom namespaces and couple of other small bugs.
1 Oct 2019
- Usability:
Address field is now in focus upon window start. - Android compatibility:
Added support for Android special keys. - Translations:
Translations have been updated. - Bugfixes:
Fixed couple of small bugs.
9 Sep 2019
- New set of permissions used during unattended access:
New permissions must be enabled and will used in case session has been started using password or token. - Performance and Usability:
Improved performance and usability of the new user interface. - Bugfixes:
Fixed a couple of small bugs.
Version 5.2.212 Jul 2019
- Discovered clients in search:
Discovered clients can be searched for now by using user name, Alias, client ID, machine name and operating system. - Bugfixes:
Fixed a couple of small bugs.
7 Jun 2019
- Bugfixes:
Fixed a couple of small bugs.
6 Jun 2019
- Custom Client Layout:
Added a new minimalistic layout for customer generated clients that only support incoming connections. - Bugfixes:
Fixed a couple of small bugs.
27 May 2019
- Bugfixes:
Fixed a crash when AnyDesk could not find a preview image. - Welcome Panel:
Changed images for welcome panel.
23 May 2019
- Bugfixes:
Fixed a few major and minor bugs. - Usability:
A couple small usability improvements.
15 May 2019
Anydesk Remote Desktop
- TCP Tunnels:
Added TCP Tunneling (or Port-Forwarding) for running sessions. - Bugfixes:
Fixed many major and minor bugs. - Performance and Usability:
Improved performance and usability of the new user interface. - Translations:
Improved translations.
12 Apr 2019
- Bugfixes:
Fixed several bugs that occasionally lead to crashes and freezes. - Installer:
Progressbar for the installer. - Translations:
Updated polish translations. - Welcome Tab:
Updated the welcome tab.
8 Apr 2019
- Bugfixes:
Stability improvements and fixed default audio record settings.
5 Apr 2019
- Bugfixes:
Fixed many minor bugs. - Updated translations:
Updated translations for Chinese, Portuguese, French and Russian.
4 Apr 2019
- Address Book:
Fixed a few minor bugs in the Address Book. - Command Line:
Security improvements regarding blocking outgoing sessions. - Auto Discovery:
Start Auto-Discovery automatically when AnyDesk is installed. - Address Book:
Added the right click menu.
29 Mar 2019
- User Interface:
Small improvements of the new user interface. - Stability:
Fixed a rare case that can cause AnyDesk to not respond or crash. - Connection Trace:
Tracefile was sometimes not stored correctly when AnyDesk is installed.
Anydesk Remote Desktop Software
27 Mar 2019
- NEW User Interface:
Completely new and modern design for AnyDesk with many usability improvements. - Address book:
Greatly improved address book with drag & drop and better handling. - Remote Printing:
Support for remote printing on Windows 7, 8 and 10. - Auto Discovery:
New feature that allows AnyDesk to find other clients inside your local network. - Remote Cursor:
Fixed bugs relating to the remote cursor and fullscreen mode. - Stability:
Fixed several bugs that can lead to crashes in special situations. - Localization:
Updated translations.
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