Managing your own computer from afar or troubleshooting a family member's PC without being in front of it is much easier when you have a good remote desktop utility to rely on. This week we're going to look at five of the best remote desktop and management tools, based on your nominations.
We've talked about remotely controlling your PC from anywhere and troubleshooting other people's PCs, now it's time to have your say. It's been a while since we looked at remote desktop tools, and now that one of our favorites, LogMeIn, is killing its free service, we thought it was time to take a fresh look at the field and see what's turned up.
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While LogMeIn is a fine product, the fact is there are other utilities out there that offer the sameâor betterâfeatures to users for free, and you came through with tons of options. Here are the five you recommended the most, in no particular order:
The Best Tools to Easily Perform Remote Tech Support. Chris Hoffman @chrisbhoffman August 19. While only Professional editions of Windows can use the remote desktop server software, every version of Windows can send a remote assistance invitation and invite someone else to assist with their computers. Tech support for the same people. The simplest scenario is to support remote or traveling workers. With the software, remote workers can share files, collaborate with one another and access other devices, even printers and tablets.
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What's The Best Remote Desktop Tool?
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The polls are closed and the votes are counted! To see which of these great remote desktop tools earned the top spot as the Lifehacker community favorite, head over to our Hive Five followup post to check out the details!
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Most Popular Remote Desktop Tool: Teamviewer
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Teamviewer
Teamviewer supports Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, and iOS, and is free for personal use. It's probably the most obvious alternative to LogMeIn, and the most popular contender from the nominations thread. Not only does Teamviewer offer remote support and remote managementâas in you don't necessarily have to have the remote side set up before you need to connectâit also sports useful features like wake-on-LAN to wake up a sleeping computer and put it back to sleep when you're finished, file transfer capabilities, clipboard passthrough, support for connecting from mobile devices like phones or tablets, and more. Teamviewer even supports online meetings and collaboration, so multiple people can connect to one host or share a session if they need to.
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The beauty of Teamviewer is that all of the features I mentioned are free, setup is incredibly easy, and the app actually has more features built-in to it than you'll probably ever really need. Those of you who nominated it praised its ability to manage multiple systems from one computer without having to remember them, the fact that Teamviewer works well without you having to make a ton of firewall modifications or do port forwarding, their support for two-step authentication, and more. Read more in the nomination thread here.
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Splashtop
Splashtop supports Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, and iOS, and is free for personal use (up to five computers, and depending on how you use it). It's perhaps most notable as a tool that allows you to stream audio and video across computers with minimal latency, so if you love watching movies on your tablet that are stored on your desktop but don't want to deal with apps or compatibility issues, Splashtop is a great tool. It's not limited to that these days thoughâYou can use the applications on your remote device like you were sitting right there, manage files without transferring them first in their own native applications, and more.
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The only downside to Splashtop free is that it starts to get pricey when you really need remote access. $2/month will get you the ability to access your home computers off network, which is arguably the biggest draw of a remote access toolâso you can actually access your PC when you're away, or a friend or family member's PC without going to their house. It does require a little setup on the client side before you can connect too, but if your goal is to enjoy media remotely and do some light troubleshooting, it's worth a look. Check out its nomination thread here.
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Chrome Remote Desktop
Chrome Remote Desktop supports Windows and OS X (and Linux, sort of), and is completely free for personal and commercial use. It's essentially just a Chrome app that you have to install in Chrome on any computer you want to connect to. You'll have to be logged in to Chrome on any computer you want to connect to as well, which is a bit of a bummer, but the great thing is that it runs in your browser, is super-easy to set up, and it's remarkably fast. It's not packed with additional features, but if all you need is to do some quick, cross-platform troubleshooting or access some files remotely, it's fast and free, and uses a web browser you probably already have installed. The video above from Tekzilla shows you how it works.
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It's not perfectâChrome Remote Desktop has no mobile apps or support at all (although the word is it's coming soon), has some trouble with multiple displays, and it's pretty featureless when it comes to things like wake-on-LAN, file transfer, streaming, and other support tools, but what you trade in heft you get back in simplicity and ease-of-use, which is exactly what those of you who nominated it praised it for. Check out the nominations thread here.
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Microsoft Remote Desktop (RDC)/Apple Remote Desktop
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Microsoft's RDC protocol and Apple's own Remote Desktop platform both use existing technologies within each respective operating system to give remote administrators the ability to connect from anywhere they need to, access their files, troubleshoot problems, or work with files and applications as though they were using the remote device. If you live in a Windows world, for example, enabling RDC on your home server and connecting directly to it over your LAN is much easier than downloading and setting up a third party tool. If you're connecting remotely across the internet, you can still do it, but you'll need to forward ports and lock things down for security's sake. Plus, there are mobile clients available. Apple's Remote Desktop on the other hand is a bit more complicatedâinstead of just remote access, you get complete remote management, including the ability to update software, install software, manage users, and fully support a remote computer. ARD is $80. RDC is free (it's not a fair comparison, feature-wise, and we're not trying to compare the two to each other.)
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The biggest benefits to both though is that once you're set up, and with minimal effort on the client side, you don't need to do anything else, and you have tons of options and features that let you manage, access, and troubleshoot the remote PC. Since both platforms use protocols built in to their respective operating systems, cross-platform support is a matter of finding a tool that works on each OS that connects to the other, and that offers the features you want. Those of you who praised each mentioned as much, and noted their ease of setup. Check out the nomination thread for RDC here, and for ARD here.
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VNC
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VNC, or Virtual Network Computing, is less of a specific product and more of a platform. It uses existing protocols to send keyboard and mouse actions to a remote computer, and in turn it sends the screen from that remote system back to your viewer. Depending on the VNC client and server software you use, you get more features, like clipboard syncing, file sync and transfer, and more. That's the catch thoughâthere's a VNC client and server that supports every operating system, mobile and desktop, and as long as you know what you're doing and set it up properly, you'll be able to connect to any system you control, anywhere you have internet access, completely for free. The 'Official' VNC software is RealVNC, which offers its client and server apps for Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iOS, and even Chrome for free (but will happily add features and support if you're willing to pay for them).
The other nice thing about VNC is that because it's a simple protocol, you don't necessarily have to match client and serverâyou can use one server on your PC at home and a free client on your phone to connect to it. VNC isn't difficult to set up, but it can be tricky to set up correctlyâas in, in a way where there's minimal latency when you're trying to work with your computer remotely (easier said than done, especially over the Internet), VNC can communicate securely through your firewall at home, and without worrying that your home IP address will suddenly change and prevent you from connecting. Again, not hard, but a knowledgeable hand should do it. RealVNC may be the official VNC software provider, but TightVNC has always been one of my favorites, and it's free. UltraVNC is another option. VNC definitely has the benefit that your data isn't passing through a third party, there are no proprietary tools or services to subscribe to, and you're in complete control. You do have to set it up in advance though, which may make it great for remote access, but not necessarily remote support. Check out the nominations thread here.
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Now that you've seen the top five, it's time to vote for the Lifehacker community favorite:
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The honorable mention this week goes out to Mikogo, a cross-platform remote management and online meeting platform that supports WIndows, OS X, Linux, Android, and iOS. On the desktop, using it is as simple as opening your browser, and you don't have to install heavy plug-ins to connect with it. It's richly featured and great for web conferences, remote support, and presentations. We mentioned Mikogo a while ago, and while they've come a long way and added a ton of new features (including VoIP chat), they're largely premium and enterprise-oriented (check out their pricing plans here.) They do offer free accounts for personal use though, so it's a great option if you only need to do remote support.
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Have something tosay about one of the contenders? Want to make the case for your personal favorite, even if it wasn't included in the list? Remember, the top five are based on your most popular nominations from the call for contenders thread from earlier in the week. Don't just complain about the top five, let us know what your preferred alternative isâand make your case for itâin the discussions below.
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The Hive Five is based on reader nominations. As with most Hive Five posts, if your favorite was left out, it didn't get the nominations required in the call for contenders post to make the top five. We understand it's a bit of a popularity contest. Have a suggestion for the Hive Five? Send us an email at [email protected]!
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Title photo by Greg Mote.
Who Needs Remote Access Software?
Ever been in a meeting in another company's office and realized that the PowerPoint presentation you were planning to dazzle them with is back at home on your computer? Or tried to help your parents, who live halfway across the country, figure out why their computer just won't open a file? These are exactly the scenarios that remote access utilities are made to handle.
Remote access apps let you either access your home or office computer from another location, or allow others to have access to some or all of your files, as if they were actually sitting in front of your PC instead of somewhere else entirely. Some are tailor-made for personal use, while others, with their complex security protocols and granular menus, are better suited for a more corporate environment. Many even let you access a remote PC from your phone or handheld device. Here, we break down exactly what a remote access app does, and why one may make a lot of sense for your increasingly mobile life.
What Is Remote Access Software?
Remote access software lets one computer view or control another computer, not merely across a network, but from anywhere in the world. You might use it to log into your customers' computers and show them how to run a program, or sort out their technical troubles. Or you can even use it to invite friends or clients to view your desktop while you run a demo for them. You can use the screen as a temporary whiteboard, drawing lines and circles that help friends or clients understand what you're doing on your machine or theirs.
Remote access apps also let you transfer files between two machines without using email or file-sharing services. You can use remote access to print a file stored on someone else's machine on a printer connected to your own machine. Your tech-challenged relatives can use remote access software to give you access to their machine so you can repair their mistakes or clear out malware. It's far, far easier to grab the wheel yourself than it is to try and talk someone through the process of troubleshooting their PC. And your high-tech colleagues can use it to collaborate on complex projects in real-time, complete with chat via text or, with some apps, voice.
Not Just for Help Desks
Corporate help desks are major users of remote access software, but these apps can be useful for anyone. I personally use it for three reasons: First, I can give tech support to friends by logging in to their machine, without going out to make a house call. Second, while on the road, I can connect to my home or office machine and find and view an ancient file that I haven't stored on a file-sharing service like Dropbox or Google Drive. Third, I can invite friends or colleagues to join me in editing documents in a more straightforward way, with easier communication than other online collaboration methods, such as the real-time editing features in Office 365 or Google Docs. You may have very different reasons for wanting a remote access than I do, but there's no doubt that they are quite handy.
I looked at five remote access apps that work easily between any machines running either Windows or macOS anywhere in the world. In addition to these third-party apps, Microsoft provides its free Microsoft Remote Desktop software that lets you access Windows PCs from other Windows machines, mobile devices, or a Mac, but not from Windows to a Mac. Microsoft's app lets you access any Windows version going back to Windows 7, except for 'Starter' and 'Home' versions, for which you'll need a third-party app. Apple offers its $79.99 Apple Remote Desktop app for accessing other Macs onlyâbut that only connects to Macs running OS X versions 10.8 Mountain Lion or later.
I use Microsoft Remote Desktop from my Mac laptop when I want to run a program on a Windows desktop in another room in the same house, but only a full-fledged third-party remote access app lets me take full control of any machine anywhereâif the machine's owner wants to let me in.
![]() Security Concerns
One of the first questions you may ask yourself when considering using remote access software is whether or not this is secure. If you've been using a PC for a while, you may remember pcAnywhere, which used to be the remote access software that was almost everyone's first choice. Symantec bought pcAnywhere from its original developer and eventually, after some major security breaches, stopped supporting it in 2014 and recommended that customers stop using it.
Some other remote access vendors have reported security breaches, but these seem to have been triggered by users who chose the same passwords for their remote access software that they used at hack websitesâalways a bad idea. Some remote access apps let you use relatively weak security if you choose, but they all encourage you to choose strong security, and our Editors' Choice products, GoToMyPC and TeamViewer, won't let you make an end-run around their security precautions.
What Remote Access Software Offers
We tested remote access software by installing each app or service on four machines: desktops running Windows 10 and Windows 7, a laptop running Windows 7, and a Mac laptop running macOS. We also installed each vendor's iOS-based mobile-access app for connecting to a Windows or Mac machine, though I wouldn't want to try running my desktop machine from a phone or small-screen tablet unless I were desperate.
All the remote access apps we tested provide the same basic features. They offer remote access to another machine that has the app's server software already installed; remote access can take the form of full control over the other system or mere passive viewing. All feature a shared clipboard (in some cases optional), so that text or images that you copy to the clipboard on one machine can be pasted into the other. All have a text-based chat feature. Each app provides file-transfer features via a standard two-pane file manager interface.
GoToMyPC and LogMeIn add the ability to drag and drop files between the local desktop and the viewer window that displays the desktop of the remote machine, but this feature works only when connecting to and from Windows computers. TeamViewer has a FileBox window into which you can drag files that will be accessible to both machines. LogMeIn, TeamViewer, and VNC Connect include whiteboard features for drawing lines in the viewer. For more on each remote access apps individual features, see the individual reviews, which are linked to below.
Remote Access Software For MacWhich Remote Access App Fits You Best?
We focused on remote access software designed mostly for one-to-one connections, though it's possible with all these apps for more than one user to log in to a remote machine. If you're looking for advanced conferencing features like a whiteboard, you should probably look elsewhere, though LogMeIn includes a whiteboard feature that makes it work well as a basic collaboration app.
The vendors of some of the remote access apps we tested also offer a specialized video conferencing app that uses an interface similar to the remote access versions. For example, GoToMeeting is a conferencing version of GoToMyPC; Splashtop Business Access offers Splashtop Classroom; and TeamViewer offers Blizz.
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Security features differ markedly among these apps. Some make it possible to provide access in a straightforward way if you choose to do so. Others require you type in passwords more than once and provide email verification before you can do anything useful. All let you customize security to varying degrees, and you should take a close look at the options that you'll feel comfortable using.
If you're a complete hermit who never leaves the room, you don't need remote access software. But if you often find yourself as the de facto IT tech for family and colleagues, or if you need to connect to other computers for your business, or if you need to connect to your own computers while you're on the road, then you'll need remote access software. Check out our reviews to find the one that best suits your needs.
Best Remote Access Software Featured in This Roundup:Best Remote Access Software
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