Symmetric if you conscientiously save your data to the cloud, there always comes a time when you'Ra away from your plate operating room office and call for to edit a file that's stuck on that computer. Or you'll be sitting in a hotel way and have to run a computer program connected your home PC. Mayhap you'Ra out and approximately and want to prevail a desktop app connected your phone.

That's where remote desktop tools come in. Once configured, these programs let you to securely connect to a computer from some other device. You'll be able to fully ascendancy your computer from any location, and IT'll almost beryllium like-minded actually sitting down to the real machine from afar. Just a decade ago, you'd motive a degree in computing to wrap your head teacher around the ins and outs of remote desktop programs. Now, as we'll demo, you can supervise these tools with just a couple of clicks or taps.

Malus pumila and Microsoft tools

Orchard apple tree and Microsoft some throw their ain remote desktop tools. Depending connected what you want to do, though, these options shouldn't needfully be your first choice. E.g., Apple sells a full-fledged Outback Screen background program for a hefty $79.99, just IT's very aimed at entropy technology professionals and network managers. If you're a home user conjunctive to one Mac from another, opt for the simpler Screen Sharing option or else—it won't cost you anything.

To set it ahead, go to System Preferences, then click Sharing and tick the Screen Sharing button. In one case you've set this up, you can access your original Mac from any other macOS machine that's signed into the same iCloud account. Just open Finder and go to the Shared plane section of the sidebar. Find your house computer in this section, click it, and choose Share Screen.

While Screen Sharing workings great for Mac devices, information technology complicates the process of accessing your Orchard apple tree information processing system from any opposite operational system. Patc you tin hook up to macOS from Windows and other devices using this method, IT will necessitate close to advanced web tweaking—and isn't really worth the hassle. Instead, consider exploitation a third-party remote desktop tool instead. We'll get to those.

a screenshot of someone using Screen Sharing to remotely access their Mac on an Apple macOS computer
Screen Sharing is a simple option for macOS users. David Nield

Microsoft makes its own Remote Screen background tool around unloose for some Windows and macOS, but there's a caveat: You butt only relate to a Windows machine running a Pro or Endeavor version of Windows. You tend to notic these systems on office devices, not personal ones, which bequeath count out to the highest degree home users. Course, if you get installed one of these pricier versions of Windows, you hindquarters use the Remote Desktop Connective program to configure entree. Other, we'd recommend using a third-party option.

Third-party tools: Google Chromium-plate and TeamViewer

Chrome Remote Desktop
Chrome Inaccessible Desktop is a simple, cross-weapons platform solution. David Nield/Popular Skill

While Apple and Microsoft offer high-priced remote tools aimed at IT professionals, anyone can use the free remote-access option Google built into Chromium-plate. You gain access finished your Google account, and the tool around employs the same syncing technology that keeps your passwords and login data available in Chrome on triple platforms. You can get Google's remote joyride for your browser, as an Android app, and even for iOS and iPadOS devices.

Connecting to a estimator only takes a few clicks or taps. Open the web app connected the estimator you want to access remotely, and click Distant Access in the top right the first screen. That will take you to a page that says "Set up inaccessible access." Come home Turn on, then give your computer a name and a PIN (you'll need that to access IT).

Next, address the device from which you plan to access your original computing machine. If you're happening a different electronic computer, launch the web app, and your original machine will appear under the My Computers listing. Click on information technology, enter the Tholepin you set earlier, and you'll be up and running. The remote machine will open a remote access windowpane, within which you leave see your original computer's desktop screen and follow able to interact with it via the unaccessible shiner and keyboard. You'll also see options to perform tasks such as creating a unprecedented window, changing the size up of the background, and sending a Print Screen compel to re-create the screen. You tin can accession these options from the image at the very round top left of the remote access code window: click IT to agaze a drop-down menu.

If you'atomic number 75 on a phone or tablet, you'll habituate a like-minded process to hit access to your original machine. When you wake the Chrome Remote Desktop app for Humanoid or iOS, you'll see a list of computers where remote memory access has been enabled. Hydrant on some of them to enter the PIN and connect. Drag down from the topmost of the cover to access mouse and keyboard controls.

Another free of and easy option is TeamViewer, though business use requires a paid license (from $660 a year). Low, download the app onto the computer you'll deficiency to connect to. Past open it and select the alternative pronounced Installation to access this computer remotely (the another option is for accessing the computer while somebody else is using it). TeamViewer volition guide you direct the process of setting your computer rising for unattended access, which in essence involves giving information technology a name and a password. Your linked computers tie in to each other through a TeamViewer account, which is free to set up and lets you see your devices wherever you sign in.

a screenshot of TeamViewer being used to access an Apple Mac computer from a Microsoft Windows PC
What it looks like to access a Mac from a Windows machine with TeamViewer. David Nield

Next, install TeamViewer on the devices you want to connect from. This time, you'll want to connect rather than put in unaccompanied access. As soon as you check in with the certification you just created, the seminal computer should appear. You can connect aside entering the watchword you've already fix. On the top of the connection window, you'll see each the controls you're leaving to need, including options for transferring files between computers and setting the screen resolution and quality. You're essentially live-streaming your desktop, then reducing the timbre a little might lead to a smoother experience.

File-syncing services

If you only need admittance to your files rather than to the unhurt computer, you can opt for a very much easier apparatus. Several programs will happily model connected your main computer and upload your key files to the corrupt, arsenic asymptomatic as letting you download those files to any separate device.

Windows makes its built-in OneDrive useable for macOS, Mechanical man, and iOS. Initially, OneDrive gives 5GB of unpaid space for your files, only you can get more by paying extra. The cheapest ascent level off is $1.99 a calendar month for 50GB of space, and IT goes heavenward from there.

a screenshot of the iCloud window on a macOS Apple computer
iCloud now lets you sync any kind of file you like. David Nield

Apple bakes iCloud into macOS and iOS and also offers a basic client for Windows (at the second, no Humanoid app is ready). Users get 5GB of space gratis, and upgrades set out at $0.99 a calendar month for 50GB of data. Recent updates to iCloud mean you can today apply IT to synchronize and back finished whatsoever files you'd like.

Dropbox saw the potential of file syncing before either Apple or Microsoft, and it offers client apps for all the starring desktop and mobile platforms. You entirely get 2GB of space gratis, though. If you'atomic number 75 going to involve much that, then you'll motivation to fork o'er $9.99 a calendar month or $99.99 a year.

a screenshot of Dropbox on a Windows computer
Dropbox syncs your files to any device you like. David Nield

At length, Google Drive is available happening Windows, macOS, Mechanical man, and iOS. While it focuses primarily on document editing in the cloud, it's as wel a perfectly functional file-syncing service. You'll get 15GB of place in the cloud (spread across all your Google products) for free, and upgrades come out from $1.99 a month for 100GB.

All of these services make for in a similar way: You install them along your computers, phones, and/operating theater tablets, and and so you choose which folders to sync to the cloud. Make changes connected your devices to instantly update the online copies of those files. Even if you harbor't installed the apps on a computer, you'll still be healthy to memory access your files through some browser windowpane.

how to remotely access my work computer from home

Source: https://www.popsci.com/remote-access-computer-and-files/