Accessing your computer remotely can be highly convenient, whether you need to retrieve files or assist someone with technical issues. Google’s Chrome Remote Desktop provides a free and secure solution to access your computer from anywhere using your iPhone or Android device. This guide will walk you through setting up Chrome Remote Desktop on your computer and how to use it from your smartphone.
How to set up Chrome Remote Desktop on your computer
Open the Chrome browser on your computer, regardless of whether you’re using Windows, macOS, or Linux. In the address bar, go to remotedesktop.google.com/access.
On the webpage, locate the ‘Set up remote access’ section and click the blue download icon within it.
A new window will appear prompting you to add the ‘Chrome Remote Desktop’ extension to your browser. Click the ‘Add to Chrome’ button to proceed.
A pop-up will display the permissions required by the ‘Chrome Remote Desktop’ extension. Click the ‘Add extension’ button to continue.
Once the extension is installed, a notification will inform you about its location in your browser. You can close this notification.
The ‘Chrome Remote Desktop’ website will attempt to download a desktop app installer file named
chromeremotedesktophost.msi. Ensure that you allow the download. If prompted to ‘Keep’ or ‘Discard’ the file, click on ‘Keep’.
After the download completes, you will be prompted to install the app on your computer. Click the ‘Accept & Install’ button.
If you receive a prompt asking for permission to allow Chrome to open the downloaded file, click ‘Yes’.
During installation, you may be prompted to grant administrator privileges to the installer. Provide the necessary permissions to complete the installation.
Back on the ‘Chrome Remote Desktop’ website, you will be asked to name your computer. By default, it uses your PC’s name, but you can change it if you prefer. After selecting a name, click the ‘Next’ button.
On the next screen, set up a secure PIN. This PIN will be used to authorize remote connections to your computer. Enter a strong PIN code and click the ‘Start’ button.
How to access your computer from your phone using Chrome Remote Desktop
To access your computer remotely from your iPhone or Android device, install the ‘Chrome Remote Desktop’ app from the appropriate app store using the links below.
After installing the app, open it on your phone and sign in with the same Google account you used to set up Chrome Remote Desktop on your computer.
Once signed in, the app will display all your devices under the ‘Remote devices’ section, along with their ‘Online’ or ‘Offline’ status.
The app will attempt to establish a connection with the selected device. If successful, you will be prompted to enter the PIN code to authorize the connection.
Enter the PIN you set during the computer setup, and tap the ‘Connect’ button. You may choose to save the PIN on your phone for future convenience.
Congratulations! Your computer is now fully accessible from your iPhone or Android device over the internet.
While connected remotely, a prompt will appear on your computer indicating that it is being accessed. This ensures that anyone using the computer is aware of the remote session.
On your phone, you can use the menu button at the bottom left corner to access various options that enhance usability.
Use the ‘Show keyboard’ option from the app’s menu to bring up your phone’s keyboard, allowing you to input text on your computer remotely.
The app’s settings allow you to adjust the resolution if you experience display issues. You can also switch between ‘Touch mode’ and ‘Trackpad mode’ (which includes a mouse cursor). While ‘Touch mode’ is intuitive, some interfaces work better with a cursor in ‘Trackpad mode’.
You can even take a screenshot of your computer while accessing it remotely by selecting the ‘Send PrtScn’ command from the app’s settings. Additionally, there’s an option to send a ‘Send Ctrl-Alt-Del’ command if your computer becomes unresponsive.
With Chrome Remote Desktop, accessing your computer remotely has never been easier. Whether you’re on an iPhone or Android device, you can have full control of your computer from anywhere.
