How to Use Chrome Remote Desktop to Control Your PC from Anywhere - Windows Basics

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Sunday, October 13, 2024

How to Use Chrome Remote Desktop to Control Your PC from Anywhere

If you want to access your computer from anywhere via your phone, you can try a remote desktop app. However, if you don't want to do anything complicated and just want a way to control your cursor and keyboard via your phone, Google's Chrome Remote Desktop app might be the perfect choice. So, let's take a look at the app and what you can do with it.

What is Chrome Remote Desktop?

Chrome Remote Desktop is a quick and easy way to access your PC via your Android device. Unlike most screen sharing and remote desktop apps, Chrome Remote Desktop doesn't take much effort to set up. However, note that you can't control your PC with advanced tools like you can with a dedicated app.

You'll also need to have Chrome or the Remote Desktop app installed on both devices for the app to work.

How to set up and use Chrome Remote Desktop

To get started, head to the Google Chrome Remote Desktop website and click the Download button. This will open a window to download the Chrome Remote Desktop extension; download and install it.

Once you're done, head back to the Chrome Remote Desktop website. The download icon will turn into a button that says Turn on, so click that.

You'll be asked to name your PC, so give it a descriptive name so you know which PC you'll be accessing. By default, it will pick the name you gave your PC during setup, so if you can remember the name of each device, keep it that way.

You'll also need to set up a PIN of at least 6 digits. This will prevent unwanted users from accessing your computer, so remember that PIN.

If you want to access this PC from another PC, just repeat the above steps on the other computer. If you want to control your PC from your phone, download the Chrome Remote Desktop app for Android or iOS. No setup required on your mobile phone; just sign in.

When you want to access another PC, go to the Chrome Remote Desktop website on your PC or open the app on your phone. Click the device you want to access (using the descriptive name you set earlier), then enter the PIN you set. You should now be able to access your device.

From here, you can navigate, click items, and type using the app. When you're ready to leave, click the right arrow and select Disconnect on your PC or click the three dots in the upper right and select Disconnect on your phone.

Once you're connected to a device, the target will display a pop-up window letting you know that someone is connected to it. This box has a Stop Sharing button on it, so you can use that too if you accidentally leave a session running.

Now that you've set up Chrome Remote Desktop, you're ready to put it to good use. Google's goal with this service is to make it easier for people to provide remote support, and it works very well for that purpose. Many people like to use their phones as a "remote control" for their PCs.

Despite its simple name, Chrome Remote Desktop is more than just Chrome; you can access your entire PC with this tool. Whenever you're out and about and want to do something on your PC (like download a file before you get home), just take out your phone and access it from anywhere. So even if you never intend to use it for support purposes, Chrome Remote Desktop is still a great tool to have.

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