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Redirect USB devices#

USB redirection is a Fluid session capability for sharing a USB device plugged into your computer with the host. Apps on the host can use the redirected device as if it were plugged into the host, including devices such as a game controller, a drawing tablet, or a security key.

Applies to#

Device Your computer Plan
Game controllers Windows, macOS, iPhone, iPad, Android Beta All plans. A Steam Controller needs Enterprise.
Input devices, such as Wacom and other drawing tablets, control panels, and programmable keypads Windows, macOS Jump Desktop for Teams Enterprise plan
Security keys (FIDO), such as YubiKey macOS Jump Desktop for Teams Enterprise plan
  • Fluid connections only. RDP and VNC sessions do not offer USB redirection.
  • Host: Jump Desktop Connect 10.15.23 or later on Windows or macOS 11 or later, or Jump Desktop Connect for Linux Alpha. Game controllers need Windows 11 or later, or macOS 15 or later, on a Windows or Mac host.
  • Linux Alpha hosts accept game controllers and input devices, such as drawing tablets, control panels, and Stream Deck. Other USB devices, including security keys, cannot be redirected to a Linux host.
  • USB redirection must be turned on for the host. It is off by default.

Turn on USB redirection for the host#

Computers without a Connect Configuration. On the host:

  1. Open Jump Desktop Connect, then Settings.
  2. Click Advanced.
  3. Under Fluid Remote Desktop, select Enable USB redirection.

Computers with a Connect Configuration assigned. The configuration's setting overrides the local setting. A team administrator completes these steps:

  1. In the Teams dashboard, open your team. Under Tasks, click Connect Settings.
  2. Open the configuration assigned to the computer.
  3. Under USB Settings, turn on USB Device Redirection.
  4. Optional: to block a device type, turn off Allow HID Devices, Allow Game Controllers, or Allow Security Keys (FIDO). All three are on by default.
  5. Save the configuration.

Share a device#

  1. Plug the device into your computer and connect to the host with Fluid.
  2. Open the Devices menu:
    • Windows and macOS: choose Remote > Devices.
    • iPhone and iPad: tap the Settings button in the session toolbar, then Devices.
    • Android: tap the Settings button in the session toolbar, then Devices.
  3. Select the device. If it is not listed, choose Refresh.
  4. On Windows and macOS, a firmware update warning appears. Click I Understand.

To stop sharing the device, select it again.

Security keys that require a PIN are also supported. When a website or app on the host requests the key's PIN, the host displays its own PIN prompt in the session; enter the PIN there, then touch the key if prompted.

For game controllers, including the on-screen controller on iPhone, iPad, and Android, see Use game controllers.

Result#

A check mark appears next to the device in Devices.

Troubleshooting#

"Unavailable. Click to learn more."#

To view the reason, click the item. On Android, Devices shows Unavailable on this computer instead; verify that USB redirection is turned on and Allow Game Controllers is not turned off, then reconnect.

Message Fix
USB redirection is turned off Turn on USB redirection for the host, then reconnect.
USB redirection isn't available: the required driver is not installed or is disabled On a Windows or Mac host, run the latest Jump Desktop Connect installer over the existing installation. Restart if prompted, then reconnect. See Install Jump Desktop Connect. On a Linux Alpha host, the Linux kernel's vhci-hcd module is missing; install your distribution's package that provides it (often an extra kernel modules package), then reconnect.
USB redirection isn't available: the host may not support it Update Jump Desktop Connect on the host, and verify that you are connected with Fluid.

"Upgrade required"#

Devices other than game controllers, and a Steam Controller, require the Jump Desktop for Teams Enterprise plan. Without that plan, the Mac App Store version does not list them.

"USB device is in use"#

Another app on your computer is using the device. Release the device from that app, then select it again.

Stream Deck: requires Stream Deck software 7.1 or later. In the Stream Deck app, open Preferences > Devices, select the Stream Deck to share, and set Enabled to No. Other Stream Deck devices continue to work.

For other devices, contact support.

Limitations#

  • Keyboards, mice, webcams, printers, and storage drives cannot be redirected.
  • On Windows, disable or uninstall the local drivers for a drawing tablet before redirecting it.
  • Do not update firmware on a redirected device; the update may fail and leave the device unusable.