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Check in on AI agents and long-running work#

Connect briefly to check the progress of work running on a host, then disconnect without disturbing it. Keep the host's virtual displays between visits, and observe without sending input so that the work is not interrupted.

For example:

  • A developer checks what a coding agent has done on an office Mac, from a laptop.
  • A 3D artist checks the progress of an overnight render, or an engineer checks a long build.

Applies to#

  • Jump Desktop on Windows and macOS: keeping displays between visits and observe mode.
  • Jump Desktop on iPhone, iPad, and Android Beta: quick checks, with displays kept only through team settings.
  • Fluid connections to Windows or Mac hosts with Jump Desktop Connect 10 or later.
  • Team settings require the Jump Desktop for Teams Enterprise plan.

Keep the host awake#

Configure the host not to sleep while the work runs; a sleeping host cannot accept your check-in connection. On a team's hosts, an administrator on the Jump Desktop for Teams Enterprise plan can set Sleep Override to Always Keep Awake.

Keep the displays between visits#

Virtual displays are removed when you disconnect unless you keep them. In Jump Desktop for Windows or Mac:

  1. Connect with virtual displays. See Virtual displays.
  2. Choose Display > Virtual Displays > Keep After Disconnect.

The virtual displays remain on the host after you disconnect, and the next connection uses them. See when kept displays are removed.

On a Windows or Mac host, only one connection at a time can create virtual displays. If an AI agent or a session on another device created the virtual displays and is still connected, your check-in uses those displays and cannot change them. No message appears.

Keep the same size from every device#

Kept displays adjust to the settings of the next connection, so checking in from a laptop and then from a desktop can resize them.

  • From Windows and Mac: in Jump Desktop on each device you check in from, configure the same fixed virtual displays for the computer.
  • From iPhone, iPad, or Android: these apps do not offer Keep After Disconnect. A quick check from a phone resizes the kept display and removes it when you disconnect, unless a team administrator has set Persistent to Always Enabled.
  • For team computers: a team administrator on the Jump Desktop for Teams Enterprise plan can set fixed virtual displays and set Persistent to Always Enabled. These settings apply to every device.

Look without touching#

In Jump Desktop for Windows or Mac, choose Remote > Observe so that an accidental click or keystroke does not interrupt the work. To start every connection this way, see Observe mode.

Check in automatically#

Jump CLI Beta can connect to a host and take screenshots, so a script or an AI agent can check progress without your involvement. See Let AI agents control computers and Watch and take over with Mission Control.

Check that it worked#

From Jump Desktop for Windows or Mac, disconnect and connect again; the Display menu lists the same virtual displays. From iPhone, iPad, or Android, the same virtual displays are listed only when a team administrator has set Persistent to Always Enabled.