Remote support#
Help someone with their computer (the host), whether they are at the host or away from it. When the person is at the host, they approve each request, can see who is connected, and can disconnect anyone. When no one is at the host, you connect with an account on the host. Jump Desktop for Teams adds the controls a help desk requires.
For example:
- A person corrects a family member's settings while the family member watches.
- An IT help desk supports a company's hosts, with access controlled through a team.
Applies to#
- Jump Desktop on Windows, macOS, iPhone, iPad, and Android Beta, or a web browser.
- Jump Desktop Connect on the host you are helping: Windows, macOS, or Linux Alpha.
- Helping one person does not require a plan. Team features require Jump Desktop for Teams Pro or Enterprise, as noted below.
Get access to their host#
First, ask the person to install Jump Desktop Connect. On a Mac, they must also grant Connect's macOS permissions; without them, you cannot see or control the screen. To give your account access without sharing passwords, send them your Connect Code.
Then choose how to connect:
| When | Use | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| The person is at the host | Ask to Share Screen | They receive a Screen Sharing Request and choose Allow Control or View Only. Nothing is shared until they accept. |
| The person sends you an invitation | A sharing link | They copy a link from Connect; opening the link still requires their approval. |
| No one is at the host | Unattended access | You sign in with an account on the host. |
When someone is at the host, prefer Ask to Share Screen. With it, the person at the host can:
- See who is requesting access.
- Decide whether you can control the host.
- Pause or stop sharing from the toolbar on their screen.
Watch before you take control#
In Jump Desktop for Windows or Mac, choose Remote > Observe to watch without sending keyboard or mouse input. Observe mode prevents accidental clicks or keystrokes while the person shows you the problem. To start every connection this way, see Observe mode.
With Ask to Share Screen, the person can also choose View Only and turn on control later from their toolbar.
Let them see who's connected#
- Jump Desktop Connect shows the person at the host who is connected, such as 1 user connected, and lets them disconnect each person. During screen sharing, the toolbar on their screen also lists everyone connected; see What the person at the host sees.
- On team hosts with the Enterprise plan, a watermark can show the connected user's name or email on the screen.
Keep their screen private when no one is there#
When you work on an unattended Windows or Mac host in a shared space, turn on Privacy mode to blank the host's displays and block its local keyboard and mouse input.
Set up a support team#
With Jump Desktop for Teams, grant support staff access to specific hosts and maintain a record of activity:
- Access Groups control which staff members can reach which hosts (up to 5 on Pro, unlimited on Enterprise). See Control access with Access Groups.
- Admin (Read-Only) is suitable for help desk staff who need read-only visibility without permission to make changes. See Roles.
- Require 2-Factor Authentication (Pro and Enterprise) and single sign-on (Enterprise) protect staff accounts. See Security best practices and Single sign-on.
- Connection Logs and Activity Logs show who connected and what changed. See Activity Logs and Connection Logs.
- End a session from the host's page in the Teams dashboard. See End active sessions. To end sessions automatically after a set time, use Max Session Duration (Enterprise).
- Get a host's diagnostic logs from the Teams dashboard without physical access to the host (Admins, Pro and Enterprise). See Get diagnostic logs from a computer.
Check that it worked#
- You see their screen.
- On the person's host, Connect lists you among the connected users, or the sharing toolbar shows your name.