I recently heard from a reader who asked about the best software for remotely accessing and controlling another computer.

While I havenā€™t tried every solution, Iā€™ve been a happyĀ Chrome Remote DesktopĀ user for years. The free software from Google lets you control another computer from any web browser, or from the Chrome Remote Desktop app onĀ iOSĀ andĀ Android, and Iā€™ve found it to be both reliable and responsive.

I use the software to manage my Mac Miniā€™s Plex andĀ Channels DVRĀ servers when Iā€™m not at home, and to remotely begin downloading games and other large files on my Windows desktop PC. You can also use Chrome Remote Desktop for tech support, accessing another personā€™s PC through a one-time access code. (Note that all of this requires the host computer to be powered on; you canā€™t use it to magically turn on a laptop from afar.)

While you do need a Google account to use Chrome Remote Desktop, Googleā€™s Chrome browser isnā€™t required.

To get started, just head to theĀ Remote Desktop siteĀ on the computer you want to access remotely, download the software under ā€œSet Up Remote Access,ā€ then create a PIN, which youā€™ll need along with your Google account to use the computer from elsewhere. You can also head to the ā€œRemote Supportā€ tab to share your computer screen with another user, or vice versa.

If youā€™re using a web browser, Chrome Remote Desktop will feel just like controlling your actual computer, albeit with slightly more input lag. Click the little arrow on the right side of the screen, and you can adjust display options, set up keyboard shortcuts, and even directly transfer files between the two computers.

 

The mobile app, meanwhile, provides a touchscreen interface so you can simulate mouse clicks by tapping with one or two fingers. Alternatively, switching to ā€œTrackpad Modeā€ lets you drag your finger to move your computerā€™s cursor around. Neither is an ideal way to control your computer, but theyā€™ve gotten me out of numerous media server-related jams over the years, so Iā€™m not complaining.

This tip comes fromĀ Advisorator, Jaredā€™s weekly newsletter for practical tech advice.Ā Sign up for free to get tips like this every Tuesday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jared Newman covers apps and technology from his remote Cincinnati outpost. He also writes two newsletters, Cord Cutter Weekly and Advisorator. More

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