Sometimes we just need help with our computers. And with so many people still working remotely, that help can become a challenge. This is especially so for those employees using the likes of Chromebooks or other desktops that might not support TeamViewer or AnyDesk.
SEE: Keyboard troubleshooting guide (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
If you find yourself in such a situation, you could always turn to Chrome Remote Desktop. Although this platform isn’t nearly as helpful as some of the others (as in, it doesn’t allow the remote support person to take control of a desktop, it is a solid option when nothing else works.
Just be warned that working with Chrome Remote Desktop means remote support will have to guide end-users through troubleshooting (instead of doing it all themselves). However, for a free solution, Chrome Remote Desktop shouldn’t be shrugged off as a non-starter.
With that said, let’s find out how this tool is used.
What you’ll need
To work with Chrome Remote Desktop, you’ll need two systems, both of which must have a desktop and a web browser. You’ll also need both machines logged into a Google account (they do not have to be logged into the same account). I’m going to demonstrate on a Chromebook (running ChromeOS 101.0.4951.6) and Pop!_OS Linux. However, you can do this on any platform (including macOS and Windows).
How to install Chrome Remote Desktop
The steps for installing Chrome Remote Desktop will vary, depending on which browser you use. From your browser of choice (so long as it’s either Chrome or Firefox), go to https://remotedesktop.google.com on both machines. You’ll be prompted to install Chrome Remote Desktop on the device (Figure A).
Figure A
Click Install and then, when prompted, click Install again. If you’re using Linux, this will download a file to your local storage that you must install. On a Ubuntu-based system, the installation process goes a little like this:
- Open a terminal window.
- Change into the Downloads directory with
cd ~/Downloads.
- Install the software with
sudo dpkg -i chrome-remote*.deb -y
. - The installation will error out. To fix it, issue the command
sudo apt-get install -f
.
How to use Chrome Remote Desktop
On the machine you want to access, go back to remotedesktop.google.com. From that page, click Generate Code in the Share this screen section (Figure B).
Figure B
Once the code generates, go to the other machine, visit remotedesktop.google.com, type the access code under Connect to Another Computer, and click Connect (Figure C).
Figure C
Back on the remote machine, you’ll be asked to allow the remote user access to the system (Figure D).
Figure D
Click SHARE and the remote screen will be shared with the local user. At this point, you can see everything that happens on the remote desktop, so you can walk the end-user through resolving their issues.
When you’re done with the remote screen, make the end-user click on their system tray and then click Stop (Figure E) to end the session.
Figure E
This isn’t an ideal solution for remote support, but in a pinch, Google’s platform will certainly pull through when other tools might either not work or aren’t available.
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