How To Connect To Remote Desktop Of Any Computer (Windows, Mac OSX) Over Internet Using TeamViewer
Whether you are trying to access your home PC from your office, or your office workstation from home, you need to establish a remote desktop connection over Internet. Many times accessing a remote computer is not so easy. For instance there could be firewalls blocking access, or the two PCs could be on different OS not compatible with each other, and so on.
In these kind of scenarios, TeamViewer comes to rescue. This free for non-commercial usage tool lets you quickly connect to a remote machine, control it completely including reboot/logoff, do audio and video chat, transfer files, and so on. While there are other desktop sharing applications such as CrossLoop, TeamViewer is much more powerful, flexible, and at the same time user-friendly.
TeamViewer is available as a full version ( requires installation) and also a quick support exe file (portable and standalone). So you can choose which one you want to install on your PC. Note that in order to connect two PCs, at least one of them should have the full version installed.
In this article, we give a step-by-step guide as to how to use TeamViewer to connect to a remote computer. We assume that the quick support exe file is running on the remote computer, and a full version on your local Computer. This scenario is fairly common, such as when you want to remotely connect to your colleague’s or customer’s PC without requiring them to install any software. Before you start with this tutorial, download TeamViewer. TeamViewer is available for both Windows and Mac OSX. The latest version, TeamViewer 5 is compatible with Windows 7.
1. Connecting to the Remote Computer
In order to initiate a connection, TeamViewer should be running on both the computers. Ask your friend or customer who is running TeamViewer on the remote computer to note down the ID and Password and send it to you via Email, IM, etc.
On your local machine’s TeamViewer, enter the remote computer’s ID in the ‘Create session’ panel, and hit ‘Connect to partner’.
Enter the password in the TeamViewer Authentication dialog, and click ‘LogOn’.
That’s it. You immediately get access to the remote computer’s desktop. A menu bar at the top of the TeamViewer window gives you access to many features and settings under the menus: ‘Actions’, ‘View’, ‘Audio/Video’, ‘File transfer’, ‘Extras’.
2. Remote Computer Display Settings
If you are not happy with the display of the remote desktop, try to adjust the quality settings by going to ‘View’ –> ‘Quality’ –> ‘Optimize quality’. In case you are on a low bandwidth connection, you can choose ‘Optimize speed’.
Under ‘View’, you can also configure scaling, screen resolution, select an active monitor (in case of remote desktop having multiple monitors), select a single window instead of the entire desktop, refresh the remote desktop, and so on.
By default TeamViewer turns off the remote desktop’s wallpaper, so you can turn it back by unchecking ‘View’ –> ‘Remove wallpaper’.
3. Remote Reboot And Switching Sides
Another useful feature of TeamViewer is that it lets the remote computer take full control of your local machine. You can do this by going to ‘Actions’ –> ‘Switch sides with partner’. This feature works even when the TeamViewer running on the remote computer is only a quick support version and not a full version.
From the Actions menu, you can logoff, reboot and even do a safe mode reboot of the remote computer. You can disable remote input, so that any unnecessary mouse or cursor movements can be avoided.
4. Audio and Video Chat
You can do an audio or a video chat with the remote computer. TeamViewer also supports conference calls. Audio and video sessions can be initiated from the Audio/Video menu.
5. File Transfer
It’s really amazing to see how easily you can transfer files between the PCs using TeamViewer. You can browse the remote machine just like it were local to you. TeamViewer’s file transfer dialog shows both the Computers in a dual pane side by side view, thus allowing you to transfer files and folders in both directions in a single click.
6. Extras
The ‘Extras’ menu gives access to remote system information including the hardware and software installed on the remote computer and connection information. You can record your session, start a VPN, and install full version of TeamViewer on the remote machine.
Go ahead and give TeamViewer a try.
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I have been using RHUB recently and find it a pretty good alternative to TeamViewer. It has many of the same features, like viewing in true-color and file transfer. It’s easy to set up a remote desktop session, just need a session code and that’s pretty much it.
i didn’t know you could chat using remote pc access softwares… cool!
I am running an vegetable,juice shop.Can i watch my partner Screen with out their knowledge? if s pls mail to psgmaran@gmail.com.
Can i watch my partner Screen with out their knowledge? if s pls mail to
Hi,
Does it allow to access the remote PC even if it is powered off? can i do file transfer and all other tasks even if one of the pc is powered off?
@Fahim, Both the PCs need to be connected to internet. Hence it is impossible to power ON a PC remotely using Team Viewer.
@dkszone – Thanks for the reply. Is there any way to connect to a partner PC when it is Powered Off?
how can i identify when my parner is watching me without my knowledge
how to use another pc he is in another place we want transfer files (exel word documents) we want see his desktop using team veiwer please send me mail i am waiting
My doubt is similar to that of Fahim’s. Is there any way to connect a to a partner PC when it is turned off? provided it was already set to such permissions?
Teamviewer has a good product but while I used it I found it to be lacking in several respects. Their authentication systems were a bit too permissive and there was no stealth mode. I’ve found Proxy, proxynetworksc.com to be much better in these specific areas.
Hi All,
Is there anything related to network speed. I have a dialup connection with only 35kbps speed. Can I use teamviewer with this speed….
Thanks in advance buddies….
Rajesh
@Rajesh
Your dialup connection is a bit slow for TeamViewer. You can use it but you may find it very sluggish.
Hi all, Can i connect two computers at a time? Suppose if I access the 1st computer, can i transfer files to the other computer simultaneously?
plz tell me that to contact with another cmputer with teamviewer
is password need or need only ID
and 2nd is that anybody cntact my comp he need my passowerd reply must
@ Shahzad, Without Teamviewer ID, There is no possibility that you’ll be connecting to someone and without password, you’ll not be able to access the Remote computer. I haven’t heard about Teamviewer being hacked and accessed without the permission and password provided by the Remote User. But you can or the admin can customize the password, suppose if you have already accessed a Remote computer and would need to connect in the future, you can set a new password. Click “Extra” > “Option” and then “Security”, there you’ll see the password boxes which will be permanently assigned. You’ll need that password to access that particular computer or you can still use the temporary password shown on the Teamviewer Main Window |(Console). You can assign new password to your Teamviewer. Additional: You can save other user/s’ Teamviewer ID, but you’ll need to have a Teamviewer account. On the “Partner List” window, sign in and add user/s. Hope this helps.
Regards,
Nonontech.
this article I give to someone as a gift have made myself an independent.. I hope someone who will always be there to accompany me until the end of my life.. miss u
i have samsung mobile so i want to connect team viewer how can i connect ?
VNC is not better then teamvierwer, but the remote vnc sever does not need to be on/line. You can connect to any remote pc provided that is is switch on and vnc installed. how do I connect to a remote pc with teamviewer when teamvierwer is off?