How to control or access computer pc from mobile.Anydesk for android mobile remote access software.How to access or control PC computer from anroid mobile. Translating Keyboard Inputs For international users connecting from one language zone to another, AnyDesk has a feature for translating the keyboard layout. For example a user in Poland using a polish keyboard layout can connect to a machine in France which is using a french keyboard layout and work regardless of the different keyboard layouts.

Whether for work or personal purposes, you or members of your team will likely need to access your computer without being physically present in front of it. This might be because you’re working from home or a temporary office, because you’re working abroad, or simply because you spend a lot of time commuting.

In recent years, remote access software and unattended access tools have become more advanced. In addition to desktop sharing and screen sharing, many tools can now conduct file transfers and offer secure remote computer access. With more people working from home than ever before, having the right remote desktop access software has become very important for businesses. AnyDesk is a well-known remote desktop software solution, but if you’re still researching for the best option, you may wonder if there are alternatives better suited to your requirements.

This article explains the basics of AnyDesk and helps businesses looking for alternatives to AnyDesk by providing a list of pros and cons for the most effective remote support tools available in 2021. For those who don’t have the time to read the full list, we rank SolarWinds^® Dameware^® Remote Everywhere (DRE) and SolarWinds Dameware Remote Support (DRS) highest as the easiest to use and most sophisticated AnyDesk alternative. DRE and DRS offer a comprehensive range of functionalities capable of meeting the needs of businesses looking for a fast, simple, and enterprise-grade remote desktop connection AnyDesk alternative.

What Is AnyDesk?

AnyDesk is designed as a lightweight remote assistance and home office tool appropriate for large or small companies. It’s intended to be useful for software vendors or app developers looking for a way to solve customer or client problems remotely. It also lets users connect from home to their office computers using the Unattended Access feature. Users gain features like file transfer, remote printing, and session recording.

AnyDesk is built to offer high performance and security. In terms of performance, AnyDesk users can expect frame rates of 60 fps for most internet connections, though the software is built for low latency even with low bandwidth. AnyDesk also claims its DeskRT codec feature, which compresses and transfers images, is unique among competitors. For security, AnyDesk uses TLS 1.2 technology and RSA 2048 asymmetric key exchange encryption, and you can “whitelist” trusted users.

If you choose AnyDesk, you can expect flexibility, with compatibility for Linux, Windows, Mac OS, FreeBSD, iOS, and Android, with the mobile app included. Users can adjust some of the software’s features to suit their brand identity. The tool is also scalable, and charges only for active “seats.” While you can use AnyDesk as a cloud tool, it’s also possible to set up and use an Enterprise Network instead.

Top Alternatives to AnyDesk

SolarWinds DRE is a comprehensive, all-in-one remote computers access solution with a wide range of features. While AnyDesk doesn’t specify connection speed, DRE is designed to let you establish active sessions typically in less than eight seconds, potentially saving you time otherwise spent creating connections with workstations.

DRE is also designed as a secure remote access tool, but unlike AnyDesk, uses FIPS 140-2 validated encryption. DRE uses advanced AES-256 encryption protocols (which are the foundation of TLS 1.2, used by AnyDesk). AnyDesk and DRE both offer multi-factor authentication options.

Unlike AnyDesk, which allows for user support but doesn’t include built-in ITSM features, DRE has a lightweight ticketing system that lets you monitor end-user requests and resolve issues quickly and easily as they arise. Both DRE and AnyDesk function as a remote computer-to-computer access tool, with support for all major operating systems, whether you’re looking for an AnyDesk alternative for Mac or Windows.

With DRE, support technicians can connect with your users through either in-session or pre-session communication, by using VoIP or initiating video calls (not included in AnyDesk). As in AnyDesk, live chats can be established without interrupting active sessions, allowing you to communicate seamlessly and in real time. To help you keep track of communications between you and your users, messages are saved automatically to safe and searchable session logs, similar to AnyDesk.

DRE is an easy-to-use AnyDesk alternative that, like AnyDesk, is designed to scale with your company as it grows. This makes it ideal for even small organizations. However, DRE might not be the best fit for your company if you’re only looking for a basic remote access solution. This AnyDesk alternative offers an all-in-one solution plus help desk and ticketing features.

Here’s a brief overview of DRE’s pros and cons:

Pros

• Lightweight ticketing system
• Useful in-session features
• Support for multi-level permissions and two-factor authentication

Cons

• Perhaps not suitable for businesses that already have a help desk and are only looking for a remote desktop solution
• No mobile application

A 14-day free trial is available.

DRS is another popular SolarWinds remote desktop connection AnyDesk alternative, designed to integrate with help desk software. This solution delivers quick, easy, and safe remote access and control capabilities, helping you get to the root cause of problems in as little time as possible. Like AnyDesk, DRS provides multi-platform remote access to laptops and servers, including Windows, Linux, and macOS computers. Similarly, this AnyDesk alternative is Android- and iOS-compatible and comes with an intuitive mobile application for establishing remote connections through your mobile devices.

One difference between AnyDesk and DRS is DRS is designed to explicitly offer more built-in features for remote admins. While AnyDesk emphasizes features like file transfer and remote printing, you can use the remote access capabilities in DRS to copy and delete files, view and clear event logs, start/stop services and processes, reboot systems, and more. This could make IT remote support administration activities simpler for your team, which reduces the need to make house calls to troubleshoot user problems. DRS is a safe remote desktop connection tool with advanced authentication methods, and like AnyDesk includes the option of using Smart Card logon to enforce multi-factor authentication in sensitive environments.

This flexible and complete solution allows you to deliver remote support from anywhere and at any time. As with AnyDesk, you can create safe over-the-internet remote connections both inside the LAN and across the internet. Because of this, DRS is a good option for companies with employees who are likely to be working off-site.

Like DRE, DRS is an all-in-one remote access and systems management suite of tools. If you’re looking for a tool with a narrower range of features, to complement rather than replace the tools you already use, then DRS may not be the right AnyDesk alternative for your business.

Pros:

• Two-factor authentication
• Remote access mobile application with support for Android and iOS
• Useful admin features for pinpointed access

Cons:

• Less suitable for businesses looking for a narrower suite of tools

A 14-day free trial of SolarWinds DRS is available for download.

Chrome Remote Desktop is among the most popular remote desktop connection AnyDesk alternatives. If you simply want to share your screen quickly and easily, it’s a straightforward option. If, however, you’re looking for an enterprise-grade remote desktop tool with a fully functional mobile application—like AnyDesk—then this tool may not be suited to your needs.

This tool can be installed by users as an application from the Chrome Web Store on their computer or, if you’re using your Android mobile device, from the Google Play app store. While Chrome Remote Desktop is built to offer enterprise-grade performance and accessibility, the mobile application doesn’t provide the same level of functionality as the desktop tool. This limits your ability to use the solution from your mobile devices. With AnyDesk, the mobile and computer tools are both highly functional, and you download them both from their website. As with AnyDesk, this Chrome application supports most major platforms, including Mac, Windows, and Linux.

Pros:

• Simple and fast
• Multi-platform

Cons:

• Limited functionality

This AnyDesk alternative is free to use, making it an affordable option, but it may not be entirely suited to business use.

Microsoft Remote Desktop among the most notable free competitors of AnyDesk because it’s very well-known and easy to use. However, it is generally more limited in functionality than AnyDesk. This solution works similarly to Chrome Remote Desktop—you simply install the client on your computer and, if you’d like to use the mobile application, download the app from your mobile device’s app store. This will allow you to connect your devices and establish remote access, with video and audio streaming (as with AnyDesk). A key benefit of using Microsoft Remote Desktop is you don’t need a Google Chrome installation for this tool to work on Windows devices.

Although the Microsoft alternative to AnyDesk can facilitate remote access to desktops reasonably easily, functionality is limited. For instance, you can only create a connection profile or search for an existing one to connect to it. Microsoft Remote Desktop can also be inflexible, because it doesn’t allow you to modify the experience themes or settings.

Pros:

• Google Chrome installation isn’t necessary
• Simple and easy setup

Cons:

• Limited functionality
• Inflexible

If you’re looking for an AnyDesk alternative effective at establishing access from a mobile device, then Parallels Access may be a good option. This tool was designed specifically for remote computer access from mobile devices and its mobile application is highly functional. Parallels Access features a unique, user-friendly mobile user interface, with support for iPad multitasking and full-screen applications, as well as Samsung DeX and S Pen. AnyDesk is not mobile-first but offers a widely compatible mobile application.

One of the best things about this solution is its clean user interface. Instead of showing your desktop screen on your mobile device, the Parallels Access mobile application presents a modified, mobile-friendly version. Although this tool supports connections between computers, most of its capabilities are mobile-centric.

Parallels Access offers several features similar to AnyDesk, like screen sharing, file transfer, and session chat. But it doesn’t let you initiate remote control of another computer from your mobile device, which AnyDesk allows. In addition, the security features differ, as Parallels Access doesn’t offer Smart Card authentication.

Pros:

• Excellent mobile application
• Support for iPad multitasking
• User-friendly interface

Cons:

• Limited computer-to-computer access capabilities

A free trial of Parallels Access is available.

TeamViewer is another popular remote desktop application with remote access capabilities. Like AnyDesk, TeamViewer offers a mobile application for connecting to your computer from your mobile device and, although the setup for TeamViewer is a little complex, the app itself is simple and functional.

TeamViewer offers a range of sophisticated features similar to those offered by AnyDesk, including file transfers in both directions, real-time sound and HD video transmission, and enterprise-grade encryption protocols plus two-factor authentication. However, TeamViewer emphasizes a wider range of remote control software features than AnyDesk. You can connect to multiple computers at the same time, have an integrated service desk, use VoIP, and more. Unlike with AnyDesk, the app is free for personal use, but you’ll need to pay for a subscription if you want to use it for your business.

Pros:

• High-security encryption
• Real-time sound and HD video transmission
• Support for file transfers in both directions, plus more useful features

Cons:

• Complicated setup

A 14-day free trial of the business edition of TeamViewer is available.

Splashtop is an AnyDesk alternative with more than 15 million users across the world and is one of the more well-known remote desktop connection tools. Multiple versions of Splashtop are available, including editions for school and classroom use, personal use, business use, and enterprise use. Some versions are somewhat pricier than others.

Splashtop is a powerful remote desktop connection AnyDesk alternative, featuring some tools included in AnyDesk—like remote print, chat, and session logging—and some features that aren’t, including drag and drop file transfer, multi-to-multi-monitor support, and auto-login. However, some reviews note issues with how the display functions, so starting with a free trial may make sense. One unique feature Splashtop provides is Active Directory integration, unlike AnyDesk. The security protocols are similar, however, as it uses TLS and AES-256 encryption.

Pros:

• Multi-device compatibility
• File transfer with drag-and-drop interface
• Session recording

Cons:

• The visual display could be more user-friendly, according to some reviews

You can access a free trial of Splashtop here.

AirDroid is an all-in-one file sharing and multi-screen sharing solution. This tool lets you access numerous devices simultaneously from almost anywhere, with support for all major operating systems. In addition to allowing you to manage your computer from a mobile device, AirDroid also lets you pick up calls and send messages from your desktop using the mobile application. But one fallback of AirDroid is a significant delay when sending SMS messages via a desktop.

Other key AirDroid features include phone screen recording and screen sharing from both sides, with lots of customizable settings. Unlike AnyDesk, AirDroid also allows you to make or receive calls on your computer and supports notification sharing for all connected devices, which ensures you’re kept in the loop. Both tools allow for encrypted file transfer. To keep you safe, AirDroid provides secure backup and synchronization for your phones and desktop computers.

AirDroid is a personal-use tool for a home office, but AirDroid Business is also an option. It allows businesses to remotely control Android devices. Only the Business version includes two-step verification, an admin console, and other remote control features. Both AnyDesk and AirDroid Business are scalable solutions (AirDroid for personal use is limited to four or 10 devices depending on your plan). All versions of AirDroid have more limited compatibility options than AnyDesk.

Pros:

• Safe backup and synchronization
• Screen recording and screen sharing from both sides
• Customizable settings

Apple Anydesk

Cons:

• Personal version has limitations
• Limited compatibility

You can download a free 14-day trial of AirDroid business edition here.

Getting Started With a Remote Desktop Connection AnyDesk Alternative

Hopefully, this review of the best AnyDesk alternatives will save you some time by giving insight into the most popular and effective tools on the market in 2021. Overall, we recommend SolarWinds DRE and DRS most highly. These solutions offer an impressive range of powerful capabilities and are very intuitive, making them suitable for both beginners and experienced pros. They’re also suitable for enterprise use and are highly scalable, making them a good choice for small and large businesses alike. You can access a free trial of DRE here and a free trial of DRS here.

If you’re still not sure which of these AnyDesk alternatives is right for you, take advantage of their free trials. No matter your reasons for choosing an AnyDesk alternative, one of the solutions featured in this list should meet your business’ specific needs.

*As of September 2020

Our review of the best remote access solution for macOS and iOS may be a bit dated right now, but the pick likely hasn’t changed: Screens VNC is still as rock solid and as beautiful as ever before. In fact, Screens for iOS was just updated to properly support the new cursor support on the iPad, making for what should be an excellent experience zipping around on your Mac through your iPad.

I do admit, however, that I haven’t had as much luck with Screens as I’d personally like. I have a home Eero network that requires a little fiddling to get working through Screens Connect, and my office PC is connected to an older router. Plus, even now, after attempting to get it work for the better part of an hour, I cannot get Screens Connect to work.

With the onslaught of tax filing needing to be done from home last week, I needed to figure out a way to access my work PC from my iMac at home.

AnyDesk quickly saved the day. Very little fiddling was required to get it to work (in fact, just download and go), and thanks to two strong internet connections on both ends, AnyDesk almost had me feeling like I was running a full-on Windows PC on my iMac from miles away.

Download and Setup

AnyDesk’s macOS and PC software can be downloaded for free for personal use from their website. If you’re using AnyDesk for work, they offer a few different enterprise/commercial licenses to get you up and running that start at $10.99/month.

Once you have the software downloaded on both computers, you simply need to note your desk’s access code to jump into action. To get around having to have another individual on the other end of your connection, a few settings should be enabled:

1. Interactive access can be set to “Always Allow” to enable you to jump into action with AnyDesk explicitly open.
2. Enable unattended access (password protected) to allow yourself to log in from anywhere you have an internet connection.
3. Enable privacy mode to ensure individuals on the other end of your connection aren’t snooping.

I also opted to allow all remote keyboard shortcuts, just to make it feel as first-party/natural as possible. There’s nothing quite like jumping into Microsoft Excel through a VNC/remote access client like AnyDesk and quickly initiating a keyboard shortcut that either doesn’t work or does something completely different than expected.

Once you’re ready to go, drop the nine-digit access code into AnyDesk’s main screen, await your connection, and you’re off. After you’ve completed your session, AnyDesk will remember that specific computer, ensuring you don’t have to remember the access code each time.

Using AnyDesk for Remote Access

My experience with AnyDesk over the last two weeks has been nothing short of stellar, albeit with a few workarounds in place. Once you’ve started your session, AnyDesk excels at making it feel like you have a second working computer running right on your iMac.

You can resize your window to fit appropriately in your display and you can jump between multiple displays by switching between the numbered boxes in the address bar. You can maneuver through your connected computer as though you were sitting in front of it.

In general, I have strong internet connections on both ends of my AnyDesk connection, so this may be a variable that inhibits the experience for other users. Overall, my experience has been rock solid — clicks on the connected computer initiate immediately, ensuring you don’t move in and out of flow waiting for your connected computer to catch up. If you have a poor internet connection, I’d be curious to hear about your experience in this regard.

The only major hiccups I’ve run into so far is with keyboard support — both keyboard shortcuts, but also in general keyboard layouts and so on. Obviously, an Apple Magic Keyboard doesn’t have a windows key or an alt key that directly translate if your connected computer is a Windows PC, so some experimentation may be in order. A few anecdotes to throw your way:

• The Command key on an Apple keyboard acts as the Windows key on a Windows keyboard.
• The Option key on an Apple keyboard acts as the Alt key on a Windows keyboard.
• The Control key on an Apple keyboard acts as the Control key on a Windows keyboard.

This will lead to a few muscle memory issues. For instance, “Command + C” will not copy selected data on the connected computer and instead will initiate the Startup menu instead. Alt-tabbing through open windows has to be done with the Option key. And sometimes, I’d notice an Alt key be frozen in place after hitting the Command key, resulting in windows being resized when arrow-keying rather than moving between letters or cells in Excel.

I’ve had better luck in choosing “Map 1:1” in the little keyboard menu at the top of the AnyDesk window, ensuring keyboard shortcuts work as close as you’d expect them to.

In short, you most certainly can use your Apple keyboard to work magic when connected to a Windows PC, but there will be some patience required. Honestly, I found it easiest to use two keyboards at once — I have a Microsoft Surface Ergonomic Keyboard that I use when working on the connected computer and I use the Magic Keyboard when operating the iMac.

Using AnyDesk on the iPad

So far, my experience with AnyDesk on the iPad isn’t as good as my experience with AnyDesk on the Mac. However, my main point of issue was only just updated in Screens for iOS, so perhaps the AnyDesk team is working on it as we speak.

First, in regards to connection ease, AnyDesk on the iPad feels effectively indistinguishable from AnyDesk on the Mac — clicks initiate nearly instantly and everything feels smooth and solid. In my case, I have used a wired connection on my iMac and a Wi-Fi connection on the iPad to connect to my remote PC, and I haven’t seen a noticeable difference between how the two behave. Quite simply, connection speed has been very impressive.

My biggest point of contention is the inability to use the iPad cursor or to use your finger to maneuver through the connected computer. Instead, you have to click and hold or tap and hold on the remote cursor, drag it around the screen, and double tap/click to initiate a click on the other end. This is very different than how a computer normally behaves and causes a lot of friction when trying to work through a task as quickly as possible.

Anydesk Ipad Scroll

It doesn’t work differently with an Apple Pencil either. The Pencil’s only benefit is in providing a more precise touch target on the display.

As a result, I’ve opted to use the iPad as little as possible for connecting to the remote PC. If I’m in a pinch, it’s nice to be able to clumsily move around Windows 10 and move files into OneDrive, iCloud Drive, or a drafted email if necessary. It’s also possible for referencing information on the other end. But if you’re looking to get a more complex task completed, I expect the current cursor implementation will get in the way.

Wrap Up

In an ideal world, I’ll have a MacBook at the office with enough RAM and capacity to run Parallels with minimal effort and I’ll be able to take that with me wherever I go.

But as it stands now, this little makeshift solution with AnyDesk gives me a glimpse of what that ideal future could be. From anywhere (but right now, specifically, my home office), I can access a remote computer and have it behave almost as though it’s a little virtual computer right in my Mac. If AnyDesk is able to update the iOS app to better support iPadOS 13.4’s new cursor support, the iPad could theoretically transform into a mini-laptop that runs a computer from anywhere in the world.

Thanks to AnyDesk (and fast internet connections), I find myself dreaming about a future world where I can access our binary-old, Windows-only tax software while still operating a Mac full-time.

AnyDesk provides this opportunity, in a backdoor sort of way, right now.

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