Best Free Remote Desktop Software for Windows and Mac

Quick picks

Best overall: Chrome Remote Desktop — free, simple, and works across Windows, Mac, and Linux with a Google account.
Best open-source option: RustDesk — free to use, with the option to run your own server.
Best for slower connections: AnyDesk — lightweight and responsive, free for personal use.
Best built-in option: Windows Remote Desktop — fast on a home network when the host runs Windows Pro.
Best for helping someone quickly: Windows Quick Assist — included with Windows 10 and 11, with nothing to buy.
Best for gaming and creative work: Parsec — low-latency streaming, free for personal use.

How we chose

Whether the free version is genuinely free for your use, or restricted to personal, non-commercial use.
Setup effort on both ends, including whether the other person needs an account or a full install.
Support for unattended access to your own computers, not just live help sessions.
Security basics: encrypted sessions, two-factor authentication for accounts, and a clear approval step before anyone takes control.
Platform coverage across Windows, macOS, Linux, and phones.
How well each tool's design suits ordinary home internet connections, based on documentation and the vendor's stated approach.

1. Most people who want free, simple access to their own computers

Chrome Remote Desktop

Chrome Remote Desktop is Google's free remote access tool. You set up each computer you want to reach from remotedesktop.google.com, protect it with a PIN, and then connect from a browser or the Android and iOS apps. A separate Remote Support mode lets someone share their screen with you using a one-time access code. There is no paid tier and no commercial-use detection, which makes it the least complicated free option. The trade-off is a basic feature set: file transfer is simple, and there are no tools for managing many computers or users.

Pros

Completely free with no paid upsell
Hosts on Windows, macOS, and Linux, with Android and iOS apps for connecting
Unattended access to your own computers protected by a PIN
Connect from a browser with nothing to install on the connecting device

Cons

Requires a Google account and is built around the Chrome browser
Basic feature set, with no chat, session recording, or team device management

Pricing: Free to use, with no paid plans.

Visit Chrome Remote Desktop

2. Open-source fans and anyone who wants to run their own server

RustDesk

RustDesk is an open-source remote desktop app that works out of the box using free public servers, or with a server you host yourself for full control over where connection data flows. It covers the features most people need, including file transfer, unattended access with a permanent password, and clients for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. Because the open-source edition carries no personal-use-only restriction, it is a popular way out of free-tier licensing limits. Self-hosting takes some technical comfort, and the public servers are shared, so performance can vary.

Pros

Open source, with no personal-use-only restriction
Self-host the server for control over your data
File transfer and unattended access included
No account needed for basic use

Cons

Self-hosting requires setting up and maintaining a server
Shared public servers can be slower at busy times
Centralized management needs the paid Server Pro edition

Pricing: The app and basic self-hosted server are free and open source; RustDesk Server Pro is a paid subscription that adds a web console and centralized management.

Visit RustDesk

3. Responsive personal remote access, even on slower connections

AnyDesk

AnyDesk is a lightweight remote desktop app built around its own DeskRT codec, which is designed to stay responsive on modest connections. The free version covers personal remote control, file transfer, and unattended access to your own devices, and it runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and ChromeOS. It can also run without a full install, which is handy for one-off help sessions. The free license is strictly for personal use, and AnyDesk disclosed a breach of its production systems in early 2024, after which it revoked its code-signing certificates and reset web portal passwords.

Pros

Small, fast client that can run without installing
Designed to stay responsive on slower connections
File transfer and unattended access in the free version
Broad platform support, including ChromeOS

Cons

The free license is for personal use only
An early-2024 security incident is worth knowing about
Advanced management features require a paid plan

Pricing: Free for personal use; commercial use requires a paid subscription, typically billed annually.

Visit AnyDesk

4. Windows Pro users connecting within a home or office network

Windows Remote Desktop

Remote Desktop is built into Windows and delivers a full, fast desktop session with no third-party software. The catch is the edition: the computer you connect to must run Windows 10 or 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education. Windows Home can use the Remote Desktop Connection app to connect out to other PCs, but it cannot accept incoming connections. It works best on a local network; for access from outside, connect through a VPN rather than exposing port 3389 to the internet. Mac users can connect with Microsoft's Windows App.

Pros

Built into Windows, with nothing extra to install on Windows PCs
Excellent responsiveness and multi-monitor support on a local network
No third-party account or cloud service involved

Cons

The host PC needs a Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition
Reaching it safely from outside your network requires a VPN
Signing in remotely locks the local session, so it does not suit live help

Pricing: Included with Windows at no extra cost; hosting requires Pro, Enterprise, or Education, and a Home PC can be upgraded to Pro for a one-time fee.

Troubleshoot Remote Desktop connections

5. Helping friends or family on Windows with a live support session

Windows Quick Assist

Quick Assist is Microsoft's tool for helping someone else with their Windows PC, included with Windows 10 and 11. The helper signs in with a Microsoft account and shares a short security code; the person being helped enters it and approves the session before anything is shared. Setup takes a minute and nobody needs third-party software, which makes it ideal for family tech support. It is attended-only, with no unattended access, and it only works between Windows PCs. Because scammers also use it, only ever enter a code from someone you contacted yourself.

Pros

Included with Windows 10 and 11
The person being helped does not need an account
A clear approval step before the helper can see or control the screen

Cons

Windows only, with no Mac or mobile version
No unattended access to your own computers
The helper needs a Microsoft account

Pricing: Free and included with Windows 10 and 11.

Compare more remote support tools

6. Feature-rich personal remote access across many device types

TeamViewer

TeamViewer is one of the longest-established remote access tools, and its free version for personal use includes remote control, file transfer, chat, unattended access to your own devices, and apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and ChromeOS. It also offers a clear upgrade path to paid business features if your needs grow. The major caveat is commercial-use detection: if TeamViewer's system decides your activity looks like business use, it shows a commercial-use warning and can cut sessions short until the matter is resolved. That makes it a riskier free choice for anyone who helps lots of people.

Pros

Mature, full-featured free version for personal use
Broad platform support across desktop and mobile
File transfer, chat, and unattended access to your own devices
Clear upgrade path to paid business plans

Cons

Commercial-use detection can flag genuine personal users and limit sessions
Paid plans are among the more expensive in this category
More options and settings than casual users need

Pricing: Free for personal, non-commercial use; business use requires a paid subscription, usually billed annually.

Visit TeamViewer

7. Low-latency remote gaming and creative work

Parsec

Parsec streams a remote computer at high frame rates with very low latency, which is why it is popular for playing PC games remotely and for creative work where smooth motion matters. The free personal plan lets you connect to your own computers and share a machine with friends for co-op games, with game controller support. Hosting works on Windows and macOS and performs best when the host has a GPU that supports hardware video encoding. It is not built for tech support, and features such as multiple-monitor support and higher color accuracy sit in the paid Warp plan.

Pros

Very smooth, low-latency streaming designed for games and video work
Game controller support for remote and co-op play
Free for personal use

Cons

Both people need a Parsec account
Best results need a host GPU with hardware video encoding
Not designed for everyday IT support or helping strangers

Pricing: Free for personal use; the Parsec Warp subscription adds extra features, and team and business plans are sold separately.

Visit Parsec

Buying guide

Check what free actually covers

Free remote desktop tools fall into two groups. Chrome Remote Desktop, RustDesk's open-source edition, Windows Remote Desktop, and Quick Assist cost nothing regardless of who you help. AnyDesk, TeamViewer, and Parsec are free only for personal, non-commercial use. That covers reaching your own home PC or helping relatives, but not connecting to a work computer, supporting clients, or helping colleagues, even occasionally and unpaid. TeamViewer in particular runs automatic commercial-use detection, and a flagged installation can see sessions cut short until the issue is reviewed. If any of your remote sessions are work-related, pick a tool whose free terms allow it or budget for a license from the start, rather than building a routine on a free tier you are not entitled to use.

Unattended access or live help

Decide which job you need done. Unattended access means connecting to your own computer when nobody is sitting at it, such as reaching a home PC from a laptop while traveling. Chrome Remote Desktop, RustDesk, AnyDesk, TeamViewer, and Windows Remote Desktop all handle this, usually protected by a PIN or password you set on the host. Live help means someone is at the other computer and approves the session, which is what you want for family tech support. Quick Assist, Chrome Remote Desktop's Remote Support mode, AnyDesk, and TeamViewer all work well here. Parsec sits apart from both: it is built for smooth, low-latency streaming for games and creative apps rather than support sessions.

Security habits matter more than the app

Remote access tools are a favorite of tech-support scammers, so the most important rule is simple: never install one or read out a code because someone called, texted, or showed a pop-up asking you to. Only start sessions you arranged yourself. For your own setup, turn on two-factor authentication for the account behind the tool, use a long, unique PIN or unattended-access password, and keep the app updated. Remove computers and saved devices you no longer use. If you use Windows Remote Desktop, keep it on your local network and connect from outside through a VPN; forwarding port 3389 on your router exposes the PC to constant automated login attempts.

When to step up to a paid tool like Splashtop

Free tools start to strain when remote access becomes part of a job. If you support a small business, manage more than a handful of computers, or need several technicians to share access, look at paid tools such as Splashtop, or the business plans from AnyDesk and TeamViewer. Paid plans typically add centralized device lists, user permissions, session logging or recording, remote printing, and priority support, and they remove personal-use restrictions. Splashtop is a popular step up for remote work and IT support, sold as subscriptions with separate products for accessing your own computers and supporting other people. Most paid vendors offer free trials, so test with your real computers and connection before committing.

FAQ

What is the best free remote desktop software?

For most people, Chrome Remote Desktop is the best free choice: it has no paid tier, is simple to set up, and works across Windows, Mac, and Linux. Choose RustDesk if you want open-source software or your own server, AnyDesk for responsive personal use on slower connections, or Windows Remote Desktop if the host PC runs Windows Pro and you connect on the same network.

Is Chrome Remote Desktop safe to use?

Chrome Remote Desktop encrypts sessions, protects unattended access with a PIN, and requires a one-time code plus approval from the person sharing for support sessions. The main risk is your Google account: anyone who gets into it can see your computer list and try your PIN. Turn on 2-Step Verification, use a long PIN, and remove computers you no longer use.

Can I use the free versions of TeamViewer or AnyDesk for work?

No. Both are free only for personal, non-commercial use. Connecting to your work computer, helping colleagues, or supporting customers counts as commercial use even if you are not paid for it, and TeamViewer actively detects commercial-looking use and may limit sessions. For work, buy the appropriate plan or use a tool whose license allows business use, such as Chrome Remote Desktop or RustDesk.

Does Windows 11 Home support Remote Desktop?

Only as a client. Windows 10 and 11 Home include the Remote Desktop Connection app, so you can connect out to a PC running Pro, Enterprise, or Education, but a Home PC cannot accept incoming Remote Desktop sessions. To reach a Home PC remotely, either upgrade it to Pro or use a third-party tool such as Chrome Remote Desktop, RustDesk, or AnyDesk.

Which free remote desktop tools work without creating an account?

RustDesk and AnyDesk can connect using a device ID and password, with no account needed for basic use. Windows Remote Desktop uses your existing Windows sign-in rather than a separate service account. Quick Assist only requires a Microsoft account for the helper, while the person being helped just enters a code. Chrome Remote Desktop needs a Google account, and Parsec needs a Parsec account on both sides.

How can I access my home PC from outside my network for free?

The simplest route is a tool that connects through its own servers, such as Chrome Remote Desktop, RustDesk, or AnyDesk, because none of them need router changes. If you prefer Windows Remote Desktop, set up a VPN into your home network first and connect through it. Avoid forwarding port 3389 on your router, since internet-facing Remote Desktop is a common target for automated attacks.

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