Remote access with ID and password

The person at the PC reads you the ID and password shown in Walkie Desk, you enter them in the browser and you are connected. Just like the remote control programs you know, with two differences: the password never reaches our servers, and the person at the PC confirms the connection.

When you need it

A PC that is not in your account. A colleague’s, an occasional customer’s or a family member’s PC that already has Walkie Desk installed: no need to pair it, the ID and password are enough.
A quick support session. If Walkie Desk is not on the PC, the person runs QuickSupport without installing it: there too they read you an ID and password.
A PC to reach with nobody in front of it. The PC’s administrator sets it up, with a password of their own (below).

How to connect

The person at the PC opens Walkie Desk

On the PC with Walkie Desk for Windows, for Linux or for Mac, from version 0.10.0, they click the Walkie Desk icon next to the clock (on a Mac, in the menu bar): in the “Access with ID and password” section they find the 9-digit ID and the password, with “Show” and “Copy”. With QuickSupport the ID and password are in its window.
Enter the ID and password

Sign in at walkiedesk.app with your account and second factor, choose «Connect with ID» on the devices page, or from the viewer’s «Devices» menu, and enter the ID and password. The session opens in a new tab.
The person at the PC confirms

A connection request with your name appears on the PC: the session starts only with «Allow». During the session the frame on the PC shows that you are connected, and the person can close it with «End».

Why it is secure

The password stays between the browser and the PC. The browser and the PC check it between themselves with a cryptographic exchange (CPace): our servers do not receive it and cannot get in the middle. Technical details
Whoever connects has an account. A Walkie Desk account with a second factor is required, from an already authorised browser: the PC shows their verified name.
The confirmation belongs to the person in front of the PC. The connection request accepts only the PC’s keyboard and mouse: someone already connected cannot answer in their place.
Against random guessing. Wrong attempts are limited and, after too many errors, the PC’s access with the password is blocked for a while; the Walkie Desk app reports it, and “New password” changes it in a moment.
Password protected on the PC. The random password is stored in protected form, accessible only to the system and the PC’s administrators; for a password chosen by the administrator only a derived value is kept.

Unattended access, only if the administrator decides so

The random password is visible to anyone using the PC, so with it the confirmation always stays on. If the PC must be reachable with ID and password even when nobody is there, the PC’s administrator chooses a password of their own in the Walkie Desk app and turns off “Ask the person at the PC to confirm”. They can also turn off access with ID and password altogether. For the PCs you look after all the time, pairing them with your account is still more convenient: see unattended remote access.

Recent PCs

In the user area, under «Connect with ID», the “Recent” list shows other people’s PCs you connected to with ID and password, with the PC’s name and the date of the last connection: “Connect” asks for the password again, “Remove” deletes them at once, “Add to my account” guides you through pairing them. Entries stay for 90 days after the last connection. QuickSupport connections do not appear, because its ID changes at every start.

Where it works

PCs with Walkie Desk for 64-bit Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2022 and 2025, for Linux and for Mac (beta, Apple silicon and Intel), from version 0.10.0; QuickSupport for Windows.
You connect from Chrome, Edge or Firefox on a computer, from Safari on iPhone and iPad and from Chrome on Android.
The session counts like any other: one seat per connected technician. On the Personal plan, PCs reached with ID and password count together with those helped with QuickSupport (Personal plan limits).

Walkie Desk is in beta: during the beta, anyone who signs up for professional use receives 2 complimentary seats, with no expiry for the whole beta and free for a further 6 months after it ends; for personal use there is the free Personal plan. It is an experimental service, which may have interruptions and change.

Frequently asked questions

Does the person connecting with ID and password need an account?

Yes. Whoever connects uses their own Walkie Desk account, with a second factor and from an already authorised browser, also on the free Personal plan. The person at the PC does not need an account.

Does Walkie Desk know my PC’s password?

No. The browser of the person connecting and the PC check the password between themselves with a cryptographic exchange: it does not reach our servers. The server records only failed attempts, to protect the PC from attacks.

Can I turn off access with ID and password on my PC?

Yes. The PC’s administrator turns it off from the Walkie Desk app, or chooses a password of their own; whoever uses the PC can generate a new random password at any time. Accounts paired with the PC keep connecting as before.

How we handle data for access with ID and password: privacy notice. The rules of use: terms of use.