For your next remote troubleshooting session

Ever have computer problems? Do you know someone who might be able to help you,but they’re not nearby? Then check out Google Chrome’s Remote Desktop solution! This simple “app” allows you to share your computer screen with a trustworthy expert of your choice over the internet, allowing them to move your mouse around and view your computer. What’s great about this product is that it is free, works on any operating system (Mac, PC, Linux), and only takes a minute to install and set up. Read more...

Ever have computer problems? Do you know someone who might be able to help you,but they’re not nearby? Then check out Google Chrome’s Remote Desktop solution! This simple “app” allows you to share your computer screen with a trustworthy expert of your choice over the internet, allowing them to move your mouse around and view your computer. What’s great about this product is that it is free, works on any operating system (Mac, PC, Linux), and only takes a minute to install and set up.

Here’s how you get started. You’ll need:

• The Google Chrome web browser. Don’t have it? Download and install it here. It's quick!
• The Chrome remote desktop “app”. Get it here.
• An internet connection. Looks like you're already got that!
  
• An expert with Google Chrome and the app installed as well.

The entire process should take no more than five minutes. For those people that are already using Google Chrome as their web browser, it’s just a matter of installing the remote desktop app.

Want to share your computer now? Just find the Remote Desktop App (this might be on your “App Screen” or there should be a button to launch it after you install it), and then click on the “Share This Computer” button.

The software will generate a random access c ode. Then all you need to do is give that access code to your expert friend (I’d suggest emailing or instant messaging it so they can copy and paste it).

Your expert friend simply types in the access code, and voila! They now can see your computer screen, just as you see it. They can move your mouse around and type on the screen. They can access everything that you can access, and you can watch what they’re doing. It’s as if they were standing over your desk, controlling your computer. This is great for troubleshooting computer problems, or walking someone through something they would need help with.

Worried about privacy? Well... you ARE giving your expert friend full control of your computer, but you're still control of the situation. At any point you can take control of the mouse or end the session. Once the session is ended, your expert friend no longer has any access to your computer. You’re safe and sound. While they’re controlling it, you can see everything that they’re doing. If your friend starts to open up your secret documents describing how to take over the world, just end the session (or tell them to stop).

Sound amazing? Life changing? Well, there are some things to be aware of:

• Keyboard shortcuts don’t always work. Copy and paste shortcuts might not function.
• The mouse arrow doesn’t animate as you move around (so the expert can’t make any gestures with the mouse to describe where to look).
• Some users have mentioned that the Windows 7 start menu doesn’t work all the time.
• This product is in beta and things may change, break, (or improve) at any point in time!
• If you have a weak internet connection, it might be painfully slow to use.

So next time you have a problem or want to help someone, give the Google Chrome Remote Desktop app a try!

- Stephen Eggers