Setting up your account

The video below shows you how to get started:

To subscribe to VNC Connect, see How do I subscribe to VNC Connect?

On the computer you want to control

1. Download VNC Server to the computer you want to control as either a DEB or RPM.
2. Install the VNC Server program:
   1. Open a Terminal.
   2. Change directory to the download location, e.g. cd ~/Downloads
   3. Run one of the following commands, depending on your version of Linux
      sudo apt install ./<download-file>     # Ubuntu
      sudo yum install -y <download-file>   # Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and CentOS
3. Download and run the vncsetup-helper script:
   1. Open a Terminal window
   2. Change directory to the download location, e.g. cd ~/Downloads
   3. Extract the contents: tar -xzf vncsetup-helper.tar.gz
   4. Execute the script: sudo ./vncsetup.sh

Note:

• If you have a Raspberry Pi, VNC Connect is pre-installed and pre-licensed, so all you have to do is follow these instructions to enable it. You don’t need to read this page.
• If you have Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, note that Wayland is not supported, so for VNC Server in Service Mode you must edit the /etc/gdm3/custom.conf file, uncomment WaylandEnable=false, and reboot in order to remotely access the login screen.

More advanced instructions and example commands for getting started on Linux can be found here: https://www.realvnc.com/en/connect/docs/deployment-script.html

By signing in with your RealVNC account, your computer is joined to your team. If you have multiple teams, you will be prompted to select which team to join. You can check by signing in to your RealVNC account online and checking the Computers page.

Inviting people to your team

If you are using Cloud connections, to allow others to access your computers remotely, see How do I invite people in to my team to share remote access?

For more about Teams, see What is a team, and how do I add computers and people to it?

Authentication

With Professional or Enterprise subscriptions, System authentication is the default. You also need to ensure that the users you want to be able to connect remotely have been given permission. For more information, see What username and password do I enter when I’m trying to connect? and Managing users and session permissions for VNC Server

On the device you want to control from

1. Download VNC Viewer.
2. Install the VNC Viewer program:
   1. Open a Terminal.
   2. Change directory to the download location, e.g. cd ~/Downloads
   3. Run one of the following commands, depending on your version of Linux
      sudo apt install ./<download-file>     # Ubuntu
      sudo yum install -y <download-file>   # Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and CentOS
3. Sign in using your RealVNC account credentials. You should see the remote computer appear in your team:
4. Click or tap to connect. You are prompted to authenticate to VNC Server. See this article for the credentials you need to enter: What username and password do I enter when I’m trying to connect to VNC Server?

If you want to connect to a computer running Windows or Mac, please see How do I get started with VNC Connect on Windows and Mac?

If you are setting up a Home subscription, see Activating a VNC Connect Home subscription