What unattended access is
In attended mode someone at the target device must explicitly approve the connection — read out a session ID + PIN. In unattended mode the WinDesk Host runs as a permanent background service, and you can connect at any time without anyone having to approve it.
Use cases:
- Server maintenance outside office hours
- IT provider with customer devices under management
- Edge devices, Pi-based setups, build machines
- The family Mac you often help your parents with remotely
Prerequisites
- WinDesk Pro subscription (CHF 29.90/month) — Free and Light have no unattended access
- Administrator rights on the target device (for service installation)
- Internet access at the target device
- 5 minutes per device
Setup on Windows
1. Install WinDesk Host as Pro user (auto-uninstalls any existing
Free variant)
2. On first start: log in with Pro account
3. In the Host window: choose "Enable unattended access"
4. Confirm UAC dialog — installs the Windows service
5. Verify in the web portal app.windesk.ch:
Devices → new row with hostname + "online"
6. Optional: assign device to a group, add a note
Token storage: protected by the Windows protection mechanisms (DPAPI; in service mode the TPM) under C:\ProgramData\WinDesk\. The host's sign-in itself is bound to the security chip where available.
Setup on macOS Apple Silicon
1. Drag WinDesk Host.app from the DMG to /Applications
2. On first start: Apple notarisation OK, no Gatekeeper drama
3. Allow Screen Recording + Accessibility (the wizard guides you)
4. Log in with Pro account in the Host window
5. "Enable unattended access" — the host app sets up the service as a
LaunchDaemon (/Library/LaunchDaemons/ch.windesk.host.plist)
6. The host's sign-in is bound to the Secure Enclave (Apple Silicon)
On Apple Silicon: the host's sign-in is bound to the Secure Enclave.
Setup on Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)
1. sudo apt install ./WinDesk-Host_<version>_amd64.deb
— sets up the service windesk-host.service and starts it
(postinst also sets the udev rule for /dev/uinput)
2. Open WinDesk Host, log in and link the host in the app dialog
3. Verify in the portal: Devices → hostname → online
On Linux the token is protected with TPM 2.0 or the system keyring; the host's sign-in is bound to the security chip where available.
Setup on Raspberry Pi (Pi 4/5)
1. sudo apt install ./WinDesk-Host_<version>_arm64.deb
— sets up the service windesk-host.service and starts it
2. Open WinDesk Host, log in and link the host in the app dialog
The Pi needs a graphical session (X11 or Wayland with wlroots, GNOME or KDE).
Access from the client
In the client portal on the left: Devices. You see all hosts with online status. Double-click → connection is established. No session ID, no PIN required — the pairing created during setup authenticates the host.
Security configuration
By default unattended access is:
- ✅ AES-256-GCM encrypted
- ✅ Audit trail active (all connections logged)
- ✅ Security email for every new link
- ✅ Every pairing is tied to a hardware fingerprint of the host
- ✅ An unattended connection from a country that is not approved for the host is blocked, and you get an email to approve it; repeated failed sign-ins block the IP address
- ✅ You get an email when someone else connects to your host, and a warning when access comes from an unusual country
Emergency: token compromised
If you suspect a host is compromised:
- In the portal: Devices → [hostname] → Block
- The pairing is revoked; the host loses unattended access
- On the host: restart WinDesk Host + re-pair
Common issues
"Host not showing online" despite the service running. Check the firewall: outbound UDP traffic to *.windesk.ch:443 must be allowed (this reaches only our Swiss signaling server; screen data never flows through it — the session itself is direct peer-to-peer).
"Token becomes invalid after reboot". On Windows: a BitLocker recovery reset may have invalidated the TPM state. Solution: re-pair.
"Multiple hosts with the same name". If you reinstalled a host, the old one often stays in the portal. Delete it manually.
Start WinDesk Pro · Pro features in detail · For setup issues: support@windesk.ch.