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Create a Pro account at app.windesk.ch/register. Pro is billed from the first month and requires a card on file. To try WinDesk first, use the free plan without an account or card. Swiss legal entity, Swiss VAT invoice.
Swiss company · GDPR-compliant
Migration · October 2026
From RustDesk to WinDesk
Swiss hosting instead of US/SG public servers, signed builds, host sign-in bound to the security chip — and a contract partner with a Swiss VAT invoice. Here's what the switch looks like.
Switch offer
Start for free
Switching from RustDesk?
Try WinDesk on the free plan — no account, no card, two hours of session time a month. Pro costs CHF 29.90 per month plus 8.1% VAT and is billed from the first month.
Why switch at all?
RustDesk is a technically strong project. Three reasons evaluators typically give us:
- Public server compliance hurdle. The free rendezvous servers
rs-nyandrs-sgrun in US/SG jurisdiction. For Swiss law firms, fiduciaries, medical practices, insurance carriers or data processors whose customers require GDPR-compliant EU/CH residency, this is a no-go. - Server operation wastes time. Self-hosting on Hetzner CX22 plus 2–3 hours of admin time per month (updates, TLS cert renewal, backup, monitoring) is realistic. For MSPs with 5+ technicians, switching to a managed service often pays off after 6 months.
- Signing gap. RustDesk builds are not EV-signed — end customers see SmartScreen warnings, Mac customers see Gatekeeper dialogs. WinDesk delivers EV-signed Windows builds and Apple-notarised macOS builds.
Step by step
Export the address book from RustDesk Server
From RustDesk Pro web console or self-hosted server: Address Book → JSON export. The list with groups and tags is your checklist for the host installation.
Install WinDesk Host alongside RustDesk
Install WinDesk on target devices next to RustDesk. Both daemons reserve different ports and do not interfere. Cross-platform: Windows + macOS + Linux + Raspberry Pi 4/5 (arm64).
Pilot phase 2–4 weeks
Gradually move sessions to WinDesk. RustDesk stays active as a fallback. Test reliability, feature parity and audit trail on your real use cases.
Cutover
Cancel the RustDesk Pro subscription or shut down the self-hosted server. WinDesk audit trail takes over seamlessly. Host software can remain on devices or be removed via MDM.
What changes in practice
- Server configuration on endpoints — gone. The endpoint is distributed via the account.
- Address book sync — runs through the account, not per technician machine.
- Device identities — regenerated during host installation (tied to a hardware fingerprint of the host). Your address book export stays with you as a list.
- Audit trail — out of the box in the Pro account, no self-hosted logging setup required.
- Updates — automatic via signed Velopack update, not manual per host.
- Support escalation — to Lightnet Multimedia GmbH (Switzerland), not to GitHub issues.
Frequently asked questions
Where is WinDesk clearly better than RustDesk?
Swiss hosting (instead of US/SG public servers), EV-signed Windows builds, Apple-notarised macOS builds, host sign-in bound to the security chip (Secure Enclave / TPM), Swiss VAT invoice, dedicated Swiss support. Details on the alternative page.
Where does RustDesk retain the advantage?
Open source with full auditability, self-hosting for air-gapped networks, full code control. If these factors are mandatory: RustDesk remains a good choice.
How long does the migration take?
2–4 weeks of parallel operation for a typical MSP or SME setup.
Are RustDesk device IDs migrated?
No. Each WinDesk pairing is tied to a hardware fingerprint of the host and is regenerated during host installation. You export the address book entries (name, group, tags) and set the hosts up again from that list; ID strings themselves are not portable for security reasons.
Can RustDesk and WinDesk run side by side on the same host?
Yes. Both reserve different network ports and service identities. We recommend this explicitly for the pilot phase — you have a fallback at all times and can measure reliability on real use cases, not synthetic tests.
What happens to the RustDesk licence after cutover?
RustDesk Pro subscriptions can usually be cancelled monthly. Self-hosted licences: check your EULA. We recommend cancelling the RustDesk subscription only after 1–2 weeks of successful WinDesk production, not immediately after cutover.
We run a RustDesk self-hosted server — what happens to it?
You can shut it down or keep it running as a backup. WinDesk does not require self-operated infrastructure. If you shut down the Hetzner server: do not forget to switch the device configurations (or just install WinDesk Host alongside, then this is automatic).
Pitfalls I should know about before cutover?
Three common ones: (1) Firewall rules: the WinDesk host needs its own UDP/TCP reservation, so check your endpoint firewalls. (2) MDM distribution: signed MSI/PKG installers are available — use them, not the setup wizard for 100 devices. (3) Address book sync: WinDesk Pro uses the account as source-of-truth, not local lists per technician. Old RustDesk configurations should be cleaned up after cutover.