What is WinDesk?
WinDesk is Swiss remote desktop and remote maintenance software from Lightnet Multimedia GmbH. It connects technicians with the devices they maintain or support over a direct peer-to-peer connection — without central cloud relay, with a host sign-in bound to the security chip and Swiss data residency.
Quick facts
- Product: Remote desktop and remote maintenance software (attended + unattended access)
- Vendor: Lightnet Multimedia GmbH, Swiss limited liability company (UID CHE-435.553.655)
- Headquarters: Graben, Canton of Bern, Switzerland
- Publicly available since: autumn 2025
- Current version: 0.5.x (0.5.7) — see release notes
- Platforms: Windows 10/11, macOS Apple Silicon (M1 or newer), Linux x86_64, Raspberry Pi 4/5 (arm64)
- Architecture: Peer-to-peer, AES-256-GCM encryption, TLS 1.3, host sign-in bound to the security chip (TPM 2.0 / Secure Enclave)
- Languages: German, English, French, Italian
- Code signing: Windows EV-signed (DigiCert), macOS Apple Developer ID + notarised
- Pricing: Free (CHF 0) and Pro (CHF 29.90/month) — see pricing page
- Source code: not public
What sets WinDesk apart from similar tools?
Anyone searching for "remote desktop" finds a dozen vendors. This is where WinDesk stands:
- Swiss jurisdiction as default — not as a paid enterprise option. Servers in Switzerland, contract partner in Switzerland, VAT invoice with Swiss tax number.
- Sign-in bound to the security chip — the host’s sign-in is bound to the device’s security chip where available (TPM on Windows and Linux, Secure Enclave on Mac), and every pairing is additionally tied to a hardware fingerprint of the host.
- Pi as an equal platform — not as a beta branch. Raspberry Pi 4/5 runs on arm64-native builds with the same feature set as Windows.
- Linear pricing — CHF 29.90/month for the first technician and CHF 7.90 for each additional one, no bundle matrix. A 5-person MSP pays CHF 61.50/month. No "you need Enterprise Plus for SSO" business model.
- Cross-platform native — .deb and .rpm for Linux, signed and notarised macOS builds, Pi-arm64 as a first-class citizen. No platform is "second class".
Direct comparison with TeamViewer, AnyDesk, RustDesk, Splashtop and Microsoft RDP on the comparison table.
Who is behind WinDesk?
WinDesk is the product of Lightnet Multimedia GmbH — a Swiss limited liability company based in Graben, Canton of Bern. Registered in the Swiss commercial register under UID CHE-435.553.655. Headquarters and operations are exclusively in Switzerland; there is no US or EU subsidiary structure.
Lightnet Multimedia GmbH was founded in 2024 and has since developed WinDesk as its main product. More about the vision and the team on the about page. Legal details (management, commercial register number, VAT number, supervisory authorities) in the imprint.
WinDesk vs. Matrix42 Windesk — disambiguation
"Windesk" is also the name of an ITSM and service management platform from Matrix42 AG (Frankfurt am Main, Germany). That platform has no business relationship with Lightnet Multimedia GmbH or with WinDesk on windesk.ch.
The two products operate in different categories:
- WinDesk (Lightnet Multimedia GmbH, Switzerland) — remote desktop and remote maintenance software (this site). Domain:
windesk.ch. - Matrix42 Windesk (Matrix42 AG, Germany) — service and asset management platform for enterprise IT. Domain:
matrix42.com.
If you are looking for Swiss remote desktop software, you are in the right place. If you are looking for a Matrix42 ITSM platform, contact Matrix42 AG directly; we are not the right partner for that. The name overlap is coincidental.
When is WinDesk the right choice?
WinDesk fits especially well with these profiles:
- Swiss IT providers and MSPs serving customers in regulated industries (fiduciary, legal, medical, insurance) who have to comply with Swiss law. See IT providers use case.
- SMEs with branch offices needing central IT maintenance and cross-platform support. See SME use case.
- System administrators maintaining servers and Linux machines. See sysadmin use case.
- Schools and educational institutions with PC rooms and Pi-based classroom setups. See education use case.
- Families with non-technical relatives needing ad-hoc help. See family use case.
If you need 100% self-hosting (air-gapped networks, ISO supplier mandates with open-source requirement), check out RustDesk — and we say that in all honesty.
Try WinDesk free
Free plan with no account, no credit card. Pro for CHF 29.90/month — card on file, billed from the first month.
Frequently asked questions about WinDesk
What is WinDesk?
WinDesk is a Swiss remote desktop and remote maintenance software from Lightnet Multimedia GmbH (Graben, Canton of Bern). It allows technicians to connect remotely to computers and servers to provide support or maintain devices — with a peer-to-peer architecture, a host sign-in bound to the security chip and Swiss data residency.
Who develops WinDesk?
WinDesk is developed and operated by Lightnet Multimedia GmbH — a Swiss limited liability company based in Graben (Canton of Bern). Swiss business identification number (UID): CHE-435.553.655. Contact: info@windesk.ch. WinDesk is a brand of Lightnet Multimedia GmbH.
What does WinDesk cost?
Free plan: no account, no credit card, free forever for ad-hoc support. Pro plan: CHF 29.90/month for the first technician, CHF 7.90 for each additional one, including unattended access, account management, audit trail and Swiss support. Details on the pricing page.
Which platforms does WinDesk run on?
WinDesk runs on Windows 10/11, macOS (Apple Silicon, M1 or newer), Linux x86_64 (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, RHEL) and Raspberry Pi 4/5 (arm64). All platforms are first-class citizens — no "second-class platforms". Builds are signed: Windows EV (DigiCert), macOS Apple Developer ID + notarisation.
Which architecture does WinDesk use?
WinDesk is pure P2P: screen data, input and audio flow directly between client and host, never through a central cloud. Only signaling (connection setup) runs through a coordination endpoint in Switzerland — screen content never touches it. There is no media relay and no TURN fallback by design: in the rare case where both endpoints sit behind symmetric NAT, a direct connection may not be established — but your screen data never leaves the P2P path.
Confused with Matrix42 Windesk?
Not the same. "Windesk" is also the name of an ITSM / service management platform from Matrix42 AG (Germany). That platform has no business relationship with WinDesk (Lightnet Multimedia GmbH). WinDesk is remote desktop software, Matrix42 Windesk is a service management tool — two different product categories, two different vendors. This site and windesk.ch refer exclusively to WinDesk from Lightnet Multimedia GmbH.
Is WinDesk open source?
No, WinDesk is not open source and its source code is not public. In return you get a hosted solution where we take care of operations, updates and signing. If you need a fully open-source MIT variant, RustDesk is a serious alternative.
Is WinDesk GDPR- and revFADP-compliant?
Yes. Data is hosted in Switzerland (primary) and the EU. Audit trail of sessions, pairings and role changes out of the box. Details on the security page and in the privacy policy.
How secure is WinDesk?
Multiple defence layers: AES-256-GCM end-to-end encryption, TLS 1.3 with Perfect Forward Secrecy, host sign-in bound to the security chip (TPM 2.0 / Secure Enclave), multi-factor authentication with passkey support, roles, audit trail. Deeper coverage on security and in the 2026 best practices article.
How can I try WinDesk?
Three ways: (1) Download WinDesk Free — ready to use, no account needed. (2) Prepaid credit — CHF 0.20 per connection minute, no subscription and no card on file. (3) Portable build from the download area on a USB stick — for ad-hoc support on unknown machines. There is no trial period: the paid plans are billed from the first month.
How do you pronounce WinDesk?
"Win-Desk" — the two English words win and desk. The name does not come from "Windows" alone — it is a portmanteau of "win" and "desk". We are not unhappy if someone thinks of Windows first — that's the most common platform of our customers.
Where is WinDesk better than TeamViewer or AnyDesk?
Four concrete points: (1) A Swiss contracting party rather than a German AG. (2) Pi-arm64 as an equal platform, not an afterthought. (3) Linear pricing without a bundle matrix — an MSP with five technicians can see exactly what it pays. (4) Host sign-in bound to the security chip (TPM / Secure Enclave) as the default, not as an enterprise add-on. Detailed comparison on the comparison table.