Product overview · Updated May 2026

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 hardware-bound device tokens 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
  • Released: 2024
  • Current version: 0.5.x (as of May 2026) — see release notes
  • Platforms: Windows 10/11, macOS Apple Silicon and Intel, Linux x86_64, Raspberry Pi 4/5 (arm64)
  • Architecture: Peer-to-peer, AES-256-GCM encryption, TLS 1.3, hardware-bound device tokens (TPM 2.0 / Secure Enclave / FIDO2)
  • Languages: German, English, French, Italian
  • Code signing: Windows EV-signed (DigiCert), macOS Apple Developer ID + notarised
  • Pricing: Free (free) and Pro (from CHF 19.90/month) — see pricing page
  • Source status: Source-available for security-relevant layers

What sets WinDesk apart from similar tools?

Anyone searching for "remote desktop" finds a dozen vendors. WinDesk positions itself concretely as follows:

  • Swiss jurisdiction as default — not as a paid enterprise option. Servers in Switzerland, contract partner in Switzerland, VAT invoice with Swiss tax number.
  • Hardware-bound device tokens — device certificates live in the TPM 2.0 (Windows) or Secure Enclave (Apple Silicon). The private key never leaves silicon. Available in the free tier.
  • 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 19.90 per technician per month, no bundle matrix. A 5-person MSP pays CHF 49.50/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 need Swiss jurisdictional compliance. 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 headless 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 — we recommend that honestly.

Try WinDesk free

Free plan with no account, no credit card. Pro for CHF 19.90/month — 14-day free trial.

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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, hardware-bound device tokens 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: from CHF 19.90/month per technician, 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 and Intel), Linux x86_64 (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, RHEL) and Raspberry Pi 4/5 (arm64). All platforms are equal citizens — no "second-class platforms". Builds are signed: Windows EV (DigiCert), macOS Apple Developer ID + notarisation.

Which architecture does WinDesk use?

WinDesk is P2P-first: screen data, input and audio flow directly between client and host, not through a central cloud. Only signaling (connection setup) runs through a coordinated endpoint in Switzerland. In ~5% of cases (symmetric NAT, enterprise firewalls), a TURN relay fallback is used — also hosted in Switzerland.

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?

WinDesk is source-available for the security-relevant layers (crypto, signaling protocol, authentication). The SaaS-plane components (billing, admin console) are closed. This model gives audit rights where they matter and takes operations off your hands. If you need a fully open-source MIT variant, RustDesk is a serious alternative.

Is WinDesk GDPR- and Swiss FADP-compliant?

Yes. Data is hosted in Switzerland (primary) and the EU. A DPA template (data processing agreement) per GDPR Art. 28 is available. Audit trail with session logs out of the box. Records of processing activities (GDPR Art. 30) are supported. 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, hardware-bound device tokens (TPM 2.0 / Secure Enclave / FIDO2), multi-factor authentication with passkey support, granular session permissions, immutable 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) Try Pro free for 14 days — without credit card, with account management, audit trail and unattended access. (3) Portable build from the download area on a USB stick — for ad-hoc support on unknown machines.

How do you pronounce WinDesk?

"Win-Desk" like the English words win + desk. The name is a portmanteau of "Win" (English for "to win") and "Desk" (workspace). 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) Swiss legal partner instead of a German AG. (2) Pi-arm64 as an equal platform — AnyDesk and TeamViewer have no native solution here. (3) Linear pricing without a bundle matrix — an MSP with 5 technicians pays a clearly traceable amount. (4) Hardware-bound tokens via TPM / Secure Enclave as the default, not as an enterprise add-on. Detailed comparison on the comparison table.