crossdesk/README_EN.md

CrossDesk

A lightweight, cross-platform remote desktop for computers, browsers, and iPhone / iPad.

Website · Download · Open Web Client · 中文

CrossDesk connects Windows, macOS, and Linux desktops, with browser and native iOS / Android clients for controlling computers. Built on MiniRTC, it supports real-time video and audio, keyboard and mouse control, file transfer, and self-hosting. The project is under active development.

This guide follows the current repository source. Desktop screenshots render the current Slint UI with sample IDs, passwords, online statuses, and recent devices; thumbnails show public pages. Check each release's notes for the features and requirements of its binaries. Native iOS build and signing instructions are below.

Preview · Download · Quick start · Session controls · Settings · iOS · Self-hosting · Build · FAQ

Preview

Desktop client

The main window brings together your device ID, connection password, remote connection entry, and recent devices.

Web client

Enter a remote device ID and password in your browser without installing the desktop app on the controlling device.

See the screenshot notes for image sources and refresh instructions.

Features

Capability	Current support
Cross-platform control	Windows / macOS / Linux desktop control; browser and native iOS / Android controllers
Live video and audio	H.264 / AV1, hardware codecs, and remote audio; adjust quality, 30 / 60 fps, and video preference during a session
Devices and displays	Recent connections, device aliases, session tabs, and remote display switching
Input and sharing	Keyboard/mouse input, remote cursor synchronization, shortcuts, text clipboard synchronization, and file transfer
Networking and deployment	Direct P2P connections, TURN relay and forced relay, SRTP media encryption, and self-hosted signaling/relay services
Privacy screen	Enable automatically when connected to, or toggle from the session toolbar; availability depends on the host OS and capture method
Windows protected desktops	CrossDesk Service forwards input on lock screens, sign-in screens, and secure desktops
Linux headless operation	Reuse existing desktops and applications or create separate Xvfb desktops; use the terminal console to check status and change passwords or settings; see setup

Controls and capabilities vary by client. Desktop controls are described below; see the iOS guide for native mobile features.

Download and install

Choose a package matching your OS and CPU architecture from GitHub Releases or the website.

Platform	Current source / CI baseline	Installation
Windows	Windows 10+, x64	.exe installer; portable builds are also supported
macOS	macOS 14.0+, Intel / Apple Silicon	x64 or arm64 .pkg
Linux	Ubuntu 20.04+, amd64 / arm64, glibc 2.31 baseline	Standard / Xfce virtual desktop .deb
iOS / iPadOS	iOS 16.0+, arm64 physical device	Native controller; build and sign with Xcode, or sign the unsigned CI app
Android	Android 8.0+, arm64	Native controller; build an APK with Gradle (guide)
Web	A WebRTC-capable browser	Open web.crossdesk.cn

Linux provides two standalone packages per architecture. Choose one:

Package	Intended use
crossdesk-linux-<arch>-<version>.deb (recommended)	Computers with an existing desktop; does not install Xfce or Xvfb
crossdesk-virtual-desktop-xfce-linux-<arch>-<version>.deb	Servers needing an independent desktop; APT additionally installs Xfce, Xvfb and D-Bus session tools

To install the standard package, replace the example filename with your download (use arm64 for that architecture):

sudo apt install "./crossdesk-linux-amd64-<version>.deb"

For the virtual desktop package, install this file instead:

sudo apt install "./crossdesk-virtual-desktop-xfce-linux-amd64-<version>.deb"

Both contain the same complete application, replace each other and preserve user settings. The standard package can also create virtual desktops after you install the optional dependencies. Installing the virtual desktop package does not start a session or change the default desktop; see Linux headless operation to start one. The app's update download button selects the installed package type. Upgrading an existing installation does not automatically remove previously installed Xfce components.

First launch on macOS: follow the app prompts to grant Screen Recording (called Screen & System Audio Recording on newer systems) and Accessibility under System Settings → Privacy & Security. Reopen the app if prompted. These permissions allow desktop capture and remote keyboard/mouse input respectively.

Quick start

Connect from another computer

1. Prepare the host. Install and run CrossDesk on the computer to control. Wait for the bottom status bar to show that the server is connected. Share the Local ID and Password shown under Local Desktop with the controller.
2. Enter the remote ID. On the controlling computer, enter the host's ID in Remote Desktop → Remote ID, then click →.
3. Verify the password. Enter the host's current connection password when prompted and confirm. Select Remember password if you want to save it.
4. Reconnect later. Previously connected devices appear under Recent Connections. Reconnect from a card, edit its alias, or remove its record.

The eye button shows or hides the local password, the refresh button generates a new random password, and the pencil button lets you edit it. Passwords use 6 ASCII letters or digits. Stay connected to the server when editing or refreshing a password. Wait for the change to succeed and the client to reconnect, then copy the current password. Controllers that saved the old password must enter it again.

Connect from a browser

1. Keep CrossDesk running and connected to the server on the host computer.
2. Open the Web Client, enter the Remote Device ID and Password, and click Connect.
3. Use the page's display, mouse-mode, and keyboard controls during the session. Phone and tablet browsers can also connect.

For self-hosting, connect both sides to the same service. Browser deployment is documented in CrossDesk Web Client.

Session controls

Switch devices using session tabs. Expand the control bar if it is collapsed, and hover over icons to see their tooltips.

Control	Action
Display	Switch the remote monitor
Keyboard	Send shortcuts; Windows Ctrl+Alt+Del requires the remote service
Mouse	Enable / release remote mouse control
Speaker	Play / mute remote audio
Folder	Select a file to send and view transfer progress
Video settings	Adjust video quality, capture frame rate, and video preference during the current session
Network statistics	Inspect traffic, packet loss, frame rate, resolution, direct / relay mode, and encryption status
Privacy screen	Enable or disable the host's privacy screen; hover to see its status and available actions
Fullscreen	Enter / exit fullscreen
Disconnect	End the current remote session

Desktop clients synchronize text clipboard contents. Configure the receiving directory under Settings → File Save Path. Closing the main window hides it and keeps the app running; use the system tray or menu-bar exit command to quit completely.

Adjust video during a session

After connecting, open Video settings (the sliders icon) in the toolbar. Choose low / medium / high quality, 30 / 60 fps, and frame-rate priority / quality priority / balanced adaptation. Changes are sent to the current host without reconnecting; actual results depend on the network, device, and encoder. For older hosts that do not support live video settings, the menu explains the limitation and disables the options.

Client settings and updates

Open ☰ → Settings in the top-right corner and click OK to save. Configure codecs and connections before connecting; some settings are disabled during an active session. Scroll down for self-hosting, startup behavior, and the file save path. Adjust quality, frame rate, and video preference from the remote session toolbar.

Setting	Purpose
Language	中文, English, Русский
Capture Method (Windows)	Auto / DXGI / WGC / GDI; choose Auto for automatic headless adaptation
Video Encode Format	H.264 / AV1; hardware codec availability depends on the platform, device, and build options
Enable TURN Service	Allow relay-assisted connections; check this setting if P2P fails
Force Relay	Require relay connections when TURN is enabled; turning TURN off also disables this option
Save remote screen previews	On by default. When disabled, the thumbnail area shows the remote device’s platform and existing previews are cleared; connection records and passwords are preserved
Privacy screen on connect	Automatically enable privacy when this computer is controlled remotely; the controller can toggle it from the session toolbar
Self-Hosted Config	Set the server address and signaling port, then enable the checkbox
Auto Start / Enable Daemon	Configure startup and process supervision; restart as indicated by the UI
File Save Path	Choose where received files are saved

Check for updates

The client checks for updates in the background after launch and automatically opens the update dialog when a new version is found, showing release notes and a link to the download page. After you dismiss the dialog, background checks will not reopen it during the current run, while the main window menu keeps its update indicator. Restarting the client shows the dialog again if an update is still available. Open ☰ → About to view the version. When an update is available, click Release notes below the new version to reopen the update dialog, or click Check for updates to check manually.

Native iOS / iPadOS client

apps/ios contains a native controller using the same MiniRTC protocol as the desktop client. It controls remote computers; it does not expose an iPhone or iPad as a remotely controlled desktop.

1. Follow the iOS guide to build and sign the app with Xcode, then install it on an iOS 16+ physical device.
2. Enter a remote ID on the home screen, connect, and enter its password. Successful connections become available in the recent devices list.
3. Choose a mouse mode in Settings: Relative Position works like a trackpad; Absolute Position maps touches directly to the remote screen.
4. Tap the floating icon to expand the menu, then switch displays, open the keyboard, toggle audio, or send files. Received files are stored in Documents/Received and can be exported using the share button beside the transfer status.

The app currently receives remote text into the iOS clipboard. Its UI does not yet expose a button to send the local clipboard.

Gestures include one-finger click, two-finger right-click, long-press drag, and pinch-to-zoom. When zoomed in, two-finger panning moves the viewport. The native and browser clients are maintained separately, so their controls and gestures may differ. The current native UI uses Chinese labels.

Windows lock screens and sign-in

CrossDesk Service (CrossDeskService) reports protected desktop states and forwards Ctrl+Alt+Del, keyboard, and mouse input on lock screens, sign-in screens, credential prompts, and secure desktops.

The installer registers an on-demand service by default. CrossDesk tries to start it on launch. Unless unattended mode is enabled, the service exits when no local CrossDesk client is running. Portable builds offer service installation in the prompt or Settings → Lock Screen Service, with administrator privileges.

On Windows, Auto Start launches the client after the current user signs in. Installed release builds use a logon scheduled task with highest privileges, so subsequent logons need no UAC confirmation; portable and Debug builds use a normal per-user startup entry. Upgrading the installed build or launching the new version manually migrates a legacy startup entry pointing to that executable. Turning Auto Start off removes its registration. Remote access before sign-in requires the separate unattended mode below.

Remote access before Windows sign-in

The installed release supports a separate unattended host. Open an administrator PowerShell in the complete installation directory and enable it once:

.\CrossDesk.exe --unattended-enable
# After network registration, show its separate device ID, password and online state
.\CrossDesk.exe --unattended-status

Connect from another device using the returned device_id and password. First-time setup copies the current client's server and codec preferences and creates separate credentials. This ID differs from the GUI client's ID and persists across reboots, logoffs and re-enabling. Subsequent enable commands retain the machine configuration. Self-hosted server root certificates must be trusted in the Local Computer certificate store.

Once enabled, CrossDeskService starts automatically at system boot. Windows automatic login and saved Windows login passwords are unnecessary. The service launches a windowless SYSTEM host in the active console session and reuses secure-desktop capture, keyboard/mouse input and Ctrl+Alt+Del. Signing in, locking Windows or closing the ordinary client does not stop it. Logoff, user switching or a host crash causes the service to restart the host; the connection may drop, and you can reconnect using the same ID. Network connections retry if networking is unavailable during boot.

Unattended mode supports screen viewing, keyboard/mouse input, monitor switching and secure desktops. Audio, file transfer, clipboard and privacy screens are unavailable. Portable and Debug builds cannot enable it. Configuration and credentials reside in %ProgramData%\CrossDeskUnattended, accessible only to SYSTEM and administrators; logs are in its logs subdirectory.

# Stop the unattended host and restore on-demand service startup
.\CrossDesk.exe --unattended-disable

Turning off ordinary Auto Start does not disable unattended mode. Disabling or uninstalling the service disarms unattended startup but retains the protected machine profile. To erase its credentials, stop the service and delete that directory as an administrator.

Manual deployment and service commands

Keep the complete installation directory. For manual deployment, place CrossDesk.exe, crossdesk_service.exe, crossdesk_session_helper.exe, and all .dll files from the same build together. Open an administrator PowerShell in that directory and run the commands you need:

.\CrossDesk.exe --service-install
.\CrossDesk.exe --service-start
.\CrossDesk.exe --service-status
.\CrossDesk.exe --service-ping
# Stop or uninstall the service
.\CrossDesk.exe --service-stop
.\CrossDesk.exe --service-uninstall

If Remote Windows service unavailable appears, check installation and service status on the host. Ordinary desktop connections remain available, while control of protected screens is limited.

Self-hosting

Host your own signaling and TURN services, then enter their connection details under ☰ → Settings → Self-Hosted Config. Enable the same server configuration on both the controller and host.

• Self-hosting guide: current Compose deployment, client settings, certificate trust, and troubleshooting.
• CrossDesk Server: server source and release configuration.
• CrossDesk Web Client: browser source and deployment instructions.

Development and feedback

• Build from source: Windows, macOS, Linux, optional flags, and packaging.
• iOS development: native build and physical-device checks.
• Android development: APK builds, installation, and emulator checks.
• GUI architecture: desktop UI and platform organization.
• FAQ: connection failures, blank video, received files, and build issues.
• Report an issue: include both operating systems, client versions, connection mode, and reproduction steps.

Acknowledgements and license

Thanks to HelloGitHub, Ruanyf Weekly, and the LinuxDo community for featuring CrossDesk and contributing feedback.

CrossDesk is licensed under GPL-3.0. See the Privacy Policy.

Code signing policy

CrossDesk uses SignPath.io to sign official Windows releases built from this repository.

Free code signing provided by SignPath.io, certificate by SignPath Foundation.

• Committers and reviewers: kunkundi
• Approvers: kunkundi

Native Android controller

The independent Android project builds an APK for Android 8.0+ arm64 devices. It reuses MiniRTC and the desktop input protocol for remote video/audio, touch and external keyboard/mouse input, display switching, and text clipboard transfer. H.264 and AV1 currently use software decoding. Phone-as-host, file transfer, and full iOS feature parity are not included. See the Android build guide for setup and validation.