It all happened to us at one point. You’re away from home and the need arises for you to run a program on your PC. Or you simply require a document or a photo that’s sitting in one of your desktop folders.
Well, fortunately, Google has made it possible for you to easily access your Windows computer from your Android phone. To begin, download and install the Chrome Remote Desktop app on both of your devices.
To install the app on your Android phone, simply go to the Google Play Store and press the Install button.
Now, you’ll have to do the same on your computer. Although the process is a bit more complex here. Before we go any further, make sure you’re logged with the same Google account on both devices.
How to remotely access your PC from your phone
- You’ll need to have Chrome installed on your PC.
- From the Chrome browser, search for “Chrome Remote Desktop” in Google
- Click on the first result
- Click the blue “Add to Chrome” button in the upper right corner
- Chrome will ask you whether you want to “Add Chrome Remote Desktop”
- Click on the Add extension button
- A pop-up will alert you the app has been added to Chrome
- Type Chrome://apps in the browser’s bar
- Click on the Chrome Remote Desktop icon
This will launch the application. Now click on the “Get Started button” in the “My Computer” section. Then click the “Enable Remote Connections” button.
Next, install the Chrome Remote Desktop Host, as asked. It might take a while, so be patient.
Once it’s installed, click on the “Enable Remote Connection” button again. But this time you’ll have to set a PIN code of a minimum of six digits.
After you click OK, give the app app permission to make changes to your computer again. A message will confirm the connection has been enabled.
Now, pick up your Android phone and open the Chrome Remote Desktop app. Again, make sure you’ve signed in with the same account as on your desktop. Otherwise, you won’t be able to connect the two.
Once you open the app on your Android device, you should see your computer listed there. Tap on it and enter the PIN you’ve set earlier. That’s it!
Now you should be able to see your Windows desktop on your Android device. To navigate on your phone, you can do things like pinch to zoom in or out, and long-press on the top bar of a window to move it around.
Had enough? Simply click on Stop Sharing button at the bottom of your desktop screen. Or alternatively, on your phone tap the three dots menu in the top right corner and select Disconnect.
