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What is unattended access?
2026-09-03 · 6 min read
Attended remote support is simple: you send a link or an ID, someone clicks Accept, you fix the printer, you leave. Unattended access is the other mode. The device stays available when the office is empty, the kiosk is locked, or the server has no keyboard.
IT teams use it for overnight patching, camera checks, and machines that sit in a cupboard. Freelancers use it for a home PC they left running. Managed service providers use it because driving to a site for a reboot does not scale.
The security trade-off is obvious. If a host accepts connections without a person in the room, whoever holds the credential effectively owns that desktop. A short PIN shown on screen is not enough. You want a strong device password, optional two-factor approval, an address book that is not public, and the ability to revoke access in one place.
Good unattended setups also limit what a session can do. View-only for cameras. File transfer off for reception PCs. An audit log so you can see who connected at 2am. Wake-on-LAN if the machine is allowed to sleep. None of that is exotic; it is the difference between a support tool and a liability.
You do not always need unattended access. Family tech support, a one-off vendor session, or a demo should stay attended. Turn unattended on for machines you administer, not for every laptop that once asked for help.
AnyDesktops will treat unattended access as a first-class mode with explicit enrolment, not a hidden checkbox. Until the client ships, you can join the waitlist and tell us which platforms you need first.