Install and set up Remote Desktop

To use Remote Desktop, your administrator and client computers must meet these requirements:

  • Mac computers must be running OS X 10.10.5 or later.

  • Mac client computers must have version 3.6 or later of the Remote Desktop client software for full control.

    Although you may be able to control and observe Mac computers using earlier versions of the Remote Desktop client software, you can’t generate reports or execute remote commands.

    To find the client software version, when you’re using Remote Desktop, select the computer, choose File > Get Info, and look at the ARD Version field. To find the client software version on Mac computers you haven’t yet added to the All Computers list, go to the computer, locate the following file in the Finder, and check its version:

    /System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app

  • Non-Mac client computers must have Virtual Network Computing (VNC)–compatible software.

When you install Remote Desktop and open it for the first time, use the setup assistant to finalize configuration. After configuration, you start administering computers by adding clients to the main list of computers.

  1. Download Remote Desktop from the App Store.

  2. If you have another copy of Remote Desktop acting as a Task Server (a dedicated computer for report data collection and delegated install tasks), enter the server address, then click Continue.

  3. Prepare each client computer to be managed using Remote Desktop. The Remote Desktop client software is installed by default in macOS.

  4. Select the Scanner in the sidebar, and select each client computer that you want to add to your list of controlled computers.

    See Add clients.

See alsoUninstall Remote Desktop administrator softwareMain window in Remote DesktopAbout Automator and Remote DesktopUse the Remote Desktop AppleScript dictionary