Help: Unattended access
Reach your own computers without anyone at the screen: password, two-factor codes, the login window, locking and trusted technicians.
Set a password
- In the main window, click the lock next to This computer.
- Click Set Password…, type a password of at least 10 characters twice and click Save.
The lock turns green, and the menu bar says Ready · unattended access on. A technician now connects with this computer's ID and the password, without anyone accepting. They can save the password in the address book with Remember password in the address book.
Anyone with this password and the ID can connect. Only give it to your IT support. ShareDesk never sends the password itself: see Security.
Keep the Mac reachable
The Mac can only be reached while ShareDesk runs. In Settings… › General › Background, turn on Start ShareDesk at login and Keep running in the menu bar when the window is closed. Also allow Full Disk Access, so files work without anyone answering questions from macOS.
Two-factor codes
With two-factor codes, a technician needs the password and a six-digit code from your authenticator app.
- Open Settings… › Access and, under Unattended access, click Set Up… next to Two-factor code for unattended access.
- Scan the code with your authenticator app (Apple Passwords, Google Authenticator, 1Password …).
- Type the six-digit code it shows and click Turn On.
If ShareDesk says the code doesn't match, check the time on the Mac. Each code works only once.
Access at the login window
After a restart, or when nobody is signed in, technicians can connect at the login window with the unattended password and sign in. Turn on Allow access at the login window (beta) in Settings… › Access; macOS asks for an administrator password.
- At the login window, only the screen and control are available: no files, terminal, tunnels, clipboard or sound.
- With FileVault, a Mac waits after a restart for its FileVault password before anything can connect.
Lock the Mac after a session
So nobody can use the unlocked Mac after the technician has left: Settings… › Security › Lock this Mac when a session ends, with Never, If it was locked when the session began (the default), After unattended sessions or After every session.
Trusted technicians
When a customer accepts an invitation link with Whenever needed (unattended access), that technician can connect at any time without a password. The customer sees them in Settings… › Access › Supporters, can switch each one to Asks first, or remove them. A banner always shows the session.
Limit or turn off
- Turn off: the lock in the main window › Turn Off. Every connection must then be accepted at the Mac again.
- Only certain technicians: Settings… › Access › Who may connect › Only IDs on the allow list, with ShareDesk IDs or IP addresses (
*as a wildcard). - Wrong passwords: after five wrong passwords or codes, the ID is locked for ten minutes.
- Organizations can switch unattended access off with a configuration profile: IT departments.