VNC for Windows

Secure your remote sessions

RealVNC Connect runs as a remote display and input transmission system built on the VNC protocol, using a paired VNC Server and VNC Viewer architecture. The server component captures framebuffer changes, encodes them, and transmits updates over encrypted channels, while the viewer decodes and renders the remote desktop with synchronized keyboard and pointer injection. 

RealVNC runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi, iOS, and Android, with consistent protocol behavior across platforms. It includes end-to-end AES-256 encryption, session authentication controls, and policy-based permission handling. Connection modes include brokered cloud routing and direct network sessions, with selectable addressing and port configuration.

RealVNC Connect functions as a sophisticated remote access ecosystem, with the VNC Server service running as a background process and integrating directly with the operating system's display pipeline and input stack. The server captures specific pixel regions and compresses screen deltas, sending only the parts of the screen that have changed, to optimize performance. These updates are then published through configurable transport ports to the client.

High-fidelity screen sharing from anywhere

Connection routing supports both cloud connectivity through vendor-hosted brokers and direct IP connections using manual addressing. Cloud sessions encapsulate traffic within outbound connections, thereby bypassing inbound firewall rules. Direct mode relies on port forwarding, private network reachability, and manual certificate trust. The security layer applies key exchange and identity verification before framebuffer transfer. Broker dependency introduces an external routing layer in cloud mode.

Integrated session modules include file transfer, remote printing, and in-session chat, accessible via the viewer toolbar. File transfer uses a bidirectional channel separate from display encoding, while printing redirects jobs via virtual drivers. Despite this utility, cloud routing depends on external broker infrastructure, making session availability reliant on RealVNC’s signaling servers. However, mobile clients expose fewer configuration options than desktop builds. 

Real-time viewing

RealVNC Connect implements remote framebuffer streaming through a server–viewer model with encrypted transport, authentication layers, and selectable routing paths. It runs across desktop and mobile systems with consistent protocol handling. Tooling includes file transfer, print redirection, and session messaging channels. Direct network mode requires manual configuration, while several codecs and policy controls are tier-dependent.