Manual

How to install SpeedDesk, sign in, and what happens when a network hides the computer.

Install

Download the Windows program. It is one file, speeddesk.exe. There is no installer. Run it. It stays in the system tray, and it does not open a command window.

A page opens at 127.0.0.1:18740. That address opens only on the PC that is running SpeedDesk. It does not open from a phone or from another computer. Sign in there with the same email and password as this website. Sharing on that page, and in the tray menu, turns remote viewing and website control on or off.

Update checks, the relay, programs on this computer, website control, and software video are changed after you are signed in, under More settings, then Save. A new install starts with update checks on, the relay on, programs off, website control off, and software video off. Signing in another account does not change those. Software video uses OpenH264. OpenH264 Video Codec provided by Cisco Systems, Inc. The notice is with the download. The program downloads Cisco's OpenH264 file only after Use software video is turned on.

Copying the sign-in file, public.json, to another Windows account or another PC signs that computer out. That is expected.

Sign in on the computer again with another account to add that account. The accounts already on it keep access. Remove one account here, or on the computer's page, and the others stay. End all sessions on the computer signs every account on it out of this computer.

A cloned PC that was not prepared with sysprep keeps the same machine id. On that clone, delete machine.id and public.json before signing in, or run sysprep, so it does not share the original computer.

Create an account

Choose Create account. Enter your email, a password, and the password again. The password needs at least 12 characters. We send a 6-digit code. The account cannot open a computer until you enter it.

The first time you sign in on a new phone or browser, we send that code again. After it, you can save the device. A saved device signs in with the password only.

Updates

The program checks for a newer copy when it opens, and about every 15 minutes after that. It asks before it downloads. Yes installs and restarts. No asks later. Cancel, or the checkbox on the local page, turns checks off on that computer.

Direct and relay

SpeedDesk tries a direct connection first. That picture does not pass through this website.

If the two networks hide the machines, a direct connection cannot be made. When this computer allows it, SpeedDesk waits about 3 seconds and then tries a relay. The relay forwards encrypted packets. It does not read them, and it does not store them.

The checkbox is on the local page: “Use a relay when a direct connection fails.” It is on unless you turn it off. If this website has no relay set up, the program stays direct-only.

Programs on this computer

A person watching is one thing. A program moving the mouse is another. That switch is off unless you turn it on.

“Allow programs on this computer” opens an address on this PC only, at 127.0.0.1. The page shows a token. A program on this computer sends that token. Turning the switch off stops the address and throws the token away. The token is not sent to this website.

“Let bots control this computer through the website” is off unless you tick it. When it is on, a program anywhere can send the website token to this website to see the screen, move, click, and type. Turn it off and the website refuses those calls. Sharing off on that computer also refuses them. The token is still shown on the local page. Press New website token there to replace it while this computer still has the current token. You do not have to sign in again for that. The old one stops working immediately. The button works while control is off. If this computer no longer has the current token, the local page asks for your account password. Settings can replace the token too, and then this computer must sign in again at 127.0.0.1:18740.

For AI agents

The cheap way is one call, not a screenshot. GET /api/desk/COMPUTER/help lists every route. GET /ui?scope=fg returns one short line per control, in pixels of the first screen. POST /ui/click with that id clicks it. Ids last 30 seconds. POST /batch runs move, click, drag, scroll, type, key, and wait in order and stops on the first error. A picture is optional: snapshot?w=480&q=40&gray=1, and since= the tok from the last picture returns 304 when nothing changed. There is no launch route. Allow programs stays off unless it is turned on at the computer. That switch does not cover typing. Keys and text can still open a program, including from the Start menu, the same way a person at the keyboard can.

What is stored

The account stores your email, a password hash, computer names, and the device names you choose to remember.

What is not stored

The picture, the keys you press, and the clipboard are not stored. A direct session does not pass through the website. A relay session is encrypted packets passing through, and those packets are not stored. SpeedDesk never sells your data.