Remote Assistance

The Remote Assistance utility allows a peer on the Internet to access and control your computer using the encrypted peer-to-peer Tox protocol. This can be helpful, e.g., to receive help from a friend.

Warning

Running the Remote Assistance utility will give your peer access to the screen, mouse, and keyboard of your computer, and read-write to any ports that may be open on your machine. Only share the ID with people you trust.

Receiving Remote Assistance

To get help form a peer, open the Remote Assistance utility. Once a connection has been made, a long string (the ID) is shown on the screen. This string has also been copied to the clipboard. Give that string to your remote peer, e.g., by pasting it into a mail or chat window.

Once your peer has successfully connected, they will be able to see and operate anything on your screen, and to connect to any ports that may be open on your machine.

Giving Remote Assistance

As the remote peer (the person providing help), open the Remote Assistance utility, and select “Give Assistance” from the File menu. Paste the long string (the ID) you received into the text box and click “Connect”.

Once the connection has been made, you will be able to see and operate the screen of the other machine.

About the Tox protocol

The Remote Assistance application uses the Tox protocol to tunnel traffic. Tox is a peer-to-peer protocol that offers end-to-end encryption. The stated goal of the project is to provide secure yet easily accessible communication for everyone.