Chrome Remote Desktop is a excellent tool to allow you to access your computer’s desktop remotely. If you are a MacOS or Windows user, the installation of Chrome Remote Desktop is reliability easy but if you are a Linux user, there are a few extra steps you will need to follow to allow your computer to be accessed remotely. There are several tutorials on the internet to assist with this but many are outdated and no longer work. I decided to update the guide to allow it to work properly on Ubuntu 20.04 (and beyond), to make it easier, I even scripted out the hard parts to automate the installation. Here are the steps.
If you run into any problems, please post your issue in this troubleshooting thread and I will be more than happy to assist in getting this working – https://chromebook.community/d/6-linux-chrome-remote-desktop-troubleshootinghttps://chromebook.community/d/6-linux-chrome-remote-desktop-troubleshooting
Install Chrome
If you do not already have Google Chrome installed, you will need to install it before you can install Chrome Remote Desktop from https://google.com/chrome
Install Chrome Remote Desktop
You can grab the source code from my GitHub Account or simply run it by running
cd ~/
sudo apt install -y wget && bash <(wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/KeithIMyers/Chrome-Remote-Desktop-Ubuntu-Setup/master/chrome-remote-desktop-setup.sh);
You will need to reboot your machine once the installation has completed and before continuing to the next step.
Configuring Chrome Remote Desktop
After you rebooted your computer, you can now configure your computer for remote access
Open the Chrome Remote Desktop Extension by clicking on https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chrome-remote-desktop/inomeogfingihgjfjlpeplalcfajhgai/ and select “Add to Chrome”. This will take a few moments to install.
Next, Open the following URL to launch the Chrome Remote Desktop Web Application https://remotedesktop.google.com/access/
Select “Turn On” under Setup Remote Access
Enter a friendly name for your computer
Enter a 6 (or more) digit pin code that will need to be entered to access your computer
That’s it, you can now access your computer by visiting https://remotedesktop.google.com/access/ on any computer or Chromebook running the Chrome (or Chromium) browser. If you wish to use a Android or iOS device, you can download the “Chrome Remote Desktop” application from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
Also published on Medium.
Thank-you for posting the resolution, solved my issue on Ubuntu
“Next, Open the following URL to launch the Chrome Remote Desktop Web Application https://remotedesktop.google.com/access/” – this does not show me the TURN ON button under Setup Remote Access . It shows me “Set up another device for remote access” screen with the 4 steps. However this tutorial worked in my WIndows PC. But I have spend hours to set it up in Ubuntu 20.04- still no luck.
Any idea?
Are you running your DE in X11 or Wayland? I know it works properly in X11
I had the same issue. Fixed that with mkdir ~/.config/chrome-remote-desktop.
Thanks for doing this! However, mine is also showing the “Set up another device for remote access,” I’m not seeing the “Turn On” option. Any thoughts?
Can you tell me if you are using X11 or XWayland?
I believe x11. Can you tell me how to check?
Can you do me a favor and open a thread on https://chromebook.community/ and I will be more than happy to help, I am trying to shift all troubleshooting stuff over there to make it easier to find. There is a tag for Chrome Applications.
You solved a problem I had with Ubuntu. Thank you so much for sharing this!
I get this:
Set up remote access
Chrome Remote Desktop is being installed on your computer. Please wait for the installer to open and then follow its instructions.
Hmm…this is taking a while. Check to see if the installer is waiting for you to respond. You can try waiting a little longer, or restart the installer from the status bar or Downloads folder.
It seems like its getting hung during install. Ubuntu 20.04 server, on mac mini hardware.
Hello Joel,
I have not tried this on a server build, it does work on a Ubuntu “Desktop” version – If you dont mind, can we continue the troubleshooting on https://chromebook.community/d/6-linux-chrome-remote-desktop-troubleshooting so it is easier to include screenshots.
When I try to “Turn On” it allows me to do everything. I add my PIN and as soon as I try clicking START it says
“No response will be received since the channel is disconnected.”
Hello, Can you open a thread on https://chromebook.community/, WordPress comments are not the best for troubleshooting
Thank you Keith!
This guide fixed my issue!
Keith,
You are my hero. I just wasted an hour failing to do this, you demolished my problem like a giant, beautiful sledgehammer. Thank you for sharing this!
-Michael from Boston
Alas,
I had it installed, followed your instructions to all detail.
$ dpkg -l | grep emote
ii chrome-remote-desktop 96.0.4664.9 amd64 Chrome Remote Desktop Beta
on 20.04
I had the extension added successfully, it shows up under Extensions.
And yet, under
https://remotedesktop.google.com/access/
I still get “Set up remote access” yadayadayada.
And when I click on “Accept & Install”, it does install again, asking for password, opens a terminal, shows the installation, shows ‘done’.
Followed by
“Hmm… this is taking a while. Check to see if the installer is waiting for you to respond. You can try waiting a little longer, or restart the installer from the status bar or Downloads folder.”
I have tried all, reboots, waiting. Gone through the same process half a dozen of times, and always with this same result of “Hmm …”
There is no “Turn On” appearing, alas.
What is wrong here?
Hi, I follow this tutorial, but now I have 2 displays.
If I open the folder and terminal it will appear on the main PC instead of the PC that I used for the remote.
How to fix this? Thanks
Hello,
Installing this in Ubuntu 22.04 nearly I ruined my server. In the time I installed it, the terminal was not opening and I restart the computer, but then it was not displaying nothing anymore, just errors.
Through the secure mode I could enter to my session with the terminal and when I uninstalled the application, I restart it and it was working.
It has taken me 2 days to fix it. And now I still do not have remote connection.
Wish you could fix this problem
This was only tested up to Ubuntu 20.04, I have not tested it on 22.04 so use at your own risk