Unattended Access: Common Questions

Q: What is unattended access?

A remote connection that works when nobody is at the remote machine. The controller connects using that machine's access code, with no approval step. It is the model for servers, shared terminals, meeting-room PCs and your own office desktop.

Q: How do I enable unattended access?

Configure it on the remote machine, then supply that machine's access code to whoever needs to connect. From then on, entering the device ID plus the access code connects without any response from the remote end.

Q: How is the unattended device count calculated?

The unattended device count equals your licensed device count, and this is the same on every plan. It is not a separate, smaller quota, so any device within your licence can be configured for unattended access.

Q: Does the free plan support unattended access?

Yes, and the unattended device count still equals the licensed device count. However, the free plan has no connection logs or session recording, so those sessions leave no reviewable record.

Q: Why is unattended access riskier than request-based?

A request-based session has a human approving each time. Unattended access trades a credential for entry, so a leaked access code means the machine is handed over. It should be treated as a distinct privilege rather than switched on everywhere.

Q: Which machines should be set up for unattended access?

Machines that are routinely unattended and already under your management: servers, shared terminals, meeting-room PCs and kiosks. Individual staff laptops are usually better left on request-based approval.

Unattended access is the half of remote operations that actually saves time, and the half where the risk concentrates. This page covers how it works, how the quota is counted, and what to watch.

What is unattended access?

A remote connection that works when nobody is at the remote machine. The controller connects using that machine’s access code, with no approval step.

Typical targets: servers, shared terminals, meeting-room PCs, kiosks, and your own office desktop.

How do I enable unattended access?

Configure unattended access on the remote machine;
Supply that machine’s access code to whoever needs to connect;
They enter the device ID plus the access code and connect — no response needed at the remote end.

The only difference from a request-based session is step 3: request-based needs a click, access-code does not. Both are compared in connecting with WorksLink.

How is the unattended device count calculated?

It equals your licensed device count, on every plan — it is not a separate, smaller quota.

This is worth stating because several comparable products cap unattended machines separately. With WorksLink, any device within your licence can be configured for unattended access.

Does the free plan support unattended access?

Yes, and the unattended device count still equals the licensed device count.

But one difference matters: the free plan has no connection logs or session recording, so those sessions leave no reviewable record. Fine for personal use; not sufficient where you have to account for who connected to what and when — see security and auditing.

Why is unattended access riskier than request-based?

Request-based sessions have a human gate every time. Unattended access trades a credential for entry — a leaked access code means the machine is handed over, with no second checkpoint.

So treat it as a distinct privilege, not as a convenience to enable everywhere:

Decide per machine, and write the list down
Require stronger credentials and a shorter access list for those machines
Prefer running them on a plan that keeps an audit trail

How to draw that line across an organisation is covered in remote desktop for internal IT operations.

Which machines should be set up for unattended access?

Good fits: machines that are routinely unattended and already under management — servers, shared terminals, meeting-room PCs, kiosks.

Poor fits: individual staff laptops. Request-based approval suits those better; it matches what people expect of their own machine and keeps them aware of each access.