Remote Control Overview
Phase 7 — Remote Access · OpenFrame Onboarding
Sometimes you just need to be on the machine — see the screen, move the mouse, fix the thing. OpenFrame's Remote Control gives you a full remote desktop session right in your browser, no separate client to install. This guide covers when to use it, how to start a session, and the controls you get once you're in.
When to use it
Remote Control is for hands-on, see-the-screen work: walking a user through something, fixing a GUI app, checking what's actually on screen. For quick command-line work, the Remote Shell is faster (see Using the Remote Shell); for moving files, use the File Manager (see Using the File Manager). Reach for Remote Control when you need eyes on the desktop.
Online vs. offline — the one prerequisite
The device has to be ONLINE. Remote Control connects live to the machine, so if a device shows OFFLINE, the remote actions are unavailable (greyed out). Check the device's status badge first — green ONLINE means you're good. If it's offline, you'll need to get it back on the network (or wake it) before you can connect.
Starting a session
- Open the device from the Devices list (or jump in from a ticket's "…" menu, Phase 6).
- On the device detail page, click Remote Control (top right).
- You'll land on the remote desktop view — it shows "Connecting to desktop…" and then the live screen appears.
That's it. You're looking at the actual machine.
The session controls
Across the top of the remote view:
- Settings (gear) — tune the session: Quality (e.g. Balanced 50%), Scaling, Frame Rate (e.g. Medium 10 FPS), plus Invert Scroll Direction, Swap Mouse Buttons, and Use Remote Keyboard Map. Drop the quality/frame rate on a slow connection; raise them when you need detail.
- Fullscreen (expand) — go full-screen for a roomier view.
- "…" menu — the session toolbox:
- Apply Shortcut — send key combos your browser would otherwise eat (Alt+Ctrl+Del, Win+L, Win+R, etc.).
- Wake up / Sleep / Reboot / Shut Down — power actions on the remote machine.
- Enable Input — toggle whether your keyboard/mouse actually control the remote.
- Clipboard Sharing — share copy/paste between your machine and the remote.
The input and clipboard pieces have their own quirks worth knowing — see Clipboard & Input Sharing During Remote Sessions.
Quick checklist
- Confirmed the device is ONLINE
- Opened the device and clicked Remote Control
- Waited for "Connecting to desktop…" to resolve into the live screen
- Adjusted Quality / Frame Rate to match your connection
- Know where the "…" menu (shortcuts, power, input, clipboard) lives
What's next
For command-line work instead of the full desktop, see Using the Remote Shell. To move files to or from the machine, see Using the File Manager. And for the copy-paste and keyboard gotchas, see Clipboard & Input Sharing During Remote Sessions.
Based on OpenFrame v0.9.19. Remote Control requires an online device and is actively evolving — what's in your console wins.
