AnyDesk for Android / ChromeOS

AnyDesk for Android offers a powerful and mobile way to connect to and control remote desktops. This guide helps you get started and troubleshoot common issues.

System requirements

Install and set up AnyDesk on Android

Installation

You can install AnyDesk on Android in one of two ways:

1. Download from an official app store.
   AnyDesk is available on the following platforms:

2. Deploy a custom client via the my.anydesk management portal.
   Use the my.anydesk II management portal to create a Custom Android Client and deploy it to managed devices.

Control plugins

To remotely control an Android device (not just view its screen) using AnyDesk, the AnyDesk app must be granted special system-level permissions. Due to Android system limitations and manufacturer-specific requirements, these permissions cannot always be included directly in the AnyDesk app.

Control plugins are small add-on apps provided by AnyDesk that enable these remote control features. Each plugin is designed for specific device models or manufacturers to ensure compatibility.

🦉  You can view the list of all available plugins on the Android Control Plugins page.

How to install the correct plugin

• Do not manually search for or install a plugin. The correct plugin is determined based on your device model.

• When you first open AnyDesk, the app will check your device and show a Plugin available prompt if a compatible plugin is required.

• Alternatively, go to Menu > About AnyDesk to trigger the plugin check.

• Follow the on-screen instructions to install and activate the plugin.

If a specific plugin is not available

• AnyDesk will install a generic plugin ad1 instead. This allows basic control (e.g., mouse movement), but may not support full input functionality.

• For full compatibility, you may need a dedicated plugin developed in cooperation with your device’s manufacturer.

💡 NOTE

If your device uses the generic plugin ad1 and you experience limited control, consider contacting your device manufacturer and requesting support for a dedicated AnyDesk control plugin.

Customize your AnyDesk client

You can create a Custom Client APK to preconfigure, brand, and deploy AnyDesk across managed Android devices. This section outlines how to install the client, handle Android security restrictions, and set a custom package name for enterprise deployment.

Create a custom client

You can create a custom AnyDesk client for Android in my.anydesk II. To create a custom client:

1. Go to my.anydesk II > Builds > Create build.

2. In the Custom Client Generator page, select Android as the operating system.

3. Configure all required settings according to your deployment needs.

4. Click Create to build the custom APK.

After generation, the APK can be downloaded and deployed via MDM or uploaded to your internal app store.

Set a custom package name

If you're distributing the custom AnyDesk APK via a private app store or device management platform, you may need to use a unique package name.

To configure this:

1. Go to my.anydesk II > Builds > Create build.

2. In the Custom Client Generator, enable Android Package Name Suffix.
   

3. Enter a suffix that meets the following requirements:

   • Starts with a letter

   • Is 3 to 16 characters long

   • Uses only lowercase Latin letters (no numbers or symbols)

4. Generate the APK and upload it to your private app store or deployment system.

Install the custom AnyDesk APK

To install a custom AnyDesk APK on an Android device:

1. Open the device settings and enable installation from unknown sources. Preferably allow this for a file manager app, not a browser.
   

2. Use your file manager or MDM tool to locate the custom APK.

3. Tap the APK file and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

   ⚠️ Menu names may vary depending on the device or Android version.

On Android 14 and some OEM-modified systems, additional restrictions (such as Auto Blocker) may prevent APK installation.

Resolve installation blocks (Android 14 and higher)

Starting with Android 14, Google and some device manufacturers (e.g., Samsung) introduced additional security features that may block APK installations, including custom AnyDesk clients.

If installation fails with the message such as “Unknown app blocked” , follow the steps below based on your device type.

Grant required permissions

To enable full remote control and functionality, AnyDesk requires several Android system permissions.

Starting with AnyDesk 7.2.0 for Android, a built-in Setup Checklist helps you configure these permissions during initial setup.

If you dismissed the checklist during setup, you can reopen it anytime from the main window in the AnyDesk app.

The checklist displays each required permission along with a description of its purpose. Tap any permission entry to view how the permission is used and jump directly to the relevant Android Settings page to grant it.

Register your license key

You can register your AnyDesk license on Android in two ways, depending on how the app is deployed and managed.

Register a license by:

Connecting to the Android device

Before connecting to an Android device, make sure the initial setup is complete and any required control plugins are installed. For more details, see Install and set up AnyDesk on Android.

Even if full remote control is not available, unattended file transfers are supported on all Android versions, as they do not require a control plugin.

Connect via Unattended Access

Unattended Access allows you to manage and control remote devices without requiring someone to manually accept each connection request on the remote side.

🦉  For instructions on how to set up Unattended Access, see this article. 

However, on Android 10 and newer, a system-level prompt appears when starting screen sharing or recording. This prompt is enforced by the Android operating system and in most cases, it must be manually accepted by someone physically present on the Android device, even if Unattended Access has been configured.

To connect via Unattended Access:

1. Get the remote device's AnyDesk ID or Alias.

2. On the local device, from which you want to connect to the remote device, enter the AnyDesk ID in the Remote Address field and click or press Enter.

3. When prompted, enter the Unattended Access password that you previously set up on the remote device.

4. On the remote Android device, manually accept the system prompt to allow screen recording or casting when it appears.
   

Once connected, the session starts and the remote device’s screen is displayed. You can now control the device, transfer files, and more.

Control a remote session on Android

During a session, you can access important controls using the Session Menu, also known as the Pie Menu, by long-pressing the AnyDesk logo. You can move the logo by double-tapping and dragging it anywhere on the screen.

The Session Menu consists of several tiles for:

• Settings

• Input type

• Monitor selection

• Actions

• Close session

Change Input type

Open the Session Menu and swipe to the Input tile. You can choose from:

• Special keyboard (e.g., F1, Windows key, Tab)

• Installed Android keyboard

• Automatic keyboard toggle

Supported gestures

When using Mouse or Touchpad mode:

• One-finger swipe – move the mouse

• Two-finger swipe – zoom

• Three-finger swipe – scroll

• Tap – left-click

• Hold – right-click

• Three-finger tap – middle-click

Hotkeys

When connected to an Android device from Windows, you can use keyboard shortcuts for Android system actions.

To use a shortcut, hold Ctrl + Alt + Shift and press one of the following keys, or open the keyboard settings from the Session Menu:

Main Menu and general Settings

Open the Main Menu by swiping from the left on the start screen or tapping the three-stripe icon.

Settings overview

The Settings menu in AnyDesk for Android is divided into several sections: Application, Security, Session, and Account.

Manage devices with MDM

AnyDesk for Android supports integration with third-party Mobile Device Management (MDM) platforms, such as Microsoft Intune.

• MDM support is available starting from AnyDesk version 6.1.10.

• Integration is currently supported only with the standard client available on the Google Play Store.

• Compatible MDM consoles can detect available AnyDesk configuration options and display descriptions for each supported feature.

Remote control in work profiles

To enable remote control functionality in Android Work Profiles (non-Personal profiles), special configuration is required for the ad1 control plugin. This is due to Android's profile isolation mechanisms.

To pair the ad1 plugin across profiles:

1. Install the ad1 plugin in the Personal profile.

2. In the Accessibility settings of the Personal profile, enable the plugin.

3. Open the ad1 plugin app in the Work (non-Personal) profile.

4. In the plugin menu, tap Choose Plugin.

5. Navigate to the Personal tab and select AD1

   ⚠️  Label format may vary depending on Android version, especially between Android 8.1 and 10.

6. Accept the configuration request.

7. Tap OK to initiate the pairing.

💡 NOTE

• If pairing fails, try reversing the setup order (start with the Work profile).

• Cross-profile communication must be allowed by your MDM configuration.

• Devices using manufacturer-specific plugins (e.g., Samsung Knox) typically do not require plugin pairing.

Integrate with Android API

AnyDesk provides an Android API that allows basic control and status monitoring, similar to the Windows Command-Line Interface (CLI). This API is intended for use by system-level apps only.

🚨 IMPORTANT

Access to the Android API is restricted to system apps. Full documentation and integration support are available upon request from the AnyDesk Support Team.

Supported API features

The API enables integration with the following features:

• Retrieve information

  • App version

  • Connection status

  • AnyDesk ID

  • Alias

  • User name

• Check status

  • whether Unattended Access is enabled

  • whether any incoming session has occurred

  • whether a custom user image is configured

• Set parameters

  • Unattended access password

  • Connection behavior

  • Discovery mode (enabled/disabled)

  • User name

  • Custom user image

Troubleshooting

adb shell settings put secure enabled_accessibility_services com.anydesk.adcontrol.ad1/com.anydesk.adcontrol.AccService

Send support information (Trace files)

If AnyDesk on your Android device crashes or shows unexpected behavior, you can help our support team investigate by sending Trace Files (support information) along with a detailed description of the issue.