Automox Remote Tools with Splashtop – Full User Guide

Remote Tools Overview

Automox Remote Tools The system you use to enroll and manage devices (for example, Jamf Pro or Microsoft Intune). with Splashtop is a suite of remote management capabilities built into the Automox console Our web-based management dashboard, available at https://console.automox.com. , enabling IT teams to securely interact with managed devices without leaving Automox or switching to external tools.

Remote Tools includes:

• Remote Control — Securely access and control a device from another location in real time.
• Remote Command — Run commands and scripts on a remote device without interrupting the end user.
• Standalone File Transfer — Transfer files to and from remote devices without starting a Remote Control session.

All Remote Tools sessions:

• Are initiated from within Automox
• Use encrypted connections
• Respect Automox role‑based permissions
• Generate audit trail events for accountability and compliance

All Remote Tools sessions:

• Are initiated from within Automox
• Use encrypted connections
• Respect Automox role-based permissions
• Generate audit trail events for accountability and compliance

All features share the same Splashtop Streamer agent and are accessed through a unified Remote Tools entry point on Device Details.

Available Features by Tier

Feature	Core	Resolve
Remote Control	Yes	Yes (with premium controls)
Remote Command	NA	Yes
Standalone File Transfer	NA	Yes
In-session premium controls (multi-monitor "All Monitors" view, session recording, in-session file transfer, chat, concurrent technicians, remote print)	NA	Yes

Core: Includes Remote Control with secure remote desktop access, interactive control, view-only mode, sound redirection, and switching between monitors on multi-monitor remote devices.

Resolve: Includes everything in Core plus Remote Command, Standalone File Transfer, and premium Remote Control controls (in-session file transfer, chat, session recording, "All Monitors (One Window)" view, concurrent technician sessions, remote print).

Note: Linux is not supported for any Remote Tools feature in this release. Linux Streamer support is planned for a future release.

How Remote Tools Work

Remote Tools relies on a viewer–agent architecture built on Splashtop’s secure remote access technology and integrated directly into Automox.

Two components are always involved in a session:

Splashtop For RMM App

The Splashtop RMM App is installed on the administrator’s computer. It is responsible for:

• Launching all Remote Tools sessions (Remote Control, Remote Command, File Transfer)
• Rendering the remote desktop or session window
• Providing session controls and advanced actions

The Splashtop RMM App is installed once per administrator device and reused for all Remote Tools sessions across all features.

Splashtop Streamer

The Streamer is installed on each remote device you control. It:

• Registers the device with the Automox–Splashtop backend
• Accepts incoming session requests for any Remote Tools feature
• Enforces OS-level permissions on macOS

A single Streamer install supports all Remote Tools features. A session cannot start unless both the Splashtop RMM App and the Streamer are installed and registered.

Roles, Permissions, and Access Control

Remote Tools actions are governed by Automox's role-based permission model. Each feature has its own access permission, allowing administrators to grant access to individual Remote Tools features independently.

Permission	What It Controls	Default Roles
Settings: Read	View Remote Tools Settings (toggle state, metrics, device table), view Remote Tools section on Device Details, view tier status	Full Administrator, Helpdesk Operator, Organization Operator
Streamer: Manage	Install or uninstall the Streamer on a single device from Device Details	Full Administrator, Helpdesk Operator, Organization Operator
Streamer Bulk: Manage	Bulk install / uninstall (org-wide, group-wide, ad hoc from device table)	Full Administrator
Troubleshooting: Manage	Clear sessions; run Firewall Check	Full Administrator, Helpdesk Operator, Organization Operator
Remote Control: Access	Initiate Remote Control sessions	Full Administrator, Helpdesk Operator, Organization Operator
Remote Command: Access	Initiate Remote Command sessions	Full Administrator, Organization Operator
File Transfer: Access	Initiate Standalone File Transfer sessions	Full Administrator, Organization Operator
Remote Control Consent: Manage	Change end-user consent settings	Full Administrator

A user without a given permission will not see the corresponding feature in the Remote Tools dropdown. Permission checks take priority over plan entitlement, OS availability, and Streamer status.

Settings → Remote Tools (Organization-Level)

Automox includes a dedicated Remote Tools section in the organization-level Settings menu. This section centralizes feature availability, deployment monitoring, configuration, and bulk actions.

The Settings → Remote Tools page serves as both a monitoring surface for Streamer deployment health and an action surface for managing Remote Tools availability across the organization.

Feature Availability

The Feature Availability section controls which Remote Tools features are available to your organization.

Enable Remote Features (master toggle) — Controls whether Remote Tools features are available to your organization. When off, all Remote Tools features are disabled regardless of individual feature settings.

Individual feature controls — Each feature has a checkbox that enables or disables it independently:

Feature	Description	Available For
Remote Control	Securely access and control a device from another location in real time.	Windows, macOS
Remote Command	Run commands and scripts on a remote device without interrupting the end user.	Windows, macOS
File Transfer	Transfer files to and from remote devices without starting a Remote Control session.	Windows, macOS

Core plan behavior: On Core plan organizations, only Remote Control is displayed in Feature Availability, and no per-feature checkbox is shown. The master toggle is the sole control. Resolve-only features are not displayed.

Confirmation prompts: Only the master "Enable Remote Features" toggle triggers a confirmation modal. Individual feature checkboxes apply immediately.

Deployment Health Summary

The Remote Tools Settings page displays high-level deployment metrics that represent current Streamer readiness across the organization. Each device belongs to exactly one of the following statuses:

Ready — Streamer is installed and successfully registered. The device is eligible for Remote Tools sessions.

Failed — A previous install or registration attempt did not complete successfully. Remote Tools are unavailable until remediation.

Not Installed — Streamer is not installed or registered. No install attempt has been made. Status counts show the number of devices in each category relative to the total device count.

Device Table

The Remote Tools Settings page includes a device table that provides device-level visibility into Streamer deployment state. The table is consistent with device tables elsewhere in the Automox console.

Columns:

• Device Name (click to navigate to Device Details)
• Operating System
• Group
• Streamer Status (Ready, Failed, Not Installed)
• Last Install Attempt (timestamp)
• Last Result Returned (timestamp)

Table behavior:

Paginated results (default 25 devices, up to 500) Sorting on all columns Column visibility and ordering customization Row selection for bulk actions (ad hoc install / uninstall)

Filtering and Search

Admins can filter the device table by:

• Operating System
• Group
• Streamer Status

Admins can also search by Device Name.

What You Can Manage from Settings → Remote Tools

• Feature availability
  • Enable or disable Remote Tools at the org level (master toggle)
  • Enable or disable individual features (Remote Control, Remote Command, File Transfer)
• Deployment health monitoring
  • View Ready, Failed, and Not Installed device counts at a glance
  • Drill into the device table to identify specific devices
• Organization-wide Splashtop Streamer installation and uninstallation
• Group-level Splashtop Streamer installation and uninstallation
• Ad hoc Streamer installation and uninstallation (selected devices from the device table)
• Default behavior for new devices
  • Enable or disable Auto-Install for New Devices

Actions taken from this page are recorded in the audit trail.

Understanding the Remote Tools Section (Device Details)

The Remote Tools section on the Device Details page is designed to clearly separate entitlement, device readiness, available actions, and configuration settings.

This section is organized into four areas:

Tier — Indicates which Remote Tools tier is enabled for the device:

• Core
• Automox Resolve powered by Splashtop

The tier determines which Remote Tools features are available.

Status — Shows whether the device is ready for Remote Tools sessions by indicating:

• Whether the Splashtop Streamer is installed
• Whether the Streamer is registered with Automox

A device must be both installed and registered before any Remote Tools session can begin.

Actions — Provides one-time operations that take effect immediately, such as:

• Installing or uninstalling the Splashtop Streamer
• Ending active Remote Tools sessions (across all features)
• Running a firewall connectivity check
• Accessing Splashtop RMM App download links

Settings — Contains persistent configuration options that control Remote Tools behavior for the device, including end-user consent requirements.

The Remote Tools Entry Point

All Remote Tools features are launched from a unified Remote Tools button on the Device Details page.

• If you have permission to only one feature, the button is labeled with that feature and launches it directly.
• If you have permission to two or more features, the button opens a dropdown listing the features you can access.

Behavior of features in the dropdown:

Condition	Behavior
Feature available and ready	Click to launch
Feature available and ready	Feature shown grayed out with tooltip: "Contact your account manager to upgrade to Automox Resolve."
Feature not supported on this device's OS (e.g., Linux)	Feature shown grayed out with OS-specific tooltip
Streamer not installed or registered	Feature shown active; clicking opens the Streamer Status modal
User lacks permission to the feature	Feature is not shown
Org has disabled the feature	Feature is not shown

If the org has disabled all Remote Tools, or the user has no permissions to any feature, the Remote Tools button is not rendered. On Linux devices, the Remote Tools button is rendered but disabled.

Installing the "Splashtop For RMM" App

Before starting any Remote Tools session, administrators must install the "Splashtop For RMM" App (Splashtop RMM App).

Installation Flow

• Navigate to a device's Device Details page in Automox
• Click Remote Tools and choose any feature (Remote Control, Remote Command, or File Transfer)
• The first time you attempt to use Remote Tools—and on every attempt until you confirm—the console will display a prompt asking whether you have already installed the Splashtop RMM App.
  • Select No to open a window with download links for Windows and macOS.
  • Install the app, then return to the console.
• Once the Splashtop RMM App is installed, click Remote Tools again, select your feature, and select Yes when prompted.
  • After you click Yes, Automox records that confirmation and you will not see the prompt again on future Remote Tools attempts from that same administrator device.

The Splashtop RMM App only needs to be installed once per administrator device and powers all Remote Tools features.

Installing the Splashtop Streamer on Devices

Unlike the Splashtop RMM App, the Streamer must be installed on every device you want to manage. The Streamer is not installed automatically when you click Remote Tools.

A single Streamer install supports all Remote Tools features — Remote Control, Remote Command, and Standalone File Transfer.

Administrators can install the Streamer using any of the following methods depending on the desired scope.

Organization-Wide Installation

Administrators with the Streamer Bulk: Manage permission can install the Streamer across the entire organization.

1. Navigate to Settings → Remote Tools
2. Click Install Streamer and select By Organization
3. A confirmation modal displays the organization name and total number of devices. Click Install to Organization to confirm.

What happens next:

• Online devices begin installing immediately
• Offline devices install automatically when they next check in

Group-Level Installation

Administrators with the Streamer Bulk: Manage permission can scope Streamer installation to specific groups.

1. Navigate to Settings → Remote Tools
2. Click Install Streamer and select By Groups
3. Select one or more groups from the group picker
4. Click Install to (N) Groups to confirm

What happens next:

• Automox sends a silent install command to all supported devices in the selected groups
• Online devices begin installing immediately
• Offline devices install automatically when they next check in

Ad Hoc Installation from Remote Tools Settings

Administrators with the Streamer Bulk: Manage permission can install the Streamer on specific devices selected from the device table.

1. Navigate to Settings → Remote Tools
2. Use filters or search to locate target devices in the device table
3. Select one or more devices using the row checkboxes
4. Click Actions and select Install Streamer

This method is useful for targeted remediation — for example, retrying installation on specific devices that previously failed.

Per-Device Installation

For targeted deployment or troubleshooting on a single device.

1. Open Device Details for a specific device
2. Expand the Remote Tools section
3. Select Install Splashtop Streamer

Installation Behavior by OS

• Windows: Fully silent
• macOS: Application installs silently, but user approval is required for permissions

If installation or registration fails, Automox displays a Streamer Status modal with error details and retry options.

How Is the Splashtop Streamer Installed on Windows?

The Splashtop Streamer is installed system-wide on Windows devices — not under the currently logged-in user's profile. It runs as a Windows service executed by the SYSTEM account. This means:

• The Streamer is available before any user logs in (including the Windows login screen)
• No per-user installation or configuration is required
• The service starts automatically and persists across reboots and user account changes

Action Ordering

No hierarchy exists between organization-level, group-level, and ad hoc actions. The most recent action executed against a device determines its final state. If multiple actions are queued, they run in the order received.

Splashtop Streamer Status: Installation and Registration Visibility

When a device does not have the Splashtop Streamer installed, registered, or successfully configured, Automox provides clear visibility through the Splashtop Streamer Status modal and the Remote Tools section on the Device Details page.

These views help administrators understand why a Remote Tools session cannot start and what actions are available to resolve the issue.

When the Splashtop Streamer Status Modal Appears

The Splashtop Streamer Status modal opens automatically when you click any Remote Tools feature and the device is not ready for a session. This can occur when:

• The Splashtop Streamer has not been installed
• The Streamer is installed but not registered
• A previous installation or registration attempt failed
• The device has not yet completed a pending install or registration

In these cases, Automox blocks session launch and surfaces the Streamer Status instead.

What the Streamer Status Modal Shows

The modal provides real-time status for the device, including:

• Whether the Splashtop Streamer is installed
• Whether the Streamer is registered with Automox
• Any errors or failures returned during installation or registration
• Detailed error output when an install attempt fails

This information allows administrators to quickly distinguish between a device that has never had the Streamer installed and one that failed during a previous attempt.

Actions Available from the Streamer Status Modal

From the Splashtop Streamer Status modal, administrators can take action to bring the device into a state where Remote Tools can be initiated.

The modal includes a single Install action, which is used in all cases where the device is not yet ready. This includes first-time installs as well as situations where a previous install or registration attempt did not complete successfully.

When selected, Automox attempts to ensure the device is fully prepared by:

• Installing the Splashtop Streamer if it is not already present on the device
• Registering the device with the Automox–Splashtop backend once the Streamer is installed

Selecting Install always attempts to move the device into a fully installed and registered state. If the attempt fails, the modal displays detailed error information to help diagnose the issue before trying again.

Remote Tools Section on the Device Details Page

The Remote Tools section on the Device Details page provides a real-time view of a device's readiness and the actions available based on its current state. Administrators can use this section to troubleshoot, deploy, or manage Remote Tools without attempting to start a session.

Device Not Ready

When a device is not ready for Remote Tools, the section clearly indicates whether:

• The Splashtop Streamer is not installed, or
• The Streamer is installed but not registered

In this state, Remote Tools sessions cannot be initiated. Available actions may include:

• Install Splashtop Streamer
• Splashtop RMM App links
• Check Firewall Connectivity

Selecting Install always attempts to move the device into a fully installed and registered state. This applies to first-time installs as well as retrying failed installation or registration attempts.

Device Ready

When both installation and registration are complete, the device is marked as ready for Remote Tools. In this state, administrators can:

• Start a Remote Tools session (any feature they have permission for)
• End active sessions (across all features)
• Uninstall the Splashtop Streamer
• Check Firewall Connectivity
• Access Splashtop RMM App links
• Adjust Remote Tools settings, such as end-user consent

This section provides a persistent way to review readiness, take corrective action, and manage Remote Tools behavior without launching a session.

Auto-Install for New Devices

Automox provides an organization-level setting that controls whether the Splashtop Streamer is automatically installed on newly added devices.

This setting is managed from Settings → Remote Tools and defines the default installation behavior for new devices.

Default State

• OFF by default for all new customers
• Newly added devices do not receive the Splashtop Streamer automatically

This default ensures administrators maintain explicit control over where Remote Tools is enabled.

What the Auto-Install Toggle Controls

When Auto-Install for New Devices is turned ON, Automox automatically installs the Splashtop Streamer on any newly added device that meets all of the following conditions:

• The device belongs to the organization
• The organization has Remote Tools entitlement
• The device is not blocked by organization-level preferences

Enabling Auto-Install for New Devices

To enable automatic installation for future devices:

1. Navigate to Settings → Remote Tools
2. Locate Auto-Install for New Devices
3. Toggle the setting to ON

Once enabled, this setting remains in effect until it is turned off.

Installing the Streamer on Existing Devices

Auto-Install does not retroactively install the Splashtop Streamer on devices that already exist in the organization.

To install the Streamer on existing devices, administrators must use one of the supported methods:

• Organization-wide installation from Settings → Remote Tools → Install Streamer → By Organization
• Group-level installation from Settings → Remote Tools → Install Streamer → By Groups
• Ad hoc installation by selecting devices from the device table on Settings → Remote Tools and choosing Install Streamer from the Actions menu
• Per-device installation from the Remote Tools section on the Device Details page

These installation options are described earlier in this guide

macOS Permissions and End-User Experience

Before a Remote Control session can display or control the screen for macOS end devices, the end user must grant macOS permissions when the Splashtop Streamer is first installed.

Remote Tools permissions on macOS are granted per logged-in user, not per device.

End users must enter their password to approve required permissions, but administrator privileges are not required.

The user will see a Getting Started prompt asking them to enable the following permissions in System Settings → Privacy & Security:

Permission	Purpose
Accessibility	Allows remote input and control. Required for Remote Control.
Remote Desktop	Reduces repeated prompts and improves session behavior. Required for Remote Control.
Screen Recording	Allows the administrator to view the screen. Required for Remote Control.
Microphone	Required when audio features are used. (Optional)
Full Disk Access	Required to read files from the remote device during File Transfer (in-session or standalone). Without Full Disk Access, technicians can push files to the device but cannot browse or pull files from it.

How the End User Grants Permissions (macOS)

1. On the end-user Mac, open System Settings → Privacy & Security.
2. Select each category:
   • Accessibility
   • Screen Recording / Remote Desktop ^*Screen Recording vs. Remote Desktop on macOS: macOS may show either Screen Recording or Remote Desktop depending on your OS version. These labels refer to the same screen-visibility permission. If you see "Remote Desktop," always enable that option. If you do not see Remote Desktop, enable Screen Recording instead.
   • Microphone (optional)
   • Full Disk Access (required for bidirectional file transfer)
3. Locate Splashtop Streamer and toggle permissions on.
4. Restart the Splashtop Streamer when prompted.

When all required permissions are enabled, the device is ready for Remote Tools. If any permission is denied initially, macOS continues prompting until the user updates the setting.

What IT Can Pre-Configure

Using MDM tools such as Jamf or Intune, IT administrators can:

• Pre-approve Accessibility
• Pre-approve Full Disk Access
• Configure Screen Recording / Remote Desktop so standard users can approve without admin rights

Apple does not allow Screen Recording or Microphone access to be granted silently.

Starting and Managing Remote Control Sessions

When the Splashtop RMM App and Streamer are installed and registered, you can connect instantly.

Starting a Remote Control Session

1. In the Automox console, navigate to the Device Details page of the device you want to connect to.
2. Click Remote Tools and select Remote Control (or click Remote Tools directly if Remote Control is your only available feature).
3. If all requirements are met, the Splashtop RMM App launches automatically.

Session behavior depends on the configured End-user consent setting.

During the Session

• You'll have full keyboard, mouse, and display control (once permissions are granted).
• Session traffic is fully encrypted.
• If the user moves their mouse or interacts during the session, control is shared.

Ending a Session

• To end a session, close the session window.
• You can also select Disconnect in the navigation bar.

Starting and Managing Remote Command Sessions

Remote Command provides an interactive, persistent shell session on a remote device — similar to an SSH session, but tunneled through the Splashtop agent. Remote Command does not take over the user's desktop, allowing IT to run scripts, check services, view logs, and execute commands without disrupting the end user.

Supported Shells

OS	Shells
Windows	CMD, PowerShell (4.0+)
macOS	Bash, Zsh
Linux	Not supported

Privilege Level

• Windows: Sessions run  in the system (SYSTEM) context..
• macOS: Sessions run as root. No macOS permission grants are required.

End-user consent does not apply to Remote Command sessions.

Starting a Remote Command Session

1. Navigate to the Device Details page of the target device.
2. Click Remote Tools and select Remote Command.
3. The Splashtop RMM App opens an interactive shell window.
4. Use the shell as you would any terminal — commands persist context (working directory, environment variables) for the duration of the session.

What the End User Sees

Remote Command runs without taking over the user's desktop, but it is not fully silent. The logged-in user sees:

• A gray banner such as "[Technician Name] has connected to this computer" when the session starts
• A persistent "Session in progress" indicator for the duration of the session

No consent dialog is shown.

Headless and Unattended Devices

Remote Command works on devices with no logged-in user and no active display — for example, servers and kiosks.

Saving Session Output

Automox does not store or expose Remote Command session content. However, Splashtop's Remote Command UI allows the technician to save command history at any point during the session, and prompts to save when the session closes. The exported file is named Splashtop_Command_YYYYMMDD_HHMM.txt. This is a Splashtop-native capability — Automox does not capture session content for audit purposes.

No Additional Ports or VPN Required

Remote Command tunnels through the existing Splashtop agent connection. No SSH port 22, VPN, or additional firewall changes are required.

Starting and Managing Standalone File Transfer Sessions

Standalone File Transfer enables you to move files to and from a remote device without starting a Remote Control session. This is separate from the in-session File Transfer feature available during a Remote Control session (covered later in this guide).

OS	Supported
Windows	Yes (Windows 10+)
macOS	Yes (macOS 14 Sonoma+)
Linux	No

macOS Full Disk Access Requirement

• Without Full Disk Access granted to the Splashtop Streamer: the technician can push files to the target device but cannot browse or read files on the target device.
• With Full Disk Access granted to the Splashtop Streamer: the technician can both push and pull files between systems.

Starting a Standalone File Transfer Session

1. Navigate to the Device Details page of the target device.
2. Click Remote Tools and select File Transfer.
3. The Splashtop RMM App opens a two-pane file explorer (local on left, remote on right). Drag and drop to transfer files.

What the End User Sees

Standalone File Transfer runs in the background (no desktop takeover) but is visible to the logged-in user. The user briefly sees:

• A gray banner such as "[Technician Name] has connected to this computer"
• A persistent "Session in progress" indicator while the File Transfer session is active

No consent dialog is shown.

Concurrent Sessions

Resolve organizations support up to 3 concurrent Remote Tools sessions per device, shared across all features.

For example, a device running 1 Remote Control session and 1 Remote Command session has 2 of 3 slots occupied. Attempting a 4th session of any type will be blocked.

Clear Session / Disconnect All: This action ends all active Remote Tools sessions on the device — Remote Control, Remote Command, and File Transfer. It is not scoped to a single feature. Use this when too many concurrent sessions are active or a previous session did not close cleanly.

Session Tracking Caps

To prevent stuck or hung sessions from blocking new ones, Automox automatically removes sessions from its tracking system after fixed caps:

Session Type	Tracking cap
Failed or hanging connection attempts	30 seconds
Successful File Transfer sessions	1 hour
Successful Remote Control and Remote Command sessions	4 hours

These caps apply to Automox's session tracking only — they free up the session slot for new connections and do not forcibly terminate the live Splashtop session. Administrators can also clear sessions immediately at any time using Clear Session / Disconnect All on the Device Details page.

Managing End-User Consent

End-user consent controls whether a user at the device must approve a session before it starts — and what happens if the user does not respond.

Consent applies to Remote Control only. Remote Command and Standalone File Transfer run in the background and are not affected by this setting.

Consent is configured per device from the Settings area of the Remote Tools section on the Device Details page.

End-User Consent Options

Administrators can choose from the following End-user consent options:

• Required (attended) – User must approve before the session starts.
• Not required (unattended) – Session starts immediately with no user prompt.
• Required — if user doesn't respond, deny – Session fails after 30 seconds.
• Required — if user doesn't respond, allow – Session starts after 30 seconds.

The default setting is Required (attended).

Choosing the Right End-User Consent Setting

• Required (attended) — Best for environments where transparency is required or devices are user-owned. Ensures the end user is aware of and approves every Remote Control session.
• Not required (unattended) — Recommended for servers, kiosks, or shared devices where no user is expected to be present. Enables faster remediation but should be restricted to trusted admin roles.
• Required — if user doesn't respond, deny — Useful in high-security environments where unattended access is not permitted under any circumstances.
• Required — if user doesn't respond, allow — Common in IT support scenarios where users may be temporarily away, but assistance is still required without manual follow-up.

Changing End-User Consent for a Single Device

1. Open Device Details.
2. Expand Remote Tools.
3. In Settings, select the desired End-user consent option.
4. Click Save settings to apply the change.

Bulk Updating End-User Consent

End-user consent can also be updated across multiple devices.

1. Navigate to Devices.
2. Select one or more devices.
3. Select Actions → Configure Remote Control.
4. Choose the desired End-user consent option and apply the setting.

End-User Consent Options Summary

Consent option	User Prompt	Session behavior	Common use cases
Required (attended)	User must actively approve the session before it starts.	Session does not start until the user clicks Approve.	End-user devices, BYOD environments, regulated industries, or any scenario where user awareness and approval are required.
Not required (unattended)	No prompt is shown to the user.	Session starts immediately.	Servers, kiosks, shared devices, or environments where no user is expected to be present. Often used for remediation and maintenance workflows.
Required — if user doesn't respond, deny	User is prompted to approve the session.	If the user does not respond within 30 seconds, the session fails.	High-security environments where unattended access is never allowed and explicit approval is mandatory.
Required — if user doesn't respond, allow	User is prompted to approve the session.	If the user does not respond within 30 seconds, the session starts automatically.	IT support scenarios where users may be temporarily away but assistance is still required without manual rescheduling.

Remote Control Session Controls

This table provides an overview of the controls available in the Splashtop navigation bar during a Remote Control session.

Control	Description
Disconnect	Ends the remote session and returns you to the Automox console.
RDP Switch Session (Resolve)	Displays when multiple remote desktop sessions are active on the remote machine. Allows you to toggle between active Windows sessions (for example, different logged-in users).
Switch Monitor	Switch between individual monitors on the remote device. Available on both Core and Resolve. Resolve users can also use "All Monitors (One Window)" to view all monitors simultaneously in a single combined view.
View Settings	Adjusts display options including scaling, quality, and cursor visibility.
Full Screen	Expands the view to fill the administrator's display. Press Escape to exit.
Ctrl+Alt+Del	Sends the Ctrl+Alt+Delete command to the remote Windows device.
Record Session (Resolve)	Records the current remote session.
In-Session File Transfer (Resolve)	Transfers files securely between devices during an active Remote Control session.
Chat (Resolve)	Opens a text chat window for communication with the remote user.
Actions	Screen and input controls.

Remote Control Key Features and Functions

This section goes into more detail about the available functionality when using Remote Control. The controls are described in order from left to right.

Disconnect

Click the Disconnect icon to end the Remote Control session at any time. The connection closes immediately, and Automox logs the session end in the audit trail.

RDP Session Switching

If the remote device hosts multiple Windows user sessions (for example, on a terminal or RDS server), you can easily toggle between them.

• Click the Next Monitor icon in the navigation bar.
• Select the desired session from the list.

This allows administrators to manage multiple users or active sessions on one system without logging off other users.

Multi-Monitor Access

Remote Control includes multi-monitor support at both tiers, with capabilities that differ between Core and Resolve.

Remote Control (Core) — Switch Between Monitors

With Core, you can switch between individual monitors on a multi-monitor remote device, viewing and controlling one monitor at a time.

How to Switch Monitors (Core):

1. Click the Switch Monitor icon in the navigation bar.
2. Select the monitor you want to view (Monitor 1, Monitor 2, etc.).

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• Ctrl + Alt + # → Switch to a specific monitor (for example, Ctrl + Alt + 2)
• Ctrl + Alt + → → Move to the next monitor
• Ctrl + Alt + ← → Move to the previous monitor

Resolve — Switch Monitors + View All at Once

With Resolve, you get everything in Core plus the ability to view all monitors simultaneously in a single window.

How to Use Multi-Monitor (Resolve):

1. Click the Switch Monitor icon in the navigation bar.
2. Choose:
   • Monitor 1, Monitor 2, etc. — view and control a specific monitor
   • All Monitors (One Window) — combines all monitors into a single combined view

Multi-to-Multi Monitor:

When both the local and remote systems have multiple monitors, Splashtop lets you view each remote monitor in its own window on your local desktop.

Concurrent Technician Sessions (Resolve)

With Resolve, three technicians can connect to the same remote device simultaneously across Remote Tools features. This enables real-time collaboration — for example, one technician can monitor while another performs actions on the device.

Use Cases:

• Live training and shadowing
• Complex troubleshooting with multiple team members
• Transitioning sessions between technicians without disconnecting

Each connected technician maintains independent control and visibility within their own Splashtop RMM App window.

View and Performance Settings

Splashtop allows you to balance image quality and speed depending on your network conditions.

Adjustable Settings:

• Resolution Scaling: Match, stretch, or scale the remote display to your local window size.
• Frame Rate (FPS): Adjust between smooth (higher FPS) or efficient (lower FPS) viewing.
• Remote Cursor: Toggle whether to display the remote user’s mouse cursor.

Local Session Recording (Resolve)

You can keep a record of your work for documentation or auditing purposes. Session recording enables you to capture and save a video of your remote control session locally on your computer.

How it works:

• Recordings are stored locally (never in the cloud).
• You can start or stop recording directly from the navigation bar.
• Recorded files include both screen visuals and control activity for easy review.

In-Session File Transfer (Resolve)

The in-session file transfer feature lets you securely move files between your local system and the remote device during an active Remote Control session. This is separate from Standalone File Transfer, which operates without a Remote Control session.

How to Transfer Files:

1. Click the File Transfer icon in the navigation bar.
2. A two-pane file explorer appears:
   • Left: Your local system
   • Right: The remote system
3. Drag and drop files or folders between panes.
4. Transfers up to 64 GB per file are supported.

Advanced Session Controls

Select Actions to access advanced session controls.

Blank Screen

Hides the remote device’s screen during your session. Ideal for confidential work or when performing maintenance without distracting the end user.

Lock Keyboard and Mouse

Prevents input from the remote user while you’re connected. Toggle off at any time to return control.

Paste Clipboard as Keystrokes

Allows you to send text (such as commands or scripts) from your clipboard into the remote system as keystrokes, avoiding manual typing errors.

Chat (Resolve)

Use in-session chat to communicate directly with the remote user without leaving your session.

How to Use:

1. Click the Chat icon in the navigation bar.
2. A chat window opens on both the technician and remote user’s screens.
3. Type messages and press Enter to send.

Updates and Uninstalling

Updates

Both the Splashtop RMM App and Streamer appear in the Third-Party Software Support and can be updated using standard Automox patch policies.

Uninstalling the Streamer

Administrators can uninstall the Splashtop Streamer using any of the following methods:

• Organization-wide uninstall from Settings → Remote Tools. Click Uninstall, select Organization in the confirmation modal, and confirm. This sends a silent uninstall command to all supported devices.
• Group-level uninstall from Settings → Remote Tools. Click Uninstall, select Groups, choose one or more groups, and confirm. This sends a silent uninstall command to all supported devices in the selected groups.
• Ad hoc uninstall from the device table on Settings → Remote Tools. Select one or more devices, click Actions, and select Uninstall Streamer.
• Per-device uninstall from Device Details → Remote Tools.
• Worklet-based uninstall from the Software Lifecycle catalog.

All uninstall methods are silent and fully remove the Streamer. Uninstalling the Streamer removes the device's ability to use any Remote Tools feature. No hierarchy exists between action scopes — the most recent action executed against a device determines its final state.

Audit Trail, Security, and Compliance

Remote Control activity is recorded in the Automox audit trail to support security reviews, operational visibility, and compliance requirements.

Events Captured

The audit trail records the following Remote Tools events:

Remote Control

• Remote Control session started
• Remote Control session ended
• Remote Control session failed

Remote Command

• Remote Command session started
• Remote Command session ended
• Remote Command session failed

Standalone File Transfer

• File Transfer session started
• File Transfer session ended
• File Transfer session failed

Streamer and feature management

• Organization-wide Splashtop Streamer install initiated
• Organization-wide Splashtop Streamer uninstall initiated
• Group-wide Splashtop Streamer install initiated
• Group-wide Splashtop Streamer uninstall initiated
• Ad hoc Splashtop Streamer install initiated
• Ad hoc Splashtop Streamer uninstall initiated
• Auto-Install for New Devices enabled or disabled

Data Captured Per Event

Each audit trail entry includes key contextual information, such as:

• Initiating user (who performed the action)
• Target device (where applicable)
• Organization
• Timestamp
• Action type
• Action Scope (organization, group, or ad hoc — for streamer events)
• Result (success or failure)

For Remote Command session events, the audit trail also captures the platform (Windows or macOS) and shell type (CMD, PowerShell, Bash, Zsh).

For failed session events (any feature), the audit trail also captures:

• Error code returned by Splashtop
• Associated error message

This information allows administrators and auditors to understand what happened, who initiated it, and why a failure occurred, without exposing session content.

What Is Not Captured

To protect user privacy and reduce risk:

• Screen content is not recorded
• Keystrokes and mouse activity are not logged
• Files accessed or transferred during a session are not audited
• Audio, clipboard contents, and chat messages are not captured

Only session lifecycle metadata and administrative actions are recorded.

Troubleshooting Remote Control with Splashtop

Remote Control failures generally fall into one of three categories:

1. Streamer installation or registration failures
2. Session initiation failures
3. Session locks caused by concurrent or hung sessions

This section explains how to identify each failure type, where to find diagnostic information, and what actions administrators can take to resolve issues.

Streamer Fails to Install or Register

A device must have the Splashtop Streamer both installed and registered before a Remote Control session can begin. Failures during either step prevent Remote Control from launching.

What You’ll See

When the Streamer fails to install or register, administrators can see failure details in multiple places within the Automox console:

• The Splashtop Streamer Status modal, which appears when you click on any Remote Tools feature.
• The Remote Tools section on the Device Details page
• The device table on Settings → Remote Tools (devices with a Failed Streamer Status)
• Device logs on the Device Details page

These views surface installation and registration-related failures, including full error output when an attempt does not complete successfully.

Where to Find Logs

Before the Streamer is successfully installed, diagnostic information is available through:

• The Streamer Status modal
• The Remote Control section on the Device Details page
• Device logs in Automox (installation and registration events)

Once the Splashtop Streamer is installed on the device, additional system-level logs become available directly on the device.

For Windows and macOS devices, detailed Splashtop Streamer installation and registration logs are located at:

Windows:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Splashtop\Splashtop Remote\Server\log

macOS:

On Mac devices, Splashtop streamer logs are located in a zip file. Unzip and look for SPLOG.txt.

~/Library/Application Support/Splashtop Streamer/Logs

These logs provide deeper insight into installation behavior, registration attempts, and communication with the Splashtop backend.

What You Can Do

• Select Install from the Splashtop Streamer Status modal or the Remote Tools section on the Device Details page (This action always attempts to install the Streamer if needed and then register the device.)
• Use the device table on Settings → Remote Tools to identify all devices with a Failed status, select them, and retry installation via the Actions menu
• Run the Collect Splashtop Streamer Logs troubleshooting worklet to gather detailed logs for investigation

Failure to Connect (Session Initiation)

In some cases, the Streamer is installed and registered, but the session fails during connection. These failures apply to Remote Control, Remote Command, and File Transfer — error codes, troubleshooting steps, and log sources are the same regardless of which feature initiated the session.

First: Validate Network Connectivity

Before investigating error codes or collecting logs, verify that the device can reach all required services using the Check Firewall action.

This check validates outbound connectivity to:

• Splashtop API servers (authentication and session setup)
• Splashtop relay servers (screen, input, and session data)
• Automox command storage (required for component downloads and management)

If any of these checks fail, Remote Control sessions may not start even though installation and registration succeeded.

If a connectivity check fails:

• Review firewall or proxy allowlists
• Compare results against the Platform Firewall Allowlisting Rules
• Re-run the connectivity check after changes are applied

If all checks pass and the session still fails, continue troubleshooting below.

What You’ll See

When a session initiation attempt fails:

• An error modal may appear with a specific error code explaining why the connection could not be established.
• The failed session attempt is recorded in the Audit Trail, including:
  • Error Code: the returned error code
  • Error Message: The associated failure message
• Agent logs record that a connection attempt occurred, but do not include the underlying Splashtop error details.

Common Error Codes

Common error codes include:

• Streamer Not Found (42404) — The Splashtop Streamer could not be located or is not properly registered.
• Condition Not Satisfied (40416) — Often caused by switching between Core and Resolve plans too quickly.
• Wrong Password (41401) — Invalid OS credentials for the remote machine.
• Account Disabled (41403) — The OS account used for authentication is disabled.
• Account Not Found (41404) — The OS account used for authentication does not exist on the remote machine.
• Access Token Invalid (41406) — Splashtop session token is invalid or expired.
• Unsupported Agent Version — The device is running an agent version that does not support Remote Control.

Session Locked (Concurrent or Hung Session)

A session lock can occur if too many simultaneous sessions are active or if a previous session did not close cleanly.

What You’ll See

• A tooltip indicates that a session limit has been reached or a session is already active
• New session attempts may be blocked until existing sessions are cleared

What You Can Do

• Open the Remote Tools section on the Device Details page
• Select Clear Session or Disconnect All
• Retry the session once the lock has been cleared

Automox automatically frees session slots over time — failed or hanging connection attempts are removed from session tracking after 30 seconds, File Transfer sessions after 1 hour, and Remote Control / Remote Command sessions after 4 hours. These caps apply to Automox's session tracking only and do not forcibly terminate the live Splashtop session. Administrators can resolve the issue immediately using these controls.

Troubleshooting Worklets

Automox provides built-in troubleshooting worklets to help diagnose and resolve common Remote Tools issues.

Available worklets include:

Windows:

• Restart Splashtop Streamer Service
• Collect Splashtop Streamer Logs

macOS:

• Restart Splashtop Streamer Service
• Collect Splashtop Streamer Logs

Restart Splashtop Streamer Service

This troubleshooting worklet is intended for situations where the Splashtop Streamer service is installed but not running as expected.

In some customer environments, local conditions—such as security tools, endpoint protection software, system resource constraints, or OS-level events—may stop or disrupt the Splashtop Streamer service after it has been installed successfully.

Running this worklet:

• Restarts the Splashtop Streamer service on the device
• Allows the service to recover from a stopped or hung state
• Does not reinstall or re-register the Streamer

This worklet is most useful when:

• The Streamer is installed and registered
• Remote Control previously worked on the device
• The service is no longer responding or has been terminated by the environment

If restarting the service does not resolve the issue, use the Collect Splashtop Streamer Logs worklet to gather additional diagnostic information.

Collect Splashtop Streamer Logs

This troubleshooting worklet is used to gather detailed, system-level diagnostic information from the Splashtop Streamer on a device.

The collected logs provide insight into how the Streamer is behaving on the endpoint, including installation activity, registration attempts, and connection initialization details that are not fully visible in the Automox console.

Running this worklet:

• Collects Splashtop Streamer logs directly from the device
• Captures low-level information such as:
  • Installation and registration behavior
  • Network handshake and connection attempts
  • Display initialization and environment parameters
• Packages the logs for review and troubleshooting

This worklet is most useful when:

• Installation or registration repeatedly fails
• Session initiation errors persist after retrying
• Restarting the Streamer service does not resolve the issue
• Additional context is needed to understand a device-specific failure

Additional Resources

• Quick Start Guide - Using Remote Tools with Splashtop
• Platform Firewall Allowlisting Rules
• Splashtop macOS permission documentation
• Splashtop Compliance: GDPR, HIPAA, FERPA, SOC 2, ISO & More