Microsoft’s support staff says that’s not true. (Note: The care that Microsoft takes to ensure both parties have the correct PIN made me suspect that entering an incorrect code might open up the remote PC to an unauthorized takeover by a stranger. The security code is active for 10 minutes, after which it will simply be replaced with another. (Both parties must enter the same code.) Again, Microsoft bends over backwards to help you, offering to email the PIN to your friend or family member, or save it to your clipboard to paste into a chat app. You’re then provided with a six-digit security PIN code that you must provide to the person you’re assisting within 10 minutes. If you choose to give assistance, you’re first asked to log in with your Microsoft account. It’s important to note that Quick Assist requires two people to initiate the connection you won’t be able to remotely tweak your aunt’s PC while she’s out jogging.

This is your first choice: Do you need help, or are you providing it? I chose the former, as I tested it remotely with my father’s new PC, an hour’s drive away. Launching the app presents you with one of two choices: give assistance or get it. You can quickly launch Quick Assist by typing the app’s name in the Cortana search box, or by scrolling to Apps > Windows Accessories. (When my father bought his new PC, I simply pinned the app to his Start menu where it would be easy to find.)įrom there, Quick Assist makes it simple. One of the most challenging aspects of Quick Assist is just finding the darn thing. It can’t solve any hardware problems, like a mouse that’s out of batteries however, it does allow a remote user to check if the mouse’s Bluetooth settings are properly configured and the drivers are up to date.īasically, Quick Assist lets you use your mouse and keyboard to remotely control a friend’s PC, doing everything that you could otherwise do on your own machine.

With Quick Assist, you’re not controlling your own PC from afar, but asking permission from another person to control their PC (or vice versa), and with the understanding that either party can disconnect the connection at any time. Quick Assist can be slightly hard to find.

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