If you're the designated 'tech person' in your family or friend group, here's how to access a computer from afar, Mac or PC, to see what's going on.

Being tech-savvy is a gift and a curse. When you know how to fix computers, you become "the computer person" for everyone you know.

If you're using the same platform as the person you're helping—both on Windows or both on macOS—helping people with their tech troubles from far away is very simple, and you won't need to install any extra software. Helping someone on a different platform gets a bit trickier, but we'll give you the right tools for the job. Let's find out how.

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Windows to Windows

Windows has two remote assistance tools built in to the operating system: Quick Assist, which is new in Windows 10, and Windows Remote Assistance, which is available on Windows 7, 8, and 10.

If both you and your friend are using Windows 10, you'll want to use Quick Assist—as its name suggests, it's quicker and easier than its older cousin. Open the Start menu and search for "Quick Assist," or launch the app from the "Windows Accessories" folder in the Start menu.

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Security Code

In the window that appears, click the "Give Assistance" button. Sign in with your Microsoft account (you'll need a Microsoft account, but your friend won't), and you'll be given a six-digit code that expires in 10 minutes.

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Quick Assist

If you aren't on the phone with your friend already, give them a call—walking them through the process is much easier over the phone than email. Once you've got them on the line, tell them to launch Quick Assist, choose "Get Assistance," and give them the six-digit code from your screen.

After entering the code, they'll be prompted to give you permission to access their screen. Once they do, you'll be able to use their computer as if you were sitting in front of it. You can even use the "Remote Reboot" option to reboot their computer and automatically re-initiate the Quick Assist connection. (After all, half of computer problems are fixed by turning it off and on again.)

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Windows Remote Assistance

If your friend is still using Windows 7 or 8, you'll need to use the older Remote Assistance tool—it's similar, but a bit clunkier. They'll need to head to the Control Panel and search for "Invite Someone to Connect to Your PC." They'll be able to send you a file over email that initiates the connection, then tell you the password that appears (preferably over the phone) so you can access their machine.

They may also be able to select "Easy Connect," which only requires them giving you a password, but it might be grayed out in certain circumstances.

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Mac to Mac

Mac users can provide remote help using the Messages app. This feature launched in OS X 10.10 Mavericks, so anyone with a relatively recent, up-to-date Mac should be able to take advantage. You'll both need to be signed in to Messages with your Apple ID as well.

Open the Messages app on your Mac and select the conversation with the friend you want to help—if it doesn't exist, you can start a new conversation. Right-click on the conversation and choose "Ask to Share Screen."

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Accept

They'll receive a popup asking permission to share their screen with you. Make sure they have the "Control My Screen" option selected and click Accept. From there, you can control their computer and walk them through whatever problem they’re having.

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Between Windows and Mac

Unfortunately, neither Windows nor macOS' built-in options let you share screens with someone from the opposite platform. So you'll need to find something else.

Plenty of video chat apps, including Skype, Google Hangouts, and others let participants share their screen with the click of a button. They don't, however, let you control the other person's screen—only view it. In many cases, this may be fine, since you can just tell your friend what to click on as you walk them through the troubleshooting process.

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Chrome Remote Desktop

If you absolutely need to control someone else's screen, your best bet is Chrome Remote Desktop, which doesn't come with the security issues that remote access tools like TeamViewer have had in the past few years.

To use Chrome Remote Desktop, you'll both need to launch Google Chrome and install the Chrome app from this page. Then, you can launch Chrome Remote Desktop like any other app by searching for it in your Start menu (on Windows) or Spotlight (on a Mac). Tell your friend to do the same.

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Get Started

The app's window will appear. Click the "Get Started" button under Remote Assistance, and choose "Access." Instruct your friend to click the "Share" button. (The first time they do so, they'll have to install a helper app—yeah, another app.)

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Access Code

They'll be given a 12-digit access code to give to you, which you'll type on your screen before clicking "Connect." Your friend will then need to grant you permission. After that, you'll be able to control their computer and help them solve their problem.

If this process seems a bit more convoluted, it's because it is—but unfortunately, that's par for the course when you have to install another piece of software (especially one that requires Chrome). But in our experience, it's the best option, especially once you get through those first few steps. Future remote sessions should be much easier to initiate.