When you’re working remotely or on the go, and you don’t have your work computer, a remote desktop solution ensures your work is never out of reach. With remote desktop access, users can connect to their work devices from anywhere with an internet connection and access their apps, tools, and files with ease.
But what if your work computer is a PC, but your personal device is a Mac? Or what if you need to access programs that run on your computer and all you have is an iPad? Can remote desktop solutions work across different platforms and operating systems?
The answer is a resounding “yes,” as long as you have the right tool. Cross-platform remote desktop solutions empower teams and employees to connect to their work computers from any device, whether Mac or PC, Android or Chrome OS, without missing a beat.
With that in mind, let’s explore cross-platform remote access and how it can support organizations and their remote employees.
What is Cross-Platform Support in Remote Desktop?
Cross-platform support is a key feature of remote desktop software. It allows users to access their work computer, programs, apps, and files across devices, even those with normally incompatible operating systems.
How it works is simple: the work computer runs all the software and transmits the screen to the connected device, which acts as an interface. As a result, anything with a specific system or technological requirement remains on the computer meant to manage it, along with any sensitive or proprietary data.
This provides a significant boost to accessibility and usability, as users are free to use their favorite devices while out and about, no matter what they use in the office.
Key Benefits of Cross-Platform Remote Desktop Solutions
With that in mind, what are the benefits of cross-platform remote desktop solutions, and why do they matter to businesses? Benefits of cross-platform remote access include:
1. The Flexibility to Work From Anywhere
Remote and hybrid work has become commonplace, as employees embrace the flexibility to work from home, on the go, or in-office as they please. For organizations without remote access, employees need to bring their computers with them wherever they go. However, with remote access, that’s no longer necessary.
Employees can use remote desktop solutions to work from anywhere and on any device, so they can leave their work computers behind and keep working from their home computers or tablets.
2. Cost-Effectiveness
No technology is ever free, but remote desktop solutions can be very cost-effective. Remote desktop solutions reduce operational costs by minimizing the need for physical office space, reducing the drain and power usage for in-office hardware, and saving companies money on new devices.
While prices will vary across providers, Splashtop is an affordable solution with pricing options suitable for businesses of all sizes, starting as low as $5/user/month. When compared to competitors like TeamViewer, Splashtop can provide the same high-quality features and benefits at half the price.
3. Support BYOD Work Environments
Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) is popular among remote workers, as it lets them work from their preferred devices. Yet companies often assign specific devices for work, whether due to their system requirements or company policy.
Cross-platform remote desktop solutions empower employees to work on the devices of their choice, while still keeping all their work on the company computer. This gives them the best of both worlds since employees can use their favorite devices without worrying about compatibility or hardware issues.
4. Ease of Access
Accessing your work computer from anywhere is great, so long as you don’t need to jump through a dozen hoops to connect. But with the right solution, connecting across platforms is simple.
With Splashtop, all it takes is a quick login and you’re securely connected. It really is as simple as opening your device, logging in, and connecting, so employees can seamlessly work from anywhere.
5. Security
While data security is a major concern for all organizations, the right cross-platform remote desktop solution can safely connect devices without compromising security.
Splashtop, for instance, provides secure and encrypted access to devices by keeping data entirely on the managed computer. Connected devices simply share the screen – there’s no data transfer. At the same time, Splashtop includes several important security features, such as two-factor authentication, remote connection notifications, and intrusion detection and defense mechanisms.
As a result, Splashtop is compliant with a broad range of industry and government standards and regulations and supports HIPAA, PCI, and FERPA.
Use Cases for Cross-Platform Support in Remote Access
While the benefits of cross-platform remote access are clear, the question of actual use cases remains. When would an organization need to use remote access?
The first (and arguably most common) use case is in remote work environments. Employees can use different devices in their homes and when working on the go, but they still need to access the same tools and technology.
For instance, when Platinum Tank Group needed a remote access solution that would allow their 3D CAD designers to work remotely, they found that Splashtop empowered them to work from their devices of choice. No matter what device their designers used, they could still access the design tools and files from their workstations.
Cross-platform remote access is also a powerful tool for IT support. IT agents can use remote access solutions to connect to client devices remotely and troubleshoot, no matter what OS the client is using.
When Fast Break Tech started using Splashtop Remote Support, they could manage over 3,000 endpoints – and it’s safe to say that not every endpoint used the same device and operating system. But Fast Break Tech can support them all with just 8 internal technicians, thanks to features like unattended remote access, chat, and remote reboot across platforms.
Another important use for cross-platform remote access is supporting collaboration across devices. Users can access the same computers and programs from their personal devices, allowing teams to work together on the same project.
We can even see this in action in education, like when Asheville High School had to switch to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the school used Mac computers for its computer animation and game design classes, students needed to access the school Macs remotely from any device. Splashtop allowed the students to log into the lab remotely and work together on projects from any device, so they could keep up with their classes from the safety and comfort of home.
Begin Your Cross-Platform Remote Access Journey with Splashtop
Are you ready to empower your team to work from anywhere, on any device, without compromising efficiency or security? Splashtop’s cross-platform remote access solution has exactly what you need.
Splashtop’s remote desktop software can be set up in minutes and gives users the power to remotely access their computers, files, apps, and software from any device. Businesses of all sizes use Splashtop to help employees securely work from anywhere and collaborate in real-time on any device.
Ready to see Splashtop in action? Start your free trial today!
