It's 2026 and, for some reason, I still have to use third-party tools to access my computers remotely—except for my Raspberry Pi. It seems the cheap single board computers are more technologically advanced than my high-end MacBook Pro or Windows desktops, and I'm not sure why that's still the case.
Remote desktop is not the same as remote access
It's easy to get them mixed up
Almost all modern operating systems feature remote desktop support. This typically works locally when devices are on the same network, but not when you're outside of the network.
What's the difference between remote desktop and remote access then? Remote access is available outside of your network by default , while remote desktop is local by default .
Windows and macOS have remote desktop clients built-in—but they're not remote access. For that, there are remote access tools (that still utilize remote desktop protocols) like TeamViewer, RustDesk, Chrome Remote Desktop, and others.
Apple does allow for remote access through tools like SSH or even VNC, but they require quite a bit of configuring to get set up properly. Windows, on the other hand, doesn't have any form of remote access out of the box—you have to use a third-party tool in order to access your Windows machine outside of your local network.
Raspberry Pi has a built-in tool to access your Pi from anywhere in the world
Leave it to a cheap single-board computer to do it better than the big guys
Brad Morton / How-To Geek
I was pretty surprised to find out that Raspberry Pi OS has native remote access built into the operating system called Raspberry Pi Connect .
With Raspberry Pi Connect, remote access is completely handled for you. No setup is required, just sign up for an account, link your Raspberry Pi, and you're good to go. You just have to visit the Raspberry Pi Connect website and then you can remotely access your Pi's desktop through your browser.
The process is pretty seamless and you don't even have to set up port forwarding—it just works. I was skeptical at first, but after using it a handful of times (even on my old Pi 3 B) I was quite impressed.
Raspberry Pi Connect's performance left a little to be desired, but I was using an older Pi (even with my Pi 4 B), so that could be a potential factor. The web VNC bridge that Raspberry Pi Connect uses though isn't designed for low-latency streaming to mimic sitting in front of a computer—it's just simply designed to let you access the system remotely.
While I'd definitely prefer a system that was low latency, any native remote access is better than none.
Why haven't Microsoft integrated proper remote access yet—even at a pro level
It'd be so easy for them to do it—they already require us to log in with a secure online account
Lucas Gouveia / How-To Geek
Both Apple and Microsoft already have native remote desktop applications on their operating systems. Microsoft locks most remote desktop functionality behind a Pro license key , which is annoying, but it's still for local access only.
Apple at least allows remote desktop connections without having to pay for any upgrades—but you still have to be on the same network (or use something like Tailscale ) to utilize the tool.
Microsoft is likely the one that would benefit the most from native remote access. They already have a professional license of Windows, and remote access would fit right into that framework. I bet many would pay the up charge for Pro just to get remote access natively within the operating system.
There is no reason that, in 2026, Apple and Microsoft couldn't have some form of remote access built in. Microsoft effectively forces you to log into an online account when setting up a computers, so why not tie it to this ID?
It would be secure (as secure as your Microsoft or Apple account) and they already have the technology in place for it. Remote access wouldn't be difficult for either company to incorporate, and it would add quite a lot of functionality to the operating systems.
If either Microsoft or Apple could take the lead here, I'm sure the other would follow. Until then, I'll stick to having to buy an app like Jump Desktop to use my MacBook from my iPad, or using RustDesk and Chrome Remote Desktop to access my Windows desktop when I'm not at home.
I just got a new iPad Pro that I plan to use for on-the-go work so I can leave my laptop (and desktop) at home. I really wish I could natively access any of my home systems remotely without having to set up third-party clients. Maybe in 2027—one can dream.
