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User Guide

Resource → Remote Desktop (VNC)

For resources reachable over VNC (the RFB protocol) — Linux, macOS, or Windows machines running a VNC server — the Connect button in the location tree opens a live remote desktop right in the browser. As with RDP, the session is streamed through a worker in the resource’s location, so there is no direct network path from your workstation to the machine.

Unlike the text shells, this is a graphical session: you see and drive the actual desktop. When recording policy enables capture, MisterShell retains a visual replay; graphical sessions do not produce text transcripts.

Each connection opens its own pin. Only one graphical connection (RDP, VNC, or Web) is allowed per user/resource. Resume it from its connection pin, or disconnect it before opening another graphical connection.

Graphical-only resources open on Notes; snapshot-based Summary, Facts, and Compliance are unavailable.

What you can do

  • Open an interactive remote desktop and use it with your keyboard and mouse.
  • Exchange clipboard text when enabled for the resource.
  • Share the live desktop with teammates or external guests, and hand control of the mouse and keyboard to a participant.
  • Disconnect cleanly when you are done.

Common tasks

Start a session

  1. Click the Connect terminal icon beside the resource in the location tree.
  2. A status label tracks progress — Starting session…, then Connecting to desktop…; the canvas shows Connecting to live screen… until the first image arrives.
  3. The desktop appears in the canvas once connected. The view scales to fit the panel while keeping the desktop’s aspect ratio. MisterShell accepts server-reported VNC desktops up to 1920×1080; larger desktops must be configured to use a supported resolution.

If Authentication required appears, enter credentials or choose a compatible personal/team credential with Use vault, then click Connect. Saved credentials for templates are used automatically. See providing credentials when connecting.

Work in the desktop

Click into the canvas and use the keyboard and mouse as you normally would, including right-click and vertical scrolling. Classic VNC supports the left, middle, and right mouse buttons; browser Back/Forward mouse buttons are not forwarded. When the resource permits clipboard exchange, Paste and/or Copy appear in the session toolbar next to Disconnect. The VNC clipboard is ASCII-only in both directions — non-ASCII text is rejected with a visible message rather than silently corrupted. Paste sends your local clipboard text to the VNC desktop. Copy retrieves the latest text offered by the VNC server and writes it to your local clipboard; if the browser requires a fresh permission gesture, click Copy once more when prompted. Clipboard exchange is explicit, text-only, limited to 256 KiB, and is never added to the recording. External guests may paste when enabled but cannot copy remote text out.

Share the desktop and hand off control

Use Invite in the session toolbar to share the live desktop with internal teammates or external guests — exactly like a shared shell session. Everyone you invite sees the same live screen.

Unlike a text shell, a graphical session has a single controller: one person drives the mouse and keyboard at a time, you by default. From the Invite menu you can hand control to any accepted participant (give-control) and reclaim it at any time. A ”… has control” indicator shows who is driving; everyone else watches read-only until control is handed to them. Handing control off releases any keys the previous controller was holding, so nothing sticks.

See Sharing a session & external guests for the full sharing walkthrough — inviting internal users, one-time guest links, and in-session chat.

End a session

Click Disconnect. The remote desktop closes and the canvas goes dark. Click Connect to start fresh.

Conditions and blockers

  • You do not have permission to open VNC sessions — you lack the app.resources.execute permission.
  • Connection error — a red banner reports the reason (for example, the worker proxy is unavailable, or the VNC password is rejected). Confirm the resource’s VNC password credential and that a worker in its location is online.

Reviewing a VNC session afterwards

Completed, recorded VNC sessions appear in Review → Sessions with a visual, video-like Replay of the desktop.

Administrators can also watch a VNC session live and read-only while it is in progress — see Live session observe.

Permissions

  • Open an interactive session: app.resources.execute.
  • Share a session and hand off control: app.session.execute.
  • Replay or review a recorded session: app.session.read.