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Apple Remote Desktop

Apple Remote Desktop

Overview

What is Apple Remote Desktop?

Apple Remote Desktop (ARD), from Apple, is a remote administration tool for managing Apple computers running OS X across a network.

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Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

Apple Remote Desktop has proven to be an invaluable tool for a wide range of users and organizations. IT departments, in particular, rely …
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TrustRadius Insights
TrustRadius Insights

Nondisruptive Access

10 out of 10
December 08, 2022
Incentivized
We use Apple Remote Desktop to connect to our MacOS end users on a regular basis to troubleshoot desktop support issues. The application …
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Awards

Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards

Popular Features

View all 14 features
  • Instant message (20)
    9.3
    93%
  • File transfer (24)
    9.0
    90%
  • Screen sharing (25)
    8.9
    89%
  • Remote management of servers & workstations (21)
    8.4
    84%
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Pricing

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Apple Remote Desktop

Apple Remote Desktop

N/A
Unavailable

What is Apple Remote Desktop?

Apple Remote Desktop (ARD), from Apple, is a remote administration tool for managing Apple computers running OS X across a network.

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

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Product Demos

Apple Remote Desktop 3 Demo -Copy from remote to local-

YouTube
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Features

Remote Administration

Remote administration software is used to control a computer from a remote location.

8
Avg 8.3
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Product Details

What is Apple Remote Desktop?

Apple Remote Desktop Video

Installation and the basic how-to of  Remote Desktop in macOS 10.5.

Apple Remote Desktop Technical Details

Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

Apple Remote Desktop (ARD), from Apple, is a remote administration tool for managing Apple computers running OS X across a network.

Reviewers rate Instant message highest, with a score of 9.3.

The most common users of Apple Remote Desktop are from Mid-sized Companies (51-1,000 employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(104)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

Apple Remote Desktop has proven to be an invaluable tool for a wide range of users and organizations. IT departments, in particular, rely on this software for remote access, support, and maintenance tasks. Users appreciate the ability to remotely view and command multiple machines at once, which improves efficiency and saves time. The software is particularly helpful for silently pushing updates or gathering information about computer usage behind the scenes. It also offers encrypted connections and compressed data traffic, ensuring secure and efficient remote support. This makes it a popular choice for organizations that prioritize data security.

Educators have also found value in Apple Remote Desktop, using it to enhance student engagement through screen sharing and remote control. It allows educators to observe multiple devices simultaneously and organize them according to grade levels. In an educational setting, the software supports content and use management, facilitating screen sharing and file sharing among students. Additionally, Apple Remote Desktop streamlines logins for young students by pushing login information for various software programs.

Developers utilize Apple Remote Desktop to remotely work on Mac devices for iOS and macOS application builds. The software enables seamless collaboration by providing remote access to Mac Mini devices, allowing developers to work on their projects without being physically present at the machine. Support teams also find great value in this tool as they can connect to end users' macOS devices for troubleshooting desktop support issues and performing software updates without needing physical access to the machines.

Overall, Apple Remote Desktop offers a wide range of features that cater to diverse user needs. Whether it's IT administrators managing a large number of computers or educators improving student engagement, this software provides the necessary tools to save time, improve efficiency, and enhance productivity in various professional settings.

User-Friendly Interface: Many users have praised the user interface of Apple Remote Desktop, noting that it is simple, intuitive, and easy to navigate. They appreciate the top navigation bar that provides quick access to all necessary tools and elements in the software, making tasks effortless to perform.

Reliable Remote Access: Several reviewers have highlighted the reliability of Apple Remote Desktop's remote access capabilities. They mention that the software can remotely access Apple computers even if they are not logged in or at the login screen. This feature has proven particularly useful for performing updates or managing machines without interrupting the user's workflow.

Comprehensive Feature Set: Users value the wide range of functionality provided by Apple Remote Desktop at a low cost. They mention features such as remote searching on devices, screen capture sharing, file copy transfer, application installation, and automator actions that automate workflow tasks and save time. This comprehensive set of features makes Apple Remote Desktop a valuable tool for various tasks.

Cross-platform limitations: Some users have expressed disappointment that Apple Remote Desktop is only compatible with Mac computers, and they would like to see more support for iOS and mobile devices.

Performance issues: Several users have mentioned that the performance of Apple Remote Desktop can be slow, especially when running operations on multiple machines simultaneously.

Outdated user interface: Many users have found the user interface of Apple Remote Desktop to be outdated and in need of improvement. They feel that the interface can be confusing and requires specific configurations on endpoints.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-25 of 25)
Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
December 09, 2022

Remote Desktop with ease with the Apple Remote Desktop

Zane Alsareinye | TrustRadius Reviewer
Zane Alsareinye
Private Tutor
Self Employed (E-Learning, 1-10 employees)
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Apple Remote Desktop is well suited for connectivity with clients and other staff members, who have been with you for a while. I might use with caution on clients or staff who have not yet developed rapport with the company as it may be confusing. I believe in person meetings might be more suitable
December 09, 2022

Apple Remote Desktop is a day saver.

BC
Brian Cameron
IT Specialist
The Shelby Group (Consumer Services, 51-200 employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Administering Apple products it is a must. It will work on Windows machines too using VLC protocol but it is not optimum. There is a time and place for a Mac-specific product. There just is not an all-in-one solution. If there was I would definitely try it.
December 08, 2022

Apple Remote Desktop: All you need to know

Amul Porwal | TrustRadius Reviewer
Amul Porwal
BIM Engineer
Techture (Design, 51-200 employees)
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Best Suited.
-> Running basic checks on different machines.
-> Sending out display messages for maintenance Breaks.
-> Screen sharing options for tutorial purposes.
Less Appropriate;
-> Installing simultaneous packages on multiple machines.
-> Slower processing time.
-> UI not so friendly
->

December 08, 2022

Using Apple Remote Desktop to access headless build machines

Verified User
Manager in Information Technology
Information Technology & Services Company, 11-50 employees
Score 6 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Apple Remote Desktop is well suited for remote access of headless devices for short periods of time, in order to perform configurations or similar tasks. It is not so well suited for continuous work or work over WiFi.
December 08, 2022

Apple Remote Desktop... Great for onsite Apple remote access!

Verified User
Director in Information Technology
Education Management Company, 51-200 employees
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
If you need local network remote access to Apple computers, Apple Remote Desktop is exceptional and inexpensive since it is a one-time cost. It will accomplish all you need it to. For remote offsite access you would be better to look for a different solution that doesn't require traversing the network firewall.
December 08, 2022

Apple Remote Desktop - Great for Mac Administration

Kyle Bergeron | TrustRadius Reviewer
Kyle Bergeron
Endpoint Engineer
SAIC (Telecommunications, 5001-10,000 employees)
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
For the application I used ti for, it performed the job very well. It had its shortcomings (described in previous answer) that made it less fun to use - but overall it got the job done. It made managing Mac's easier remotely than a 3rd party software ever would.
March 12, 2020

It's free, it's Apple-native, and it just works

Isidoro "Roy" Jovero | TrustRadius Reviewer
Isidoro "Roy" Jovero
IT Support Engineer
Confluent (Computer Software, 1001-5000 employees)
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
ARD is great when you're working with headless servers and machines that don't have an active user attached. Although there is a little bit of configuration needed on the endpoint side, when set up properly, things are seamless. When in the office and the end user can't come to the IT area, I always check if I can use ARD instead of Zoom for remote assistance
February 04, 2019

Powerful and Sophisticated Remote Administration for Mac Computers

Ravinder Gupta | TrustRadius Reviewer
Ravinder Gupta
Senior Oracle Database Administrator
CGI (Information Technology and Services, 10,001+ employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
This product is great for performing administrative tasks on Mac computers on the network remotely. This is a great automation tool for software installs and upgrades on multiple computers over the network.
November 09, 2018

OK for small players, but don't even think about it if you're not.

Verified User
Administrator in Information Technology
Education Management Company, 1001-5000 employees
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
For a small deployment of macOS, I can see where Apple Remote Desktop could suffice. I can see where a company that is strapped for cash could benefit from a knowledgeable employee using it to automate some tasks. I am not comfortable giving an estimate number-wise.

For a large deployment of macOS or iOS, this would be a very inappropriate tool. There are far too many obstacles for an app like Apple Remote Desktop to successfully manage a large fleet of macOS computers or really any number of iOS devices. You simply need an MDM solution in this day and age. This will become increasingly necessary, even in small numbers, but MDM providers have started to provide solutions for customers in these situations.
April 02, 2018

ARD, Essential for Apple Environments

Verified User
Technician in Information Technology
Education Management Company, 201-500 employees
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
If you are in an environment where you are supporting 10+ macOS desktops/laptops you need this product. It is great for Education and Education Management.

If you are not a technical support person, this software is not for you, if you don't do IT work in your org, this is not for you. In my opinion, any org that has less than 10 macOS machines does not need this product.
November 21, 2017

Take a bite out of this Apple Remote Desktop

Aleese Gulick | TrustRadius Reviewer
Aleese Gulick
Program Manager 2
University of Houston (Higher Education, 10,001+ employees)
Score 6 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
It works great on business trips and when you have to unexpectedly be off from work. I have also used it when I have to present in meetings across campus. Not ideal if internet connection is poor or you flip between your personal computer and the remote screen a lot, this will cause a time out.
November 14, 2017

MR.Power ON ARD

Christopher Power | TrustRadius Reviewer
Christopher Power
Virtual Enterprise Coordinator/Educator
NYC Department of Education / Francis Lewis High School (Education Management, 201-500 employees)
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Apple Remote Desktop is perfectly suited for education. In education you need access to to all students at all times to be able to assess student learning and student performance. Students often are busy on their screens in large computer labs doing work that is not always relevant to the classroom. In this scenario it comes in handy as a teacher tool to improve the entire education process and get the focus of teaching back on students. It would be less appropriate working with students one on one.
April 17, 2017

ARD: Apple screenshare.app on steroids

Verified User
Administrator in Information Technology
Transportation/Trucking/Railroad Company, 201-500 employees
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
ARD for me is based on a LAN, but can be used over WAN via VPN, but the latency makes ARD a less ideal tool. There are other cross platform tools that can do what ARD does which to me add value when managing a mixed environment.
April 05, 2017

Got stress?? Apple Remote Desktop does the Tech good...

Angel Swalve | TrustRadius Reviewer
Angel Swalve
Systems Administrator/Technology Support Specialist
Killeen Independent School District (Education Management, 5001-10,000 employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Apple Remote Desktop is well suited for logging in Pre-Kindergarten students all at the same time to allow the students more time on the computer versus waiting for the teacher to log them in one by one. Apple Remote Desktop is not well suited for use on wireless consistently.
December 15, 2016

Great tool!

Verified User
Administrator in Information Technology
Education Management Company, 201-500 employees
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
It's very well suited for any industry where one has to update and maintain the devices. Especially in education field [it is well suited] to observe the students in the class when they're using the MacBooks to make sure they're working on the stuff that have been asked to.
May 04, 2016

Apple Remote Desktop will help you take control of your Mac users.

Tim Twiss | TrustRadius Reviewer
Tim Twiss
Systems Administrator
John E. Green Company (Publishing, 51-200 employees)
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
This is mainly a professional tool, I don't see a need for it in a household environment. I would highly recommend it for any information technology professionals that support any Apple OS devices. Although I feel the $79.99 price tag is a bit high for the software, when used heavily, it is definitely worth the investment.
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