Skip to main content
TrustRadius
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.

Read more
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 …
Continue reading

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 …
Continue reading
Read all reviews

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%
Return to navigation

Pricing

View all pricing
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

Would you like us to let the vendor know that you want pricing?

21 people also want pricing

Alternatives Pricing

What is TeamViewer?

TeamViewer provides software for both remote management and online collaborations. With TeamViewer, users have access to fully integrated online conference solutions for audio and video communication, including interactive screen sharing and remote access features.

What is GoTo Resolve?

GoTo Resolve is an all-in-one IT management and support software built for today's small-to-medium-sized businesses. It helps IT professionals streamline their help desk by bringing together the tools they need to engage, identify problems, and fix issues faster—all in one place. It combines remote…

Return to navigation

Product Demos

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

YouTube
Return to navigation

Features

Remote Administration

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

8
Avg 8.3
Return to navigation

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).
Return to navigation

Comparisons

View all alternatives
Return to navigation

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
Zane Alsareinye | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (13)
36.15384615384615%
3.6
Screen sharing
100%
10.0
File transfer
100%
10.0
Instant message
100%
10.0
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
N/A
N/A
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
N/A
N/A
Over-the-Internet remote session
100%
10.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
N/A
N/A
Remote Active Directory® management
N/A
N/A
Centralized management dashboard
70%
7.0
Session record
N/A
N/A
Annotations
N/A
N/A
Monitoring and Alerts
N/A
N/A
Multi-platform remote control
N/A
N/A
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (14)
50%
5.0
Screen sharing
100%
10.0
File transfer
100%
10.0
Instant message
100%
10.0
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
N/A
N/A
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
50%
5.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
N/A
N/A
Initiate remote control from mobile
N/A
N/A
Remote management of servers & workstations
100%
10.0
Remote Active Directory® management
N/A
N/A
Centralized management dashboard
100%
10.0
Session record
N/A
N/A
Annotations
N/A
N/A
Monitoring and Alerts
100%
10.0
Multi-platform remote control
50%
5.0
Amul Porwal | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (14)
70%
7.0
Screen sharing
90%
9.0
File transfer
80%
8.0
Instant message
90%
9.0
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
90%
9.0
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
60%
6.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
90%
9.0
Initiate remote control from mobile
60%
6.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
60%
6.0
Remote Active Directory® management
60%
6.0
Centralized management dashboard
60%
6.0
Session record
60%
6.0
Annotations
60%
6.0
Monitoring and Alerts
60%
6.0
Multi-platform remote control
60%
6.0
Score 6 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (14)
29.285714285714285%
2.9
Screen sharing
60%
6.0
File transfer
90%
9.0
Instant message
N/A
N/A
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
N/A
N/A
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
90%
9.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
80%
8.0
Initiate remote control from mobile
N/A
N/A
Remote management of servers & workstations
90%
9.0
Remote Active Directory® management
N/A
N/A
Centralized management dashboard
N/A
N/A
Session record
N/A
N/A
Annotations
N/A
N/A
Monitoring and Alerts
N/A
N/A
Multi-platform remote control
N/A
N/A
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (10)
85%
8.5
Screen sharing
90%
9.0
File transfer
90%
9.0
Instant message
80%
8.0
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
100%
10.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
90%
9.0
Remote Active Directory® management
70%
7.0
Centralized management dashboard
90%
9.0
Session record
80%
8.0
Annotations
80%
8.0
Monitoring and Alerts
80%
8.0
December 08, 2022

Nondisruptive Access

Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (12)
29.166666666666664%
2.9
Screen sharing
100%
10.0
File transfer
N/A
N/A
Instant message
N/A
N/A
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
N/A
N/A
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
50%
5.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
100%
10.0
Initiate remote control from mobile
N/A
N/A
Remote management of servers & workstations
N/A
N/A
Centralized management dashboard
100%
10.0
Session record
N/A
N/A
Annotations
N/A
N/A
Monitoring and Alerts
N/A
N/A
Kyle Bergeron | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (14)
70%
7.0
Screen sharing
80%
8.0
File transfer
80%
8.0
Instant message
N/A
N/A
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
80%
8.0
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
80%
8.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
80%
8.0
Initiate remote control from mobile
80%
8.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
80%
8.0
Remote Active Directory® management
80%
8.0
Centralized management dashboard
90%
9.0
Session record
80%
8.0
Annotations
N/A
N/A
Monitoring and Alerts
90%
9.0
Multi-platform remote control
80%
8.0
Isidoro "Roy" Jovero | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (6)
73.33333333333333%
7.3
Screen sharing
100%
10.0
File transfer
50%
5.0
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
50%
5.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
100%
10.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
100%
10.0
Centralized management dashboard
40%
4.0
Brian Sossamon | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (14)
71.42857142857143%
7.1
Screen sharing
100%
10.0
File transfer
100%
10.0
Instant message
100%
10.0
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
N/A
N/A
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
100%
10.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
100%
10.0
Initiate remote control from mobile
N/A
N/A
Remote management of servers & workstations
100%
10.0
Remote Active Directory® management
100%
10.0
Centralized management dashboard
100%
10.0
Session record
N/A
N/A
Annotations
N/A
N/A
Monitoring and Alerts
100%
10.0
Multi-platform remote control
100%
10.0
Ravinder Gupta | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (12)
60.83333333333333%
6.1
Screen sharing
100%
10.0
File transfer
100%
10.0
Instant message
90%
9.0
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
N/A
N/A
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
N/A
N/A
Over-the-Internet remote session
100%
10.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
90%
9.0
Remote Active Directory® management
N/A
N/A
Centralized management dashboard
80%
8.0
Session record
80%
8.0
Annotations
N/A
N/A
Monitoring and Alerts
90%
9.0
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (13)
20%
2.0
Screen sharing
80%
8.0
File transfer
80%
8.0
Instant message
N/A
N/A
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
N/A
N/A
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
10%
1.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
N/A
N/A
Initiate remote control from mobile
N/A
N/A
Remote management of servers & workstations
50%
5.0
Remote Active Directory® management
N/A
N/A
Centralized management dashboard
N/A
N/A
Session record
40%
4.0
Annotations
N/A
N/A
Monitoring and Alerts
N/A
N/A
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (6)
83.33333333333334%
8.3
Screen sharing
100%
10.0
File transfer
100%
10.0
Instant message
100%
10.0
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
50%
5.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
100%
10.0
Monitoring and Alerts
50%
5.0
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (6)
88.33333333333334%
8.8
Screen sharing
100%
10.0
File transfer
90%
9.0
Instant message
80%
8.0
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
100%
10.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
60%
6.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
100%
10.0
John Readwin | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (10)
54%
5.4
Screen sharing
100%
10.0
File transfer
100%
10.0
Instant message
70%
7.0
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
N/A
N/A
Over-the-Internet remote session
90%
9.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
90%
9.0
Centralized management dashboard
90%
9.0
Session record
N/A
N/A
Monitoring and Alerts
N/A
N/A
Multi-platform remote control
N/A
N/A
Aleese Gulick | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 6 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (14)
52.142857142857146%
5.2
Screen sharing
60%
6.0
File transfer
50%
5.0
Instant message
80%
8.0
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
N/A
N/A
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
70%
7.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
90%
9.0
Initiate remote control from mobile
20%
2.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
60%
6.0
Remote Active Directory® management
N/A
N/A
Centralized management dashboard
50%
5.0
Session record
70%
7.0
Annotations
60%
6.0
Monitoring and Alerts
70%
7.0
Multi-platform remote control
50%
5.0
November 14, 2017

MR.Power ON ARD

Christopher Power | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (14)
57.142857142857146%
5.7
Screen sharing
100%
10.0
File transfer
100%
10.0
Instant message
100%
10.0
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
N/A
N/A
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
N/A
N/A
Over-the-Internet remote session
100%
10.0
Initiate remote control from mobile
N/A
N/A
Remote management of servers & workstations
100%
10.0
Remote Active Directory® management
100%
10.0
Centralized management dashboard
100%
10.0
Session record
100%
10.0
Annotations
N/A
N/A
Monitoring and Alerts
N/A
N/A
Multi-platform remote control
N/A
N/A
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (8)
53.75%
5.4
Screen sharing
90%
9.0
File transfer
80%
8.0
Instant message
70%
7.0
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
60%
6.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
50%
5.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
80%
8.0
Centralized management dashboard
N/A
N/A
Annotations
N/A
N/A
Angel Swalve | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (11)
46.36363636363637%
4.6
Screen sharing
90%
9.0
File transfer
90%
9.0
Instant message
80%
8.0
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
20%
2.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
70%
7.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
N/A
N/A
Remote Active Directory® management
N/A
N/A
Centralized management dashboard
80%
8.0
Session record
N/A
N/A
Annotations
N/A
N/A
Monitoring and Alerts
80%
8.0
Eric Kelley | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (14)
62.142857142857146%
6.2
Screen sharing
100%
10.0
File transfer
100%
10.0
Instant message
100%
10.0
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
N/A
N/A
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
70%
7.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
100%
10.0
Initiate remote control from mobile
80%
8.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
100%
10.0
Remote Active Directory® management
90%
9.0
Centralized management dashboard
80%
8.0
Session record
N/A
N/A
Annotations
N/A
N/A
Monitoring and Alerts
50%
5.0
Multi-platform remote control
N/A
N/A
December 15, 2016

Great tool!

Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (14)
65.71428571428571%
6.6
Screen sharing
50%
5.0
File transfer
70%
7.0
Instant message
40%
4.0
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
80%
8.0
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
60%
6.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
60%
6.0
Initiate remote control from mobile
70%
7.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
70%
7.0
Remote Active Directory® management
60%
6.0
Centralized management dashboard
60%
6.0
Session record
70%
7.0
Annotations
80%
8.0
Monitoring and Alerts
80%
8.0
Multi-platform remote control
70%
7.0
Gabriel Duff | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (5)
72%
7.2
Screen sharing
80%
8.0
File transfer
60%
6.0
Instant message
60%
6.0
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
80%
8.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
80%
8.0
Tim Twiss | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (9)
42.22222222222222%
4.2
Screen sharing
100%
10.0
File transfer
50%
5.0
Instant message
70%
7.0
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
N/A
N/A
Over-the-Internet remote session
60%
6.0
Initiate remote control from mobile
N/A
N/A
Remote management of servers & workstations
100%
10.0
Centralized management dashboard
N/A
N/A
Annotations
N/A
N/A
Kim Bathker | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (14)
18.571428571428573%
1.9
Screen sharing
100%
10.0
File transfer
80%
8.0
Instant message
80%
8.0
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
N/A
N/A
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
N/A
N/A
Over-the-Internet remote session
N/A
N/A
Initiate remote control from mobile
N/A
N/A
Remote management of servers & workstations
N/A
N/A
Remote Active Directory® management
N/A
N/A
Centralized management dashboard
N/A
N/A
Session record
N/A
N/A
Annotations
N/A
N/A
Monitoring and Alerts
N/A
N/A
Multi-platform remote control
N/A
N/A
Kevin B. Richardson II | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (14)
92.85714285714286%
9.3
Screen sharing
100%
10.0
File transfer
100%
10.0
Instant message
100%
10.0
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
N/A
N/A
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
100%
10.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
100%
10.0
Initiate remote control from mobile
100%
10.0
Remote management of servers & workstations
100%
10.0
Remote Active Directory® management
100%
10.0
Centralized management dashboard
100%
10.0
Session record
100%
10.0
Annotations
100%
10.0
Monitoring and Alerts
100%
10.0
Multi-platform remote control
100%
10.0
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Remote Administration (14)
21.428571428571427%
2.1
Screen sharing
30%
3.0
File transfer
70%
7.0
Instant message
70%
7.0
Secure remote access with Smart Card authentication
N/A
N/A
Access to sleeping/powered-off computers
30%
3.0
Over-the-Internet remote session
30%
3.0
Initiate remote control from mobile
N/A
N/A
Remote management of servers & workstations
70%
7.0
Remote Active Directory® management
N/A
N/A
Centralized management dashboard
N/A
N/A
Session record
N/A
N/A
Annotations
N/A
N/A
Monitoring and Alerts
N/A
N/A
Multi-platform remote control
N/A
N/A
Return to navigation