New UI is too complex

Point of view of the PC sharing its screen

Before last week's update

It was easy: you could ask the remote person to start TeamViewer and without any clicks, the first thing they'd see in the main single window was the connection status (green dot / "Ready to connect"), the PC TeamViewer ID and the password.

That can be done over the phone in less than 1 minute. Virtual no IT literacy required either.


With the new TeamViewer Remote!

  • They need to click on "Join a session" ("what does that mean?")
  • Then "Connect to a TeamViewer ID"

Why "to" a TeamViewer ID? The remote party is going to connect into this PC, not the other way around.


Point of view of the person viewing/controlling a remote PC

Before last week's update

Type the remote TeamViewer ID, click on connect, wait for the authentication prompt and type in the password. Quick and easy.


With the new TeamViewer Remote!

We have to sign in (fair enough, I'm talking as a paying customer anyway, so I've had to do that for years). Then, we need to go into "Remote Sessions."

First thing I try:

  • Create a session
  • I'm not particularly interested in the session code (and for example, there's no one in front of the PC I'm trying to connect to, but I have its TeamViewer ID and permanent password).
  • I try connect to a TeamViewer ID, but if it doesn't work, if I've made a typo on the ID or even closed the "Connect with ID" box without actually starting the connection, then the session stays visibly active, without any way to know what remote party it was for.


There's absolutely no indication in the sessions list whether it's someone sharing their screen with me, or me sharing with them, or which PC is it: this is actually essential information.


Conclusions

TeamViewer's strength used to be its simplicity. That was its core strength.

It looks like the new TeamViewer version has lost its way.

Please at least revert to showing the TeamViewer ID / password as the first thing that shows up on the PC that is to be shared.

Also, please sort out this session management, it doesn't make sense.

Saying "Connect in an instant with easy-to-use Session Links" seems to assume that people sharing their PC have access to e-mail (or a way to receive such a link on a PC). Often, that's not the case: either they don't have an e-mail address (one they can access that PC) or also often they ask for your help precisely because they can't check their e-mail.

I realise there's an element of users objecting to change in general, but the new UI is certainly not easy as you seem to claim... All this makes you think of looking for alternatives.

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Answers

  • aticspa
    aticspa Posts: 4
    edited May 2023

    I know that if you use QS or host you pretty can get the old interface but as sometimes happens that it's useful I like the most to install the full version. So the last two days they were nightmare so I had to rely on **Third Party Product** to fill out my supporting job the only workaround I figure out of this UI mess. So **bleep** so **bleep** outrageous. I'm just waiting the moment our license will expire to get their sales asking to renew because I'm going to tell him we switched to **Third Party Product** hoping they do not mess the same way.

  • emdee
    emdee Posts: 1

    The new UI is most unfortunate. I learned from the very willing TV tech support agent that a host machine cannot be more than a host. However I need a specific PC to be a host sometimes and to access another PC at another time, which PC would then be acting as a host of course. I think I understood that wasn't immediately possible, but that there are workarounds. But to show me he asked me my password so he could log in to my host. However, my password is now secret even to me, so I couldn't provide it to him. I will transition as soon as possible to another solution. Sorry state of affairs with TV.

  • christst
    christst Posts: 4

    Agreed, I am here cause of it also. Very confusing interface.

  • JustSumGuy
    JustSumGuy Posts: 20

    How can they not include a way to go back??

    I really hate this new setup, much harder to deploy a new system with unattended access.

    it feels like they are abandoning users like us where all we do is a tech that remotely helps employee.

    Now my end users must click extra steps, deploying stations and laptops takes longer, end users are annoyed...

    Help desk operators are annoyed with the interface, slows them down finding the end user device they need to attend to..

    garbage!!!

  • TTTTTTTT
    TTTTTTTT Posts: 2

    What the heck were they thinking when they designed this version? They have totally destroyed a great product and made it impossible to use. I can’t figure out how to use it. Way to complicate. I’m looking for an alternative.

  • DailyUserUS
    DailyUserUS Posts: 2
    edited May 2023

    AGREED!

    This new way has taken an easy "Lets get you fixed up quickly" to "I am so sorry this used to be easy" 20+ minutes later.

    I have had to revert to **Third Party Product** to connect to help users. If this does not change I will NOT be renewing my subscription nor recommending to anyone.

  • ChadRT
    ChadRT Posts: 1

    The new UI has left our entire company wondering what on earth they were thinking. This is one of the most unfriendly UI experiences we have ever had.

    I can say one thing for certain. TV has lost our account! We have started exploring the other products out there and we have found a few that will meet out needs nicely. While we are not the biggest company out there if every 100m corporation were to do that same thing they would be loosing a lot of money. It is a shame this update killed a long history of being able to support internal users and external users alike.

  • deejinoz
    deejinoz Posts: 35
    edited May 2023

    It is simple enough, once you jumped through their hoops of creating a TeamViewer account, to switch the new UI back to the old one. Just go to the cog on the bottom left had side of the new UI, select "Your Device" then switch off "Use new TeamViewer interface".

    You can even log the UI out of the account you were just coerced into creating (still not convinced this is about end user security as it is about getting people info) and it'll still run OK.

    The new UI changes seem to be more about using the app more like Teams/Zoom/GoTo for meetings than it does about being a remote support tool. Perhaps the TV people think there is a bit of an existential threat from the other meeting/remote products and this is their response to that. I use TV as a paying support tech and I tried the new UI but quickly went back to the old UI as I struggled to see how the new one benefitted me in any way.

  • P3_WJ
    P3_WJ Posts: 3
    edited May 2023

    Couldnt agree more.

    The new UI is total **bleep**.

    Everything is harder, more complicated and annoying. End users are useless for the most part and it adds a whole new level of annoyance to both sides of the process.

    Also, why does the end user have to login to get to options??

  • JeanK
    JeanK Posts: 7,027 Community Manager 🌍

    Hi @B123, and all below, who took the time to share their thoughts.

    I understand where you're coming from, the habits you developed throughout the years on using TeamViewer, and that this is a paradigm change for everyone.

    However, please give me a chance to convince you guys that the new interface is just a change and a real upgrade in terms of simplicity and security.

    Indeed, IDs and passwords are no longer needed/used, and now, we use session links to connect to remote computers. It is true that, in the beginning, things might look more complex than they used to be. However, if you look at how attended (user physically in front of the remote computer) and unattended (no one in front of the remote computer) remote support works now, you can objectively see a quicker and more secure user journey.

    I truly believe that the main issue is changing habits, which is hard; I 100% agree.

    Please find the step-by-step process on how to provide attended and unattended remote support with TeamViewer Remote here:

    Based on this new workflow, please let me know which parts are unclear or which you are still struggling with.

    The goal here is to understand your pain points and address them so that we can deliver the best remote support journey.

    Thank you all for your loyalty and your time to provide feedback.

    Let's keep the conversation going; it helps us a lot.

    /JeanK

    Community Manager

  • I have meetings scheduled through calendly for months out. With the new interface you can't even use meetings. How is this possible? If I create a session it expires so I can't schedule meetings out in advanced. This is total garbage!! I am using the old interface as long as I can unless TV makes some changes. If I can't use meetings in the new interface I will be changing to another product as well.

  • JeanK
    JeanK Posts: 7,027 Community Manager 🌍

    Hi @cstillwell73,

    Indeed, the meeting functionality is no longer available for free users.

    However, you can still use TeamViewer Meeting with the dedicated Meeting client.

    You can download the Meeting client here: https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/

    We thank you in advance for your understanding.

    /JeanK

    Community Manager

  • Terrible design choice. Won't be renewing my license.

  • Josh_B
    Josh_B Posts: 9

    Regarding the "I truly believe the main issue is changing habits, ...".

    Yes, changing habits is not easy. But there is a much bigger problem attached to it. Over the years we've build an extensive list of groups in our "Computers & Contacts" list. One group for every customer. Inside that group, there are a bunch of hosts or "normal" TV Clients saved. Previously we were able to quickly type the customer name in the search bar and instantly get all the available connections shown. This is now requiring extra steps. And yes it may seem to be just 2 clicks extra but do this 50 times a day, five days a week and then we talk again. It just gets annoying.

    I'm not complaining as much about this new "Session" thing as much as I complain about ease of use, accessibility, simplicity. This was always the key benefit of TeamViewer.

    We do remote support for individual employees of our customers too. And most of them are (kindly speaking) not the most experienced people in front of the PC. They now what they need to do for work on a PC and thats it. And to be honest, we can't blame people for that.

    We are now at a point where we have most of our customers understanding what they need to do when they need support. If I think about re-training those people to a new UI and Connection-method, I'm going bald just thinking about it...

    So yes, it is a change of habits, but also quite a big logistical undertaking for us. Which makes other solutions very appealing at the moment.

  • JeanK
    JeanK Posts: 7,027 Community Manager 🌍

    Hi @Josh_B,

    Thank you for your valuable feedback about the ease of use, accessibility, and simplicity and for allowing us to understand "what happens behind the scenes".

    We are working hard to address all the pain points you provide so we can deliver the best remote control software.

    All the best,

    /JeanK

    Community Manager

  • WISEIT
    WISEIT Posts: 6

    Hi @/JeanK,

    I wholeheartedly agreed with everything Josh_B wrote as that is also my experience.

    Teamviewer already had one of the best remote control software until it was ruined with this new UI and should seriously consider reverting back to what worked as judging by the overwhelming volume of negative comments Teamviewer may soon not have many customers left. I am yet to meet or read anyone who actually likes this new UI. Seriously, do you like it? As you seem to work for Teamviewer you probably have to say yes.

  • wayneh
    wayneh Posts: 2

    Have to agree with the other posters. I've had several clients over the past couple of days where I've just had to give up supporting them over Teamviewer and resorted to just using the phone. Just got off the phone with another where we had to resort to a Facetime session pointed at their screen as they couldn't work out any way to give me their ID and password. And before you suggest I email them a link just like several others the whole purpose of the support call was to set up their email so how would you suggest I send the link!

    This is poorly thought out and unless it's improved I'll also be taking my business elsewhere.

  • JeanK
    JeanK Posts: 7,027 Community Manager 🌍

    Hi @wayneh,

    Thank you for your feedback.

    You can share a session in multiple ways.

    In case the end-users do have access to their e-mail, and you want to connect to them via ID and password, you can ask them to download QuickSupport via our website: https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download

    Their ID and password will be automatically displayed. Simple as that.

    Let me know if you have any further questions! I'll be happy to assist.

    /JeanK

    Community Manager

  • jr7777
    jr7777 Posts: 2

    JeanK...

    You're right. Some of the griping is just the "change is hard" thing. Most of it though it legitimate.

    I have spent more time this week trying to move PCs from the restricted groups to the main groups. I had to figure out the process via trial and error. The documentation didn't even come close to providing a proper explanation.

    And, the process itself makes little sense. I am guessing this whole migrating devices thing plays into a bigger picture. And that's fine if we get some sort of explanation. However, there was not explanation. Just a sudden blast of garbage upon opening a new interface.

    If you want to know the problem, I can give it to you with a very simple explanation...

    When I open one of my groups, there is absolutely no rhyme nor reason to the sorting of the items in the group. Supposedly the items are sorted by status. Beyond that, it is a mystery. This might be useful if the items were sub-sorted by name. However, that is not the case.

    We are now forced into an extra click to sort the items by name. As one previous poster said... Yes. One extra click. Do that a hundred times each day multiplied by all of the other idiotic "little" hurdles we must make our way thru. Pretty soon you have a day full of frustration.

    Another example... I needed to rename some of the items in one of my groups. There is NO clear concise way to accomplish that simplest of tasks. I need to actually login to the web and scroll way down to the bottom of the list of PCs and make a change there. That's right, the PC is listed higher up. But the higher up version doesn't allow a change.

    In addition, after the change is made on the web, I don't see it in the app on my PC until I restart the app. Seriously? How backwards is the app anyway?

    Yes. As you can tell, we are not happy. I am looking to move all of my PCs over to another solution. It is going to be a large project. Burning a large amount of time. For that I am angry.

  • jr7777
    jr7777 Posts: 2

    One more thing...

    It's not as simple as clicking the slider to go back to the old interface. I wish it was that simple. The old interface doesn't exist as it was. The so-called old interface is a bastardized version of what it was. We can't do any of the maintenance type things in the this so-called old interface that we used to be able to do. Simple things like changing the name on a device.

    OY! What a mess.

  • NRR
    NRR Posts: 9

    I reviewed the video links provided by the Community Manager in an effort to better understand this new UI. Well guess what, the views shown in the videos are not what we get when installing the host. From step one, the videos are useless... sorry, fail.

    I really don't appreciate being told it's a matter of "accepting change".. I work in IT and I know what it's like when we have to push out changes to our employees. But we take the time to:

    TEST, TEST, TEST

    DOCUMENT

    TRAIN

    After that we continue to provide additional support where needed. I put in a support ticket with TeamViewer because the host ID no longer shows in the email received to trust devices. We were told we were possibly hacked. Again, I work in IT and we run a tight ship. Anything is possible but right now I am certain THAT is not the case. Out ticket was supposed to be escalated but its been weeks and no one replies - disappointing customer service and application upgrade.

    We may also be on the lookout for for an alternative when time to renew... 😒

  • JeanK
    JeanK Posts: 7,027 Community Manager 🌍

    Hi @NRR,

    Thank you for your feedback.

    I reproduced the workflow on my test devices and could not see any mismatching information with the how-to videos.

    Could you specify what exactly makes the video useless from step one? That would be a great help in identifying potential issues.

    Many thanks in advance for your support.

    /JeanK

    Community Manager

  • I have just installed the latest Teamviewer version on a computer without internet connection. The old UI showed the local IP addresses if no connection was possible. The new, terrible UI just shows "Keine Verbindung" (en.: "no connection"). I did not expect an ID, but I expected to see the password so that I could connect via IP address.

    I cannot even enable LAN connections, because without the UI, I cannot open the program settings. And, by the way, I don't even see a way to open the program settings window in the "old" teamviewer on my laptop after switching to the new UI (internet available and UI obviously looking as intended).

    Who invented that terrible UI? Almost everything is missing!! I don't need "Meeting", "Augmented Reality", and "Weitere Lösungen" (other solutions). In fact, I have not been happy when TV was cluttered up with that. But I need easy to use remote control functionality, the chat, and the computers and contacts list. Where has that gone?

    I totally agree to all previous comments. I have been using TeamViewer for over 10 years, privately and commercially, it has been a great software so far. I was going to suggest buying it at my new employer, but that's over. I am going to look for something else now if the old UI does not come back!

    :-( :-( :-( :-( :-(

  • JeanK
    JeanK Posts: 7,027 Community Manager 🌍

    Hi @TobiasKnauss,

    You are correct - connecting without internet via LAN mode (IP address) is currently not possible with the new interface.

    Regarding chat and the computers and contacts list, they have been moved to the top-right corner of the Home screen.

    I hope this helped.

    Cheers,

    /JeanK

    Community Manager

  • @JeanK

    thanks for your reply. Obviously, the UI only looks like in your screenshot if you have an account and are logged in. To me, it looks like that:

    I will not accept that you can only use Teamviewer if you are logged in. And then, the new UI, which I finally see the first time in your screenshot, indeed is even more terrible than what I have seen up to now.

    Goodbye. I am going to use something else now.

  • sbabcock
    sbabcock Posts: 2

    Could not agree more - The new UI has broken almost everything

    Asking users for an ID, not passwor or TV ID showing, no access to "Extras / Settings

    I have been using TV for many years and also have a license for the Asset Management component

    Am looking for a new product to start using in November once my licenses expire


    In the meantime ...

    I've used a registry setting to get the old UI up and going and pushed it out via Group Policy where I could

    Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\TeamViewer

    Add DWORD : UIVersion

    Set Value to 2


    Close and restart TeamViewer


    Hope this helps someone

  • KMGP
    KMGP Posts: 1
    edited June 2023

    All of my "easy access" clients now say update required (first picture). How do I update my clients TV when they don't have accounts? this is what their TV looks like now (second picture)


  • njtaz76
    njtaz76 Posts: 1
    edited June 2023

    We have some licenses for support and have spent a few days trying to figure out how this all works. We are now using our time to find another solution to replace TV - obviously all we keep hearing from TV staff is how great this is and just need to get used to things... changes should have been made in a much different, slower way. **Third Party Product** works great and there are definitely many other - easier - options available to use.